When George Marsh, the former head chef and butcher at Parts & Labor, decided to open a restaurant, a barbecue joint seemed like the natural choice. Marsh remembers that when he smoked the meat outside the now-closed Remington restaurant, passersby would frequently call out to him from their cars. “People were constantly yelling out of their windows, ‘When is the barbecue going to be ready?’” says Marsh. “People respond to the smell of smoke. There’s just something about it—they can’t help themselves.”

Where’s there’s smoke, there’s barbecue. And, in this case, it’s coming from Heritage Smokehouse. On a November evening, my dining companions and I followed the smell of smoke to the restaurant that glows in Govans like a beacon along York Road.

Heritage feels very much like a Baltimore version of a classic barbecue joint, which is to say charmingly quirky. Marsh, a midcentury modern fan, modeled it after his own 1950s Lake Walker basement. With walls and booths fashioned from knotty pine and various pieces of taxidermy and photos of musicians (James Brown to Madonna to Dolly Parton) on the walls, the décor channels a Wes Anderson vibe.

And the tiki-forward drinks menu makes the whole experience—from eating with your hands to umbrellas poking out of the drinks—feel festive and eclectic.

Diners place their order at the bar and a runner brings the food to the table. We settled on the Ron Swanson (a nod to the carnivore-loving, “You had me at Meat Tornado” character on Parks and Recreation), and a sort of greatest hits of Heritage—pork spareribs, Käsekrainer, chicken leg and thigh, pork belly, and trout.

Within no time, the heaping platter of protein arrived. As we taste-tested our way through the goods, dipping each one into a variety of sauces, from molasses to mayo-based Alabama White Lightening, we debated the merits of our favorite. Was it the delicate and flavorful smoked trout with a dollop of sour-cream-potato dill sauce? The snappy Käsekrainer Austrian sausage flecked with chunks of cheddar and accompanied by a dab of stone-ground mustard for dipping? Or the butter-tender ribs slathered with a rub of mustard, coriander, cumin, fennel, and other spices, featuring a proper “smoke ring” under the bark of the meat? (We agreed to disagree, but each of us had our favorite.)

We also ordered several sides, including collard greens and smoky green chili pinto beans, but it was the mac-and-cheese, with its oversized elbow noodles, plus a honey dinner roll, which was delivered to our table by accident, that stole the sides show.

Barbecue boss Marsh—who came up with the name “Heritage” to avoid limiting himself to one style of barbecue, be it Texas or Tennessee—is at the top of his craft here. The meats are smoked out back in one of three smokers (ironically, toward the back of the building and adjacent to a dispensary—“they don’t care about all the smoke,” cracks Marsh). Most of the meat is cooked low and slow to allow the smoke to infuse and permeate the meat.

To avoid disappointment, check the menu, updated daily, before you go. In addition to smoked platters, there are composed plates such as stuffed cabbage, chicken and sausage gumbo, and perogies. Plans are in the works to soon smoke heirloom vegetables and seafood, as well.

The signature must-have brisket is available Thursday through Sunday and sometimes sells out online before the place even opens. At a time when good service can be hard to come by, our order arrived impressively fast, and we never felt abandoned at our table.

Several times, various Smokehouse staffers checked in to see how we liked everything (to use the word love would not be hyperbolic here), to find out if we wanted another round of drinks (we did), and to ask if we desired dessert (we didn’t but changed our minds when our charming server, Sheila, suggested a heavenly old-fashioned banana pudding made by Marsh’s wife, Jen).

After several hours, filled to the gills, we disappeared into the night, still glowing from the aftermath of our meal.

“Even my belch tasted good,” I cracked. “My husband will love this,” said my friend, her Ron Swanson leftovers in tow. “I got home and enjoyed a good flossing,” our other dining companion remarked later. “Another sign of a solid barbecue joint.”

OPEN

Bon Fresco: This homegrown coffee-and-carb chain—which has shops scattered everywhere from Columbia to Beltsville—opened its first Baltimore location in the Inner Harbor last week. Dooby’s owner Phil Han, whose father-in-law founded the chain in 2008, is spearheading the new shop between Pratt and Lombard streets. His team will follow Bon Fresco’s recipes, highlighting stuffed sandwiches on house-baked ciabatta rolls. (Standouts include the Tuscan Chicken with grilled veggies and famous London Broil topped with red onions and dijonaise.) In addition, the cafe offers breakfast sandwiches, salads, soups, DIY grain bowls, house pastries, and tons of coffee drinks.

Bentley’s Restaurant, Bar, and Lounge: Adding to Charm City’s recent jazz renaissance is this new restaurant and live music venue in Mt. Vernon. On the heels of Keystone Korner’s debut in Harbor East, Bentley’s is now officially open on Antique Row—offering a comfort food menu and weekly jazz, soul, and R&B performances. Diners can tap their feet along to the live soundtrack while enjoying dishes such as beef brisket in a red-wine demi glace, filet mignon topped with crabmeat, and crispy skin salmon with sweet potato mash. Bar snacks include Old Bay wings, peach-glazed shrimp, and Baja fish tacos.

DAYTIME DINING:

Noona’s: Speaking of Han, his pizza spot in Bolton Hill is now open for lunch. As MICA students and faculty return to the neighborhood for the fall semester, the restaurant is now open at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Friday. To accommodate those with limited lunch breaks, Noona’s will feature pub-style service during the day (diners pay at the bar and have their food brought to them) with featured dishes including the house burger, a tomato and mozzarella sandwich, and a farro grain bowl with soft boiled egg and late-summer herbs and veggies.

Topside: Hotel Revival’s rooftop restaurant is also launching daytime service this fall. Beginning Thursday, September 19, Topside will open from 7-10:30 a.m. for breakfast and then reopen from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. for lunch. Executive chef Scott Hines’ breakfast menu will include egg white frittatas and grilled French toast with chantilly cream, while the lunch lineup will feature classic Maryland crab soup and an ancient grains salad with pickled fennel. The first day of the new service just so happens to coincide with Moveable Feast’s Dining Out for Life fundraiser, which donates 25 percent of proceeds from participating restaurants to feeding locals in need.

COMING SOON

Roll Ice Cream & Coffee: Great news for sweet tooth fiends in Mt. Vernon. Highlandtown staple Roll Ice Cream & Coffee is bringing its customizable confections to the neighborhood with a new stall at Mount Vernon Marketplace. Opening on Saturday, August 31, the spot will offer its made-to-order treats that freeze a liquid ice cream base on a subzero plate before mixing in toppings and rolling it up in a cup or waffle taco. Although add-ins can be mixed and matched, co-owners Jason Werner and Jessica Reyes also offer house creations like the popular “Couch Surfer”—which tops a chocolate base with potato chips and caramel popcorn. In keeping with the local feel, the owners also collaborate with area purveyors like Wight Tea Co. and Ceremony Coffee to create their matcha and coffee flavors. Stop by the grand opening from 2-6 p.m. this weekend to sample signature ice cream concoctions and coffee drinks offered exclusively for the grand opening.

Heritage Smokehouse: Industry insiders know George Marsh as the former head chef and butcher at Parts & Labor in Remington, where he specialized in whole-animal butchery and supplied cuts to sister restaurants (including Woodberry Kitchen) and customers in the retail shop up front. “A lot of people are uncomfortable if their meat doesn’t come in a little shrink-wrapped Styrofoam thing,” Marsh told us back in 2016. “I want people to connect with it, see it, get used to it, get comfortable with it. Everyone’s gotten so desensitized to what meat is and what it looks like.” Now, the chef is bringing those philosophies to a new spot of his own. Slated to open in the former home of Murphy’s Bar in Govans by the end of the year, the York Road restaurant will offer smoked meats, locally sourced sides, and a family-friendly setting with arcade games.

EPICUREAN EVENTS

8/30-9/1: Water Song Pop-Up at R. House
Head to R. House sometime during the long Labor Day weekend to get a taste of Yunnan, China by way of Remington. Water Song will be setting up shop in the food hall’s rotating pop-up stall to serve authentic Mixian rice noodles in a tasty broth with pickled mustard greens, a touch of meat, and lots of chili oil.

SHUT:

Minnow: Last weekend, brothers Ben and Jake Lefenfeld served their last orders of crab toast and crispy tofu at this nautical-themed restaurant in Riverside. Open since May 2017, the La Cuchara sister-spot became known for its fish dishes and weekend drag brunches. Although regulars are sad to see Minnow go, the owners aren’t going anywhere. They recently decided it was time for a change and are planning to reopen the restaurant as a new concept called The Hot Dry this weekend. Stay tuned for more details and an exclusive interview with the Lefenfeld brothers on our Local Flavor Live podcast.