Smoke on the Water's kitchen at its new Pelham Road location is finally cooking — literally. The Greenville barbecue tavern, closed since it left its downtown home more than two years ago, says its new kitchen near Pelham Road and Interstate 85 has passed certification and is now preparing real food for the first time, according to an update posted by the owners this week.
Kitchen Clears Its First Real Test
According to WYFF News 4, the restaurant's owners say the kitchen at 64 Beacon Drive is newly certified and just completed its first real test drive, with actual food being prepped after a long stretch of construction, permits, inspections and waiting. The station reports that owners are not yet ready to announce a reopening date, even as hiring interviews are underway this week and landscaping crews work on the grounds in front of the building.
The milestone caps a long road back for a restaurant that spent a decade as a fixture of downtown Greenville before closing its original location in 2024, a move WYFF News 4 reports was driven in part by rising rent concerns. That downtown spot, at 1 Augusta St. in the West End, sat at the gateway intersection of Main and Augusta streets for two decades, according to the Upstate Business Journal, before closing its doors on March 24, 2024. Smoke on the Water was founded in 2004 by partners Chicken Lea, Hurdle Lea, and Mike Shuler as an upscale Southern barbecue tavern, per Destination BBQ, built around scratch-made regional sauces, smoked meats, and Southern comfort dishes.
A New Home Built for Growth
After Smoke on the Water's downtown departure, its old building was taken over in 2024 by Nic & Norman's, a Southern-inspired restaurant co-owned by “The Walking Dead” actor Norman Reedus and executive producer Greg Nicotero, which reconfigured the space into a speakeasy-style bar and entrance, according to 6AM City's report. Meanwhile, Smoke on the Water's owners announced a new location off Pelham Road near I-85 in January 2024, before breaking ground on the Beacon Drive site in July 2025, the Upstate Business Journal notes.
The new building offers far more room to work with. The property at 64 Beacon Drive spans 4,985 square feet on a 1.2-acre lot with 94 parking spaces and visibility near Interstate 85, per a LoopNet listing, and owner Mike Shuler had specifically sought a space exceeding 5,000 square feet to support an expanded kitchen and catering operations. The design and construction team, including general contractor Creative Builders and original interior designer Kitzi Craig, worked to recreate the tavern's signature atmosphere, with plans for an indoor-outdoor bar, outdoor seating, and space for live music.
Catering Kept the Lights On
Even with the dining room dark since early 2024, the business never fully went quiet. Smoke on the Water continued operating its catering division for private events, weddings, and local charity galas across the Upstate throughout the closure, according to a Smoke on the Water Facebook post this month.
Expanded Menu on the Horizon
Once the doors do open, diners can expect some additions to the familiar barbecue lineup. Shuler has said the new location's menu will expand on traditional offerings by reintroducing full-time prime rib and adding a Sunday brunch, building on a menu featuring smoked meats, Southern treats, and scratch-made sauces.
Hoodline once ranked Smoke on the Water among Greenville's top barbecue destinations back when it still operated downtown. For now, the owners say only that updates on the progress will keep coming as the Beacon Drive location edges closer to welcoming customers back.
