New Restaurant Smoking Up Comfort Food Classics

Something's in the air on the north side of North Hampton, and it's more flavorful than just change.

Depending on the time of day, Lafayette Road traffic smells are augmented by a sweet, smoky aroma thanks to the new Heritage Smokehouse and its cherry-, oak- and sugar maple-smoked meats.

The Heritage Smokehouse isn't exactly what most people think of when they hear "smoked meats," though, and that's exactly what owner Luke Wenrich and his wife Nicole are going for.

The restaurant fuses smoked flavors and "American comfort food classics" instead of being a full-blown barbecue joint. Wenrich makes his sauces and almost everything else on the menu — which uses locally-sourced ingredients — from scratch, but rather than basting on those sauces by the bucketfull, he lets the dry rub and smoke be the star of his ribs, pulled pork and roasted poultry. 

"Everyone has a particular idea of barbecue," said Wenrich, which he said is part of the reason why his business is a smokehouse, not a barbecue house. "A common misconception of a smokehouse is everything is slathered in sauce. We do a freshly-made American dinner with that smoked flavor."

Thursday is the one-month anniversary for the Heritage Smokehouse, which is located at 184 Lafayette Road in the old Smoke Stack Grille and Porkez building. Business hasn't yet taken off the way Wenrich expected, but he believes he's created a "niche" for himself and that "once people try it, they'll like it."  

"I feel like we've created one, but people just haven't realized it yet," said Wenrich, who is working on various marketing ideas and special events like $3 draft nights during televised New England sporting events. 

Throwback Brewery and Smuttynose Brewing Company are two of the local companies which supply the Heritage Smokehouse, and Wenrich said once business takes off he hopes to add more local food and ingredient providers.

Currently, the business gets its food from Maine as well as other surrounding areas, its soda is exclusively from New Hampshire-based Squamscot Old Fashioned Beverages, and its ribs come from outside of New England. 

The Heritage Smokehouse's orders aren't yet large enough to utilize Seacoast meat farmers and produce companies, although Wenrich envisions the restaurant getting there eventually.

Another vision Wenrich has for the Heritage Smokehouse is a business that is heavily involved the community and supports its residents. In addition to creating a friendly, sociable atmosphere, Wenrich is working hard to give back to North Hampton and surrounding towns.

One example of this is the Heritage Smokehouse's participation in the Seacoast-based Caring and Sharing Food Drive. For every canned food item brought in to the Heritage Smokehouse from now through the event's end in mid November, diners get $1 off their bill. 

Wenrich also has various other ideas for giving back to the community, and he believes this kind of giving fits right in with his buy-local mentality and the overall purpose of a local business.

"We just really want to be a staple in the community and be involved with what is going on and supporting the community," said Wenrich, 12-year veteran of the restaurant industry who recently moved to North Hampton from Merrimack.

The Heritage Smokehouse is open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. More information about the business can be found on its Facebook page.