Hickory's Smokehouse

Hickory's Smokehouse is a United Kingdom restaurant brand specializing in Southern-inspired American food and barbecue. The business trades through Hickory's (ROS) Ltd and was established in Chester in 2010 by Neil McDonnell. Its concept was influenced by McDonnell's travels through the United States, including visits to Texas, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Rather than presenting itself as a conventional British pub or a narrowly focused barbecue takeaway, Hickory's combines an American smokehouse menu with a destination-restaurant format designed for relaxed, informal dining. The menu is centered on smoked and grilled food associated with the Southern states. Documented core offerings include burgers, corn dogs, Memphis-style back ribs, and smoked brisket. The restaurants use branded "Ole Hickory" smokers imported from Missouri, making the smoking process an important part of the operating concept and customer experience. This equipment, together with the emphasis on barbecue dishes and American-inspired interiors, helps distinguish the chain from more general casual-dining operators. Hickory's began with its original Chester restaurant and subsequently expanded across the United Kingdom. The available reference material describes the group as having reached 38 sites, indicating a substantial multi-site estate rather than a single regional venue. Its footprint remains UK-focused, with the brand's identity tied to American Southern food adapted for British restaurant customers. The group has also experienced private-equity backing and a later ownership change. Piper invested £6 million in the business from 2014 and supported its development before exiting in 2022. In that year, Greene King acquired Hickory's Smokehouse and committed a further £25 million investment in the chain. The transaction placed Hickory's within Greene King's wider hospitality portfolio while preserving the smokehouse brand as a distinct operating identity. The brand has maintained a community and charitable dimension alongside its commercial restaurant activities. It supports charities including Cash for Kids. The business has also faced operational adversity: in 2016, its Wall Heath site, located in a Grade II-listed former nightclub, suffered roof damage after an electrical fault caused a fire. Hickory's is currently an active UK restaurant group, with its proposition defined by Southern-style food, visible smokehouse preparation, American-themed hospitality, and expansion under Greene King ownership.

Hickory's Smokehouse was founded in Chester in 2010 by Neil McDonnell. The idea developed from McDonnell's experience traveling through the United States, particularly the Southern states and barbecue regions of Texas, South Carolina, and Tennessee. That inspiration became a British restaurant concept focused on smoked meats, American comfort food, and a distinctive smokehouse atmosphere. From its first Chester site, the business developed into a multi-site restaurant group. Its food proposition is based on Southern-style dishes rather than a single narrow product category. The menu includes burgers, corn dogs, Memphis-style back ribs, and smoked brisket. A notable operational feature is the use of an "Ole Hickory" smoker imported from Missouri at each restaurant. The smokers support the brand's barbecue identity and provide a visible connection between the restaurant environment and its cooking method. The company expanded beyond its original location and established restaurants in multiple parts of the United Kingdom. Reference material states that the group subsequently grew to 38 sites across the country. The format combines casual dining with a themed hospitality environment, allowing the brand to operate as a restaurant destination rather than simply as a takeaway barbecue specialist. In 2014, Hickory's received £6 million of investment from Piper. Piper supported the company's development during a period of growth and remained an investor until 2022. The business also experienced a significant site incident in 2016. Its Wall Heath restaurant occupied a Grade II-listed former nightclub, and an electrical fault caused a fire that damaged the building's roof. The incident is part of the documented operational history of the chain, although the available material does not provide further details about the financial or long-term business consequences. A major ownership transition took place in 2022, when Greene King acquired Hickory's Smokehouse. Greene King invested £25 million in the chain as part of the transaction, while Piper exited its investment. The acquisition brought Hickory's into Greene King's broader hospitality group and provided additional capital for the brand's continued development. Hickory's nevertheless remained identifiable as a separate smokehouse restaurant brand rather than being described as a Greene King pub format. Alongside restaurant operations and expansion, Hickory's has supported charitable causes, including Cash for Kids. The brand's documented identity therefore combines an American Southern food proposition, a UK-wide casual-dining estate, specialist smoking equipment, private investment, and ownership by a major British hospitality group. It remains active and operates in the United Kingdom.

• 2022

  Greene King acquires Hickory's Smokehouse

  [1]Hickory's Smokehouseen.wikipedia.org

  Greene King purchases the chain and invests £25 million, while previous investor Piper exits.

• 2016

  Wall Heath site is damaged by fire

  [1]Hickory's Smokehouseen.wikipedia.org

  An electrical fault causes a fire that damages the roof of the restaurant's Grade II-listed former nightclub premises.

• 2014

  Piper invests in the business

  [1]Hickory's Smokehouseen.wikipedia.org

  Piper provides £6 million of investment and supports Hickory's during its development before later exiting.

• 2010

  Hickory's Smokehouse is founded in Chester

  [1]Hickory's Smokehouseen.wikipedia.org

  Neil McDonnell establishes the restaurant group and opens its original Chester location, drawing on inspiration from travel in the Southern United States.

A casual, destination-oriented restaurant chain offering Southern-inspired American barbecue and smokehouse food in a relaxed hospitality setting.

• Smokehouse meat

  Smoked brisket

  Smoked brisket is one of Hickory's documented signature smokehouse offerings. It represents the brand's emphasis on low-and-slow barbecue and Southern American cooking, supported by the use of Ole Hickory smokers imported from Missouri. The available reference material does not specify the exact cut, smoking duration, seasoning, or serving formats.

• Barbecue ribs

  Memphis-style back ribs

  Memphis-style back ribs are a named part of Hickory's barbecue menu. They connect the restaurant group to the Memphis tradition of American barbecue and reinforce its Southern-inspired positioning. No detailed recipe, portion specification, or current menu information is provided in the reference material.

• Casual dining

  Burgers

  Burgers form part of Hickory's broader American comfort-food range. They complement the specialist barbecue dishes and make the concept accessible to customers seeking familiar casual-dining options. The available sources do not identify individual burger names, ingredients, or current variants.

• American-style casual food

  Corn dogs

  Corn dogs are included among Hickory's Southern-inspired American dishes. Their presence broadens the menu beyond smoked meats and contributes to the brand's informal, American-themed restaurant experience. Specific preparation details and product variants are not stated in the available sources.

• Restaurant equipment and cooking system

  Ole Hickory smokers

  Each Hickory's restaurant features an Ole Hickory smoker imported from Missouri. These smokers are central to the chain's operating concept because they support the preparation of its barbecue and smoked-meat menu while making the smokehouse process part of the restaurant identity.

• Cash for Kids support

  United Kingdom

  Hickory's Smokehouse supports charitable organizations including Cash for Kids as part of its community-oriented activity.

  Source

• 2022

  Greene King acquisition and investmentM&A

  Background

  Hickory's had expanded as a UK restaurant group with Piper as an investor since 2014. In 2022, ownership changed as Greene King acquired the business.

  Action taken

  Greene King acquired Hickory's Smokehouse and invested £25 million. Piper exited its investment after providing £6 million of backing from 2014.

  Aftermath

  Hickory's became part of Greene King's hospitality portfolio while continuing to operate as a distinct smokehouse restaurant brand. The available source does not specify subsequent site-level expansion or financial performance.

  Investment by Greene King. £25 million (2022)

  Source

1. 1Hickory's Smokehouseen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Hickory's Smokehouse official websitehickorys.co.uk