BEST BAR-B-QUE
Sugarfire Smoke House
Sugarfire offers a creative, fresh menu The Meat Daddy. Big Muddy. Turkey Bacon Rancher. These are only a few of the many reasons why Farmington’s Sugarfire Smoke House recently earned the Best of the Parkland award for Best Barbecue. Brothers Charles and Patrick Johnson opened the “chef-inspired and chef-driven” restaurant in January 2018. Charles is acting chef while Patrick is manager of catering and equipment. Leanna Johnson, their mother, is the dessert baker who helps oversee the restaurant. There are now 15 locations of the growing brand of Sugarfire restaurants in Missouri and other states. “We offer the same core menu items,” said Leanna, “but chefs are given leeway to be creative with daily specials.” Creating daily specials is a collaborative effort. Employees come up with an idea and everyone gives feedback. Once the dish is perfected, it’s added to the menu for that day. Manager Colten Spencer often comes up with creative dishes for daily specials. “We all taste it,” said Leanna. “Sometimes it’s a planned
item or it might be created on a whim.” Pitmaster Bobby Bourbon begins work early in the morning to prepare Sugarfire’s top-selling turkey and brisket, along with ribs and pulled pork. The brisket and pork are smoked for 16 hours before they’re ready to serve. The meats are cooked in Ole Hickory commercial smokers manufactured in Cape Girardeau. The smoked meats are certainly the showcase for any meal from Sugarfire. From the Meat Daddy – four-bone rib, brisket, pulled pork, turkey and specially made jalapeno cheddar sausage from Ste. Genevieve’s Oberle Meats – to combo plates to smoked salmon to salads, there are many items from which customers can choose for dine-in or carryout. Sides can be purchased in single servings or quart or gallon sizes. Many of Sugarfire’s sauces are made in-house including the Texas hot, Carolina mustard and their signature white sauce, along with their apple cider vinaigrette, ranch and dressings for their coleslaw and potato salad. They also
Leanna Johnson displays a slice of freshly-baked pie at Sugarfire Smoke House. Johnson bakes the pies from scratch each morning.
Patrick Johnson shows off Sugarfire Smoke House’s signature sandwich, the Big Muddy. This towering creation includes brisket, smoked sausage, horseradish sauce, BBQ sauce, lettuce and pickles. Patrick and brother Charles own the restaurant. use the Sugarfire recipe for their barbecue rub. A few unique products are sourced from other familyowned businesses including Excel bottled and fountain drinks, freshly-baked breads from Fazio’s Bakery and Ronnie’s Ice Cream from St. Louis, and LaRue artesian bottled water. “It’s very labor-intensive because we make everything fresh,” said Leanna. “Our goal is to serve high-quality products with no preservatives.” When customers arrive at Sugarfire, they’re greeted by unique artwork by Brandon Warren and Samson LaMonds, along with colorful, comfy seating. The handlettered menu boards offer an abundance of items to choose, from meats to side dishes, specialty sandwiches, salads, from-scratch desserts,
and other sweet treats including adult shakes. Leanna said there are several reasons she feels customers continue to choose Sugarfire for the Best Barbecue award. “We cook fresh food, and we don’t even have a microwave,” she said, “but primarily, it’s because we take pride in providing the best and freshest products possible and have excellent customer service.” Sugarfire Smoke House offers 10% discounts to military, EMS and firefighters. Sugarfire Smoke House 670 Walton Drive, Farmington 573-713-9099 Sugarfiresmokehouse.com/ locations/mo-farmington/ Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (or until they sell out)
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