Welcome to Hickory's
Our first road trip across America’s Southern States sure did start something...
We made friends with pitmasters in Texas, ate pulled pork in South Carolina, baby back ribs in Memphis & burnt ends in Kansas City - meeting some of the friendliest folk on earth along the way.
One journey was never going to be enough, so every year we scour the backroads & highways from Missouri to Mississippi in the name of new recipes to take home. We’re now roughly up to 19 trips to over 70 towns & cities across the states & counting…
The first Hickory’s Smokehouse opened in 2010 in Chester, a year to the day after the first roadtrip & we’ve been welcoming guests ever since. If you haven’t joined us, you can find our restaurants across the North West, Midlands, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire & North Wales & we’d love to welcome you for some good old fashioned Southern hospitality.
Have you spotted the five stars in our name? Each star represents one of the five values that underpin everything we do, say or plan. We live and breathe these values & try to bring them into every part of the Hickory’s experience…
1. Authentic
It all started with a road trip to the Southern States - 19 trips, 70 cities later & counting we bring home inspiration, knowledge, passion & good old Southern hospitality.
Our smokers are imported from Missouri & Tennessee and are shipped 4000 miles across the Atlantic.
With each trip comes new inspiration. Each state brings new ideas.
2. Welcoming
On our travels we are always greeted like old friends and we just wanted to bottle the generosity of spirit and open hearted hospitality of the Southern States.
From no teeth to false everyone is welcome. Families & friends can meet, unwind and spend time together.
Hickory's is a home from home for all our guests.
3. Passionate
We visit the Deep South so we know we're doing it right.
From how our Pitmasters smoke meat, the secret recipe rubs & sauces to how to make the best Bourbon Old Fashioned, we keep learning.
We are always discovering something new & we want to do it right.
4. Daring
We strive to find our own way & we love to surprise our guests.
We've been bold and opened restaurants in places others wouldn't & we've brought you dishes that shouldn't work; Chicken Fried Waffle with maple syrup - you say they do.
We dared to show American Football at 3am in Chester in 2013 - only 8 people came, now it's 800 & we'll continue to dare to do things differently.
5. Community
Hospitality doesn't stop at our front door we want to become part of the local communities we're in.
We host local events & together with you we raise money for our chosen charity Cash For Kids. We've raised over £573k so far - thank you.
We want to support local businesses & causes wherever possible, play our part and create fun, memorable events for our local communities.