These brothers SMOAK’d gameday concepts at Kauffman, Arrowhead; now their craft BBQ, burritos are delivering downtown

March 7, 2024  |  Startland News Staff

Cade and Seth Colson, SMOAK Craft Barbecue+; photo by Zach Bauman

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.

Cade and Seth Colson, SMOAK Craft Barbecue+, at Kauffman Stadium; photo by Alyssa Broadus

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.

Seth and Cade Colson, SMOAK Craft Barbecue+; photo by Zach Bauman

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.

SMOAK To-Go by SMOAK Craft Barbecue+; photo by Zach Bauman

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.

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

Tagged , , , , ,
Featured Business
    Featured Founder

      2024 Startups to Watch

        stats here

        Related Posts on Startland News

        Jeff Rohr and Rachel Smith, SquareOffs

        Village veteran SquareOffs launches long-awaited social opinion site, tops $2M+ in funding

        By Tommy Felts | December 17, 2019

        SquareOffs hopes its new consumer-facing destination website — showcasing interactive “microdebates” aggregated across a growing network of publishers and influencers — moves digital conversations back to civility. A fresh round of funding will help, said Jeff Rohr. “We are all tired of the toxicity that fills our social media feeds and dominates comments at the bottom…

        Ben Nelson, Huck Adventures

        Startup Road Trip: Huck Adventures goes west, using AI to turn outdoors into a social setting

        By Tommy Felts | December 17, 2019

        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. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. BOULDER,…

        Laura Manivong, Fattyhead Keto Crust

        Keto crust on the rise: Fattyhead bakes ingredients for expansion into new distribution deals

        By Tommy Felts | December 14, 2019

        Laura Manivong is feeding a hunger for keto diet-friendly pizza crusts that already stretches to freezer aisles across the metro — with stores and distributors salivating for more. “Out of the blue, I just called Sam Paris and Paris Brothers,”  Manivong, founder and CEO of Fattyhead Keto Crust, said of how a recent distribution deal…

        Isaac Collins, Yogurtini

        Pivoting back to a full-time franchise hustle: ‘Worst thing you can do is stop,’ Yogurtini owner says

        By Tommy Felts | December 12, 2019

        Running a franchise can require as much passion and perseverance as any other entrepreneurial endeavor — including those in the startup space, said Isaac Collins. Would-be business owners shouldn’t get caught up in the jargon of what is and isn’t “real” hustle when trying to craft a livelihood for themselves or their families, he said. A…