These brothers SMOAK’d gameday concepts at Kauffman, Arrowhead; now their craft BBQ, burritos are delivering downtown
March 7, 2024 | Startland News Staff
A popup business that launched stadium-based concepts alongside two of Kansas City’s biggest sports teams will now be serving its popular handcrafted barbecue and burritos from an East Crossroads-based hub for ghost kitchens.
SMOAK Burritos and SMOAK To-Go — the latest ventures from brothers Cade and Seth Colson’s SMOAK Craft Barbecue+ — open today at 1600 Campbell St. at the Crossroads Food Stop.
The duo is looking forward to giving Kansas Citians another vehicle to enjoy their barbecue any day of the week, not just at pop-ups or on game day.
“I smoked my first brisket in 2017 and was hooked at the level of quality that I could produce with not a lot of experience,” said Cade Colson. “Of course the first brisket was totally beginner’s luck, because the next half dozen were not good at all. What keeps me in barbecue and what I love most about Kansas City is the absolutely incredible passion for barbecue the city exudes. The city is truly peerless when it comes to the love of barbecue and support for those who excel at making it.”
The menu at SMOAK Burritos will feature handcrafted SMOAK’D meats with fresh fillings served on Caramelo Tortillas or in bowls. The menu at SMOAK To-Go will include BBQ plates, sandwiches, burritos, and bowls with signature BBQ meats and homemade sides.
Click here to explore offerings at SMOAK Burritos and here to see what’s smoking at SMOAK To-Go.
Both menus will be available for pickup or delivery on the major delivery platforms (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub) with a delivery radius of 5-plus miles from the ghost kitchen location.
The Colson brothers debuted SMOAK Craft Barbecue+ in 2020 as a pop-up outside of Carmen’s Cocina II in Olath. Since then, they’ve built a loyal following at pop-ups hosted by multiple local craft breweries and wineries, as well as a regular pop-up schedule at Maps Coffee and Chocolate in Lenexa.
In the spring 2023, SMOAK was offered an opportunity to partner with Aramark Sports + Entertainment to serve their barbecue out of the KCQ concept at Kauffman Stadium, followed by an opportunity for a SMOAK branded stand at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in the 2023-2024 season. The Colson brothers also had the opportunity to serve at the NFL Draft Fan Experience in April 2023.
Click here to follow SMOAK on Instagram.
Many of SMOAK’s menu items highlight ingredients that pay homage to the Colson Brothers’ home state of New Mexico and Cade’s decade long residence in Dallas, including their signature hatch green chile sauce.
“I am fortunate enough to have tried a lot of different cuisines from all around the world, and I really enjoy bringing flavor combinations together in ways that not many people have tried,” said Cade Colson. “I also believe that being from New Mexico helps me bring in spice to our food that really compliments the flavors of the barbecue, rather than having heat for the sake of heat.”
SMOAK Burritos is open for breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday. SMOAK To-Go will be open for lunch Wednesday through Sunday.
Featured Business

2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Anchor Island pours into coffee shop’s potential with unique investment round
A crowd-funded investment opportunity through HoneyComb Credit would allow customers to help a Troost Avenue coffee shop enhance its kitchen equipment and expand the Anchor Island Coffee brand’s popular menu. Franchising and a liquor license could also be on the horizon. “We need support for the vision that we have, the product we serve, and…
Health tech entrepreneur opening spa on the Plaza; Here’s how its ‘accessible luxury’ comes served with collaboration
After 20 years as a hospital executive, Ashley McClellan has a new way to help people on their wellness journey, the budding Kansas City serial entrepreneur shared. In January, McClellan and her husband, Brett, plan to open Sojourn Spa in the Cascade Hotel on the Country Club Plaza. “From my perspective, we want our guests…
Ingredients in your burrito bowl could be grown by agbots; Chipotle’s $50M venture fund wraps investment in Kansas robotics startup
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. A minority investment from Chipotle Mexican Grill’s $50 million Cultivate Next venture fund is expected to help bring a Kansas tech company’s autonomous weeding robots into the fold as the…
New news: This KC shop makes the sold-out hats for Kelces’ popular podcast; now you can find even more merch in store
Sandlot Goods is taking its new retail space in Leawood to new heights, shared Garret Prather, announcing an in-store exclusive: a partnership that allows Sandlot to locally carry gear from Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast in its shop. Just in time for the last-minute holiday rush, the opportunity offers the perfect gifts for…







