A local barbecue favorite is making its way to the northwest suburbs of Boston.
Known for its American-style barbecue and robust whiskey selection, The Smoke Shop BBQ is set to open its seventh location at 18 Boston Rd, Suite 100 in Chelmsford‘s Town Center, according to Boston Restaurant Talk.
Chef-owner Andy Husbands—a veteran pitmaster with over 20 years of competition experience—told What Now Boston he’s hoping to open the Chelmsford eatery around the second week of June 2025.
In addition to The Smoke Shop’s award-winning barbecue plates, platters, and sandwiches, diners can dig into wings, sliders, and classic Southern sides like cornbread, coleslaw, and mac and cheese. For breakfast lovers, the East Boston location serves up a Sunday brunch menu starring brisket eggs Benedict, biscuits ‘n’ gravy, and smoked breakfast sausage.
“We’re a scratch kitchen, so everything is made fresh in-house,” said Husbands. “And of course, all of our meats are smoked on-site using a blend of oak and hickory.”
In Chelmsford, the team has inherited what Husbands calls an “amazing” pizza oven, which they plan to put to use with creative specials once the restaurant is fully up and running.
And then there’s the whiskey. “The Smoke Shop proudly offers Massachusetts’ largest collection of American whiskey, and Chelmsford will be no exception,” Husbands explained. While the full collection will take time to build, the restaurant will open with a “solid selection,” plus a variety of local and national beers. Beginning this fall, guests can also look forward to monthly whiskey dinners.
The Smoke Shop accepts reservations but always saves space for walk-ins. Catering is also a big part of their operation—perfect for backyard barbecues, office lunches, and everything in between.
Once it debuts, the Chelmsford location will join the brand’s existing lineup in Methuen, Woburn, Somerville, Cambridge, East Boston, and the Seaport District. Previous outposts were located in Cambridge’s Kendall Square and Boston’s Hub Hall.
