After more than four years of serving the Capital Region and beyond, T&T Smokehouse Meats is preparing to move from its current location in Baker to a historic train depot in Zachary. An opening date is set for the end of September.
The smokehouse built a loyal following with its barbecue classics despite being so hard to find, it literally required a digital map to pin down.
“The building wasn’t really visible, but we still got clients coming after they Googled for barbecue and we came up,” co-owner Engreck Butler recently told What Now New Orleans. “We’ve enjoyed our stay in Baker, but you know seasons come and they go, and our season is over at that location.”
The relocation is a homecoming of sorts for the owners, who have been Zachary residents for 23 years. In addition to the T&T Smokehouse food truck serving the area, Butler said she has strong connections in Zachary. The old depot building became available and the move just made sense.
The new setup is split down the middle: one side for traditional indoor dining, and an outdoor canteen with a service window. Think sunny days, sticky fingers, and the low hum of local gossip over the smell of sweet smoke. While the setting is changing, the menu remains focused on barbecue staples that have drawn people from far beyond the Capital Region.
“Brisket and ribs are one and one, that’s a very big request,” Butler said. “We do have our homemade burgers [which] are a hit, and our chicken is seasoned to the bone.”
The restaurant, which remains a Christian-based, alcohol-free establishment, expects to open by the end of the month. Until the old depot doors officially open, T&T food truck will be right on the property to bridge the gap. Consider it a warm-up lap, and this time, nobody’s going to need a GPS to find it.
