We are always in search of new and exciting destinations for good food, and in this case, delicious BBQ. In this area, the BBQ market is somewhat dominated by chain restaurants, and while I personally have nothing against the chains, it’s nice to see a local place throw their hat into the ring once in a while. Federal Hill Smokehouse is a recent entry into the world of BBQ in Erie, PA (Site link here: Federal Hill Smokehouse ),and let me tell you, they came out swinging. They are currently toying with longer hours, but for the moment, it’s mostly a lunch destination that’s open from 11am-3pm M-S or “Until the meat runs out”. My coworkers and I stopped by for lunch today, and I partook of the following:
I had the “2 Meat platter with 2 Sides” (I chose their house-made Mac ‘N’ Cheese and their house-made Coleslaw). The going rate on this platter is $11 (reasonable for the quality of the food), and a drink tacks on a couple dollars more depending on your selection. They are not shy with the portions as you can see. The Brisket is cut in think slabs, and the Pulled Pork is not as finely shredded as some places, and wow is it delicious! The Brisket is basically something I like to call, “Meat Butter”, in that the meat basically melts in your mouth. The Pulled Pork could have used some of their homemade sauces (I opted not to avail myself of them today since I was just after the pure taste of the meats). I will try the sauces next time we go. The mac is creamy, thick and flavorful. The coleslaw is a very simple concoction. Most coleslaw overdoes it on the mayo in the sauce, or some similar detail, but Federal Hill keeps it simple with a much thinner homemade dressing with some light seasoning. The cabbage was fresh, crunchy and substantial.
Overall, Federal Hill Smokehouse is a great destination for homegrown BBQ. In a place like Erie where it seems as though the restaurant chains rule the roost, it’s nice to see a small group of folks put together a really great shop that truly delivers some top-shelf BBQ in a small(ish) town package. If you get a chance to stop by Federal Hill, do it!
Like the blog says, it’s **Fat Guy Approved!!**
Thanks for reading!