Major news on the Loudoun foodie front.
From what we’re gathering, the huge 16,000+ s.f. Smokehouse Live barbecue restaurant and live music venue at Village at Leesburg is going to reduce its size significantly by cutting its current space by more than half. The space they are vacating will be taken over by a new 10,000+ s.f. commercial kitchen and indoor farmers’ market.
ChefScape currently has one small location in Loudoun, in a small strip mall in old Ashburn near the Carolina Brothers restaurant. It is a commercial kitchen for small food-based businesses, such as food trucks, that need access to high quality kitchen and business facilities. For example, a food truck can rent space and time in the kitchen weekly in order to prepare the items they sell from the truck.
The new ChefScape at Village at Leesburg, its second location, will be huge and offer much more. Not only will it have the commercial kitchen facilities for local food businesses, but it will also offer classes, events and markets that will be open to the public. It appears ChefScape will be taking over the portion of Smokehouse Live is that includes the large dining room with all the picnic tables.
Among the plans is a partnership with Eat LoCo, a local organization that works with and promotes area farmers and artisan food producers. Eat LoCo currently sponsors the weekly farmers’ markets at One Loudoun and Brambleton as well as one launching in Purcellville in May.
We don’t have many details yet, but we understand that ChefScape and Eat LoCo are partnering to offer the first year-around indoor farmers’ market. When it launches, it will run Thursday afternoons from 3 to 7 p.m.
Stay tuned for more details!
(Another thank you to Andrew Sample, who wins this week’s award for best news tips!)
Smokehouse Live may be shrinking in size, but the quality shrunk and disappeared a long time ago. The place went from excellent to terrible almost overnight. Ridiculous prices, zombie quality staff and food that is below average. You’ll keep shrinking, Smokehouse Live. I predict you will be closed within 18 months.
We must have eaten at two different place. Smokehouse Live is my familys favorite. We find the staff delightful, the food is always delicious and the price is fair!!! As much as I hate to hear they are down sizing the restaurant is huge and the whole center is just not popping yet. I’m personally super excited to see what they do!!
Wow Jim. Pull your taste buds from the trash and try again. The prices at Smokehouse fall in line with most of the other BBQ establishments in the area. The wait staff has always been nice and friendly. The guys at the counter are helpful when it comes to samples and suggestions. Their Sunday brunch absolutely top notch. The food quality is sublime. And last but not least the entertainment is awesome. Local and National acts that keep the ‘House’ rocking.
The meat is good with tasty sides, but I agree with Jim A. on price. It is outrageously expensive for what it is. Ex: $7-8 for one sausage link. One is not filling if that is the only meat you want, so let’s say $14 for two links…and then you add on $3 sides. Two links and two sides…a typical “platter”…$20. Ex: spare rib plate (2 ribs & 2 sides)…$16. Willard’s-Chantilly (my local gold standard) 1/3 slab (3-4 ribs) platter…$12.59. Yummy Pig 1/4 rack entree…$12.95. Now that their rent is half, I hope their prices will fall in line with local BBQ establishments…but I’m not holding my breath.
Agree with Jim A. This place was horrible and the downsizing is a reflection of customer experience.
Comments are closed.