The smokehouse at Lewis Barbecue is unlike anything you've seen in Atlanta. Instead of cramming their cookers in some back room, they put six massive 22-foot smokers in a spacious loft with panoramic windows overlooking the new pedestrian bridge to the BeltLine. It looks like the fanciest engine room in Georgia, and the brisket coming out of those custom-built smokers is absolutely worth the spectacle.
Pitmaster John Lewis helped weld these smokers out of 1,000-gallon propane tanks, and they run 24 hours a day in staggered eight-hour shifts. This isn't some weekend warrior setup. This is industrial-scale barbecue production that happens to make some of the best brisket you'll find in the city. The factory rhythm approach means consistent quality, which is harder to achieve than most people realize.
The Ansley Mall location puts it right in the heart of the BeltLine action, behind The Cook's Warehouse where food people already know to go. Lewis brings Austin credentials by way of Charleston, so you're getting that Central Texas style that focuses on the beef. Between the location, the unique setup, and the quality of the actual barbecue, this should become a destination for both BeltLine users and serious barbecue people throughout the metro area.