Trailheads Trek Concrete Trail, Make Friends, And Fall In Love At New Lewis Barbecue.

Trailheads had our fourth annual holiday party at Brad’s pad, and everyone had a grand time. Our lovely mates somehow survived an evening of our hijinks, made worse when fueled by alcohol. Brad makes Manhattans that Patrick swears were Timothy Leary’s original recipe.

Despite our recent legal squabbles and infighting, the room was filled with merriment, love, great food, and joy. We even made special Trailheads ornaments to adorn the tree.

Charlie Brown got nothing on us—except for Snoopy, whom Elvis and Fio think is a big phony.

After the festivities, we received an early Christmas gift when we learned that a new barbecue place, Lewis Barbecue, had opened at Ansley Mall. Trail Master quickly arranged a hike nearby so we could try their food. We take our mission of being “on the path to truth and barbecue” seriously—although lately, we’ve expanded our menu, it was time to get back on track.

Guy, Brad, George, and Patrick gathered at Ansley Mall. Steve had a doctor’s appointment, and Roy was at a honey farm with Georgia’s Beekeeper of the Year—Debra Dewitt—we assume he was giving her bees a pep talk. (Learn more about her honeys and artisinal honey products here.) Roy, who recently retired from hiking said he hoped to join us for lunch. We wondered if he’d have sticky fingers. Upon hearing where he was, George immediately grabbed his EpiPen in case he brought back a bee.

The Beltline is very popular, and on this clear, cool day, many walkers shared the concrete trail with frustrated bike riders and joggers, who were shouting, “Move over to your side!” Sidewalk etiquette is vanishing–it’s gone the way of cursive writing.

Trailheads rarely march in an orderly formation. We resemble an amoeba moving haphazardly around the petri dish. As our conversations flow, so do we. And both are hard to follow.

We gathered under a bridge like trolls so Guy could take a selfie with graffiti in the background. If this was unsanctioned graffiti, it was not our doing. Although Patrick was spotted improperly disposing of empty spray cans earlier. A coincidence? Perhaps.

 After a few minutes, we went under another bridge where a man played guitar with his amp at full throttle. He was shouting, and his off-key noises echoed with heavy reverb. We quickened our pace to avoid his oppressive wall of sound. We suppose this is what Roy sounds like when he’s practicing at home.

We rarely see singers with guitars and amps on natural trails where electrical outlets are scarce. Maybe the awful singer’s amp was wind-powered.

A woman quickly approached us, and before she could escape, we shared our Trailheads spiel and gave her a sticker. Her name is Teya. She’s originally from Baltimore but prefers living in Atlanta—at least she did until she ran into us. We enjoyed a friendly chat about Bawlmore’s Inner Harbor and tasty Maryland-style lump meat crabcakes. 

We enjoyed a stunning view of the midtown skyline, then ruined it by taking a selfie. That, too, is part of our mission.

We took another one in front of the large bear sculpture outside Ponce City Market. We heard a roar rising and wondered if the bear had come to life. Nope. It was the sound of our growing hunger pangs. 

George found a rail to surf on, and we wrestled him to safety. He had to rush back to his car for an appointment, so he’d miss lunch. Too bad.

We hustled on our return journey to try the new kid in town–Lewis Barbecue in Ansley Mall. Yes, we were excited. And, no, we don’t have a barbecue problem.

John Lewis is the Pit Master behind the operation. John was born in El Paso, Texas, and at age 18, moved to Austin to start his culinary career. His parents gave him a New Braunfels smoker for his birthday, and he began experimenting with smoking meats. He tried different cuts, tested combinations of spices and seasonings, made adjustments to the design and construction of smokers, and tinkered with cooking techniques. Our parents didn’t give us smokers as gifts. Brad got a train set, and Patrick received a box of unsharpened pencils with no sharpener.

The young Thomas Edison of smoked meats moved to Denver, where he competed in barbecue competitions and honed his craft. Later, Lewis returned to Austin and helped his friend, Aaron Franklin, launch the now-legendary Franklin Barbecue. He also teamed up with LeAnn Mueller to open the popular and beloved La Barbecue. 

After establishing his reputation in the mecca of barbecue, Lewis moved his specially designed smokers to Charleston and brought the fire of his authentic Texas barbecue to the mid-Atlantic natives. In June 2016, he opened Lewis Barbecue, and soon, locals and culinary experts hailed it as one of the best barbecue restaurants in the country.

Southern Living, Conde Nast Traveler, Garden & Gun, and many more praised Lewis’s incredible beef brisket, along with everything else. The crowds flocked, and word spread like kudzu throughout the Southeast. 

In 2022, he opened a Lewis Barbecue in Greenville, and now, John Lewis has arrived in Atlanta to make his mark with smoke. What would Trailheads, a group of passionate meatheads who have sampled over 70 barbecue joints in the Southeast, think of his chow?

Lewis Barbecue touts itself as “Sinfully good” barbecue, which caught Fio’s attention. She loves sin. Don’t we all? While she waited with Elvis, Guy, and Brad at a table outside, Patrick waited in the long line inside to place their texted orders. 

The restaurant is beautiful, with plenty of seating. It features a Texas-style ordering system, similar to the Fox Bros. in Brookhaven. Patrons go through the line to different stations where your food is served cafeteria-style. But trust us, this ain’t no Luby’s or Morrison’s.

Everything looked great, the servers were very friendly, and the guy slicing brisket was a talented artist with his knife.

There is a beverage station and a sauce station. Patrick delivered the loaded tray of barbecue delights to his impatient comrades outside. Due to a “pudding” text miscommunication, he had brought two slices of Banana Pudding Pie instead of two orders of Green Chili Corn Pudding.

Luckily, Ben, one of the Lewis Barbecue owners, fixed the situation by bringing us two chunks of Green Chili Corn Pudding, and we are forever grateful to him.

After just one taste, this dish quickly became an all-time favorite side dish. No visit will be complete without this heavenly manna. Ben is our hero.

We all enjoyed chopped beef brisket sandwiches as our main course, and we were blown away. The brisket is as flavorful as any we’ve had, tender and infused with a savory, smoky taste. The fluffy bun is toasted to perfection, able to hold up under a heavy dousing of barbecue sauce. We sampled Lewis Barbecue’s Original Red and the Tangy BBQ Sauces. Both were exceptional, making perfect partners for our brisket.

Sandwiches come with a hearty serving of sliced raw onions, pickled onions, and tangy pickles for dressing.

The coleslaw was cool, crisp, and delicious—a perfect palate cleanser that neutralizes the calories of the beef brisket sandwich (that’s our hypothesis and we’re sticking with it until someone proves it wrong).

Collard Greens are packed with an authentic Southern flavor that makes Midwesterners drawl like Foghorn Leghorn after a few bourbons.

And Lewis Barbecue’s Tallow Fries are a side dish destined for the Barbecue Hall of Fame. McDonald’s cooked its iconic fries in beef tallow until 1990, when they switched to vegetable oil. Some people instantly noticed and believed it could be a sign of civilization’s impending fall. Listen to Malcolm Gladwell’s excellent Revisionist History podcast episode about this historic change.

Lewis Barbecue’s Tallow Fries are “sidewinder cut” for maximum surface area. They’re fried to a crisp brown. The fries have a deep, rich flavor thanks to beef tallow and the potato gods.

Finally, the Banana Pudding Pie might be the finest version of The Gilligan’s Island staple ever made. It’s smooth, creamy, decadent, and utterly delicious.

As we sat, passersby and the nice folks that worked at Lewis stopped to pet Elvis and Fio and cooed about how cute the dogs were.

“Why doesn’t anyone ever treat us like that?” Trail Master Guy wondered.

“It’s their fur,” Patrick replied. “We need to start wearing fur coats to get attention.”

We finished our meal, filled with Lewis Barbecue love, and chatted with Ben, throwing verbal roses at his feet about the food. Across from the restaurant, they’ll soon be opening a cantina serving beers, margaritas, and other drinks. 

Newcomer John Lewis has you covered for food and drinks. That’s what we call a good neighbor. Trailheads believe Lewis Barbecue will be a hit and establish a new benchmark for all other smoked meat joints to follow. 

We suggest you make tracks to this shiny new joint, get in line, and prepare to be impressed. We sure were.

Rating: Four Ribs*

Lewis Barbecue

1544 Piedmont Ave NE #406

Atlanta, GA 30324

 (404) 939-9567

lewisbarbecue.com

*About Our Barbecue Rating System

Trailheads do not claim to be food experts, epicureans, or sophisticated palates. We are hungry hikers who attack a selected barbecue venue and ravage our way through whatever smoked fare and fixings they're dishing out. nj Ounr reviews feature what we believe are the highlights of the menu we sampled. So our intent is not to trash talk the saintly folks who tend to smoldering smokers on hot, humid summer days. They are sacrificing themselves in the noble art of smoking meats and feeding the drooling masses. Many are independent entrepreneurs who are the backbone of this humming American economy. Now that you know our standards, you may wonder why every barbecue place gets a four-ribs rating. The answer is easy: our group has acclaimed designers, and they think the ribs graphic looks cool. Who are we to argue? Enjoy.

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