“D’Andre Carter and Heather Bublick have slowly created a barbecue empire in Chicago with restaurants in suburban Evanston and a space along the Chicago River in Avondale. “

Executive Chef Sarah Stegner of Prairie Grass Café chose Soul & Smoke’s Mac and Cheese, Smoked Brisket and Bean Chili, and Cornbread Muffin as her best suburban meal pick for 2023.

Soul & Smoke Avondale is considered one of Chicago’s best BBQ restaurants by Infatuation: “…not only are the meaty brisket and ribs incredible, but the sides (like creamy mac and cheese, cornbread muffins, and spicy baked beans) are all just as great as the meat.“

“the brisket is the best I’ve tried outside of Texas. Instead of gray and dry like too many versions in Chicago, each bite is outrageously juicy and laced with a smokiness that doesn’t leap for attention so much as wrap its fingers lovingly around the back of your neck.”

“I had some of the most delicious barbecue of my life from Soul & Smoke… Like, mind-blowingly good,” proclaims Christine Cikowski, chef/partner of Honey Butter Fried Chicken.

“Not only are the meaty brisket and ribs incredible, but the sides (like creamy mac and cheese, cornbread muffins, and spicy baked beans) are all just as great as the meat.”

“The real gem of the box was the Soul & Smoke BBQ spice rub…. If there’s one thing I could smell for the rest of my life, it would be this barbecue rub. A blend of salt, black pepper, chili powder, onion, brown sugar, and garlic, it filled my kitchen with a sweet, smoky, spicy aroma as the chicken I had rubbed it on roasted in my oven.”

The 40/40 List for 2022: America’s Hottest Startup Fast Casuals. “the brand plans to debut a dining room at its Evanston, Illinois, location after opening a patio space last summer, and open another brick-and-mortar restaurant in Avondale, Illinois.”

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“Made completely in-house, Carter starts with brisket that is brined for seven to 10 days, and then covered in a spice rub and left to air dry in the fridge. It’s smoked for 14 to 16 hours, sliced up and served with a fantastic mustard aioli.”

Chef D’Andre Carter and wife Heather Bublick have brought back barbecue glory to the river. Carter, a South Side Chicago native, has shown an obsession for barbecue with Texas-style brisket, tender baby backs, and more

“…their tender smoked brisket totally bowled us over.

The meat was so rich and flavorful that we could barely finish a slice each with our kale salad, coleslaw, collard greens, and mac and cheese”

“Chef D’Andre Carter knocks it out of the park with this sauce that’s a swirl of St. Louis flavors and the chef’s signature mix of spices. If you’re in Chicago, be sure to swing by one of Soul & Smoke’s three outposts. And if you’re not, bring the taste into your home and thank us later. “