Now Open: Soul & Smokeโs Expanded Flagship Restaurant, Where Bold BBQ Meets Elevated
Dining, Community & Art
Chicagoโs Award-Winning BBQ & Soul Food Concept Unveils Its First Full-Service Restaurant;
New Curated Art Collection Blended with Deep Roots in Evanstonโs Historic Fifth Ward
Soul & Smoke Co-Founders Chef DโAndre Carter and Heather Bublick, are thrilled to announce that their expanded flagship location in Evanston, IL is now open. The moment is years in the making – a century-old barn that has served as Soul & Smokeโs creative headquarters, catering hub, and community anchor, is now home to the conceptโs first full-service restaurant, and one of Chicagoโs most intentional new dining experiences.
Fresh off founding the Soul & Smoke Foundation – dedicated to promoting food security in the local
community – Carter and Bublick have opened the doors and are inviting guests to stay a while. What
awaits them inside is more than a meal. Itโs a space where award-winning barbecue and Carterโs fine
dining artistry share the room with a curated collection of works by some of the countryโs most
compelling contemporary artists, all chosen to reflect the history of the building, the soul of the Fifth
Ward (a historically underserved area of Evanston), and the community that made Soul & Smoke what it
is.
Since 2015, the original Soul & Smoke has owned and operated its catering arm, four locations, and two
food trucks from a century-old barn once owned by the Robinson Bus Company, one of the nationโs
largest Black-owned transportation businesses. Now, the team has expanded within the historic building to create Soul & Smokeโs first full-service restaurant. Running a business from a building with this deep commitment to community continues a legacy of Black ownership and entrepreneurship in a city recognized for its pioneering reparations initiative.
The reimagined space offers a refined dining experience that blends Soul & Smokeโs signature comfort food with Chef DโAndreโs fine dining background, inspired by his years at Chicagoโs iconic Moto restaurant, where Carter and Bublick first met. With something for everyone and all occasions, guests
can stop in for a weekday lunch, large group dinner or special occasion.
For lunch, the restaurant features its known BBQ favorites like Smoked Duroc Rib Tips, Chopped Brisket Sandwich, Pulled Pork Poโboy, Mac and Cheese, Cornbread and more, with more elevated offerings added in for dinner service. Some of those options include:
โ Auntie Geneโs Fish Curry, Halibut Collar, Vandouvan Gold Curry Sauce, Harissa Oil
โ Moto Oxtail Cigar, Smoked Oxtail, Collard Green, Sesame Seed Ash (inspired by Carterโs
mentor, Homaro Cantu)
โ Potato Salad Deviled Eggs, Microgreens, Salt and Vinegar Potato Nest, (option to add
smoked Kaluga Caviar)
โ Bone-In Beef Shank (in addition to a daily Niman Ranch certified prime steak cut that will
will be smoked and then grilled)
Traditional Southern sweet treats with a twist like the Sky-High Sweet Potato Pie, curated by Consulting
Pastry Chef Casey Doody provide the perfect ending to a meal.
The Wine & Cocktail Program
Complementing the dining experience is a curated wine and cocktail program led by Co-owner and
Sommelier Heather Bublick, featuring quality wine selections from BIPOC and woman-owned wineries as
well as creative craft cocktails, including a selection on draft, such as:
โ Smoke + Garden, Mezcal, Chartreuse, Maraschino, lime
โ Blackberry Bourbon Sour, Bourbon, Blackberry, Smoked Demerara, Lemon
โ Private Jet, Bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, Lemon
โ Rum Punch, Dark Rum, Orange, Pineapple, Lime, Allspice
For the first time, Heather and DโAndre are inviting guests to pull up a chair and stay a while.
For updates, follow @soulandsmoke on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, or visit
https://www.soulandsmoke.com/evanston.
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