We stopped at County Smoak in Lynchburg, VA when returning from the mountains. This was our first retirement trip. Sadly, we were returning from the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of our favorite places. We go through Lynchburg frequently heading to or from the mountains but have never found this little spot for BBQ. I’m not really sure how they stayed off our radar, but I guess today’s the day. Tammy did the search this time while I was driving. She actually came up with two different places. We decided to give County Smoak a try. They’re located at 7423 Timberlake Rd. Here’s what we found.
Meet the Owners.
The Restaurant and Staff at County Smoak:
County Smoak is a small restaurant. There is 1 table and a bar that will seat 5-6 people. There are picnic tables outside you can also sit at when it’s not 95 degrees. We did notice that they do a lot of take-out business. We were there about 2:30 in the afternoon and people were steadily coming in to pick up orders.
We were waited on by Ken, at least that’s the name on my receipt. Let me say that Ken is a very patient young man and also very informative of the menu. He was wonderful and a big help to us making choices for the first time. I think he’s had everything one the menu at one time or another. On top of all of that, he was very friendly and an excellent host. Thanks for the help.
I also talked to a young lady before we left. She too was awesome. It was nice talking to her and hearing about her Kansas City roots. So, both employees we met were wonderful. We couldn’t ask for better people to serve us.
Tammy’s Choices at County Smoak:
Sliced Brisket and Smoked Turkey with Mac and Cheese.
Tammy ordered a Platter for 1. She chose Brisket and Smoked Turkey with a side of Mac and Cheese. The mac and cheese is slightly smoked with plenty of cheese. The menu says they use 3 different cheeses. It was awesome.
The brisket at County Smoak is just fantastic. So tender I could cut it with a plastic fork. The flavor rocked. They have a perfect blend of smoke and rub creating an excellent combination of taste and tenderness. And as much as I always say I don’t care for turkey, the smoked turkey was delicious. Again, you couldn’t ask for better tenderness or a better smoke flavor.
My Choices at County Smoak:
I also ordered a Platter for 1. Mine was with Chopped Pork and Smoked Sausage with a side of Pit Smoaked Baked Beans. The beans are prepared using their rubs and sauces and then cooked in the smoker. They are so good! You can tell County Smoak has spent a lot of time working on their menu.
Chopped Pork and Smoked Sausage with Smoked Baked Beans.
The smoked sausage is good too. I tried it with some yellow mustard sauce and also some KC style Boss Sauce. Both were excellent. Then there was the chopped pork. Yes, this was the star of my meal. I didn’t use any sauces on this wonderful smoked pork. The flavor was great. As with the brisket, the spices in their rub along with the smoke really brought out the best flavor you could ask for. I think I would have bought another pound to bring home but I knew our cooler was full already. It did good to hold the few leftovers we had.
I also want to mention that with the platters you get fire & ice pickles and cornbread (or a bun). Get the cornbread. You’ll be glad you did. Tammy didn’t get her pickles because of the fire part of their name. I did. They were also delicious. And they were not too hot. As long as you like a little heat, very little, you should try these homemade pickles out.
Final Thoughts on County Smoak:
My only regret at County Smoak was that I couldn’t get dessert. I just couldn’t fit it in and then drive for 3 ½ more hours and it wouldn’t fit in the cooler. I really wanted to try the Smoaked Banana Pudding. They also have a Smoaked Pecan Bourbon Chocolate Pie that sounds great. We have to go back. When you go there and see all the choices on the menu you’ll know why we needed help choosing. I don’t think you can go wrong. We had some wonderful food served by a couple of awesome people working the front counter. We both loved this spot and look forward to coming back.
If you’re traveling out Hwy. 460 or passing through Lynchburg, VA, you need to look this place up. You will not regret it.
Now For Your Thoughts:
I may have gotten a little long with this one but I feel they deserve it. What do you think? We’d love to hear from others who have tried County Smoak out. Locals or visitors, let us know what you think. With so many different choices let us know some of your favorites. Just scroll down and leave your comments in the box and I’ll get them posted as soon as I can.
I look forward to hearing from you.
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You can check out their website at: County Smoak | Lynchburg, VA Barbecue Restaurant
You can also find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CountySmoak
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