On my first visit to Smokehouse 91, the new barbecue spot attached to the Village Butcher in Mayfield, I walked to the rear of the building in search of the source of that intoxicating aroma. There, emitting a steady stream of pale white smoke, was a radiator-black offset smoker chugging along in stubborn defiance of the unseasonable weather.
With the recent arrival of Smokehouse, the corner of SOM Center and Wilson Mills roads has become a food-rich destination with assets too numerous to list. The Village Butcher, which chefs Zach Ladner and Carl Quagliata opened in 2022, is the type and caliber of butcher shop that any home cook would kill to have down the road. The spotless display coolers are packed with a mouthwatering selection of premium steaks and chops – including unusual cuts like petite tender and bavette – as well as pork, poultry, sausages and burgers. A glass-encased room is dedicated to dry aging meats that wind up in the coolers as well as on the plates at sister establishments like Tutto Carne, Paloma and Giovanni’s.
The Village Butcher is also the place to head for gourmet products like imported pasta, canned tomatoes, sauces, spices, oils, vinegars, mustards and other surprises.
When you combine talented chefs, premium meats and a well-stocked pantry, a logical extension of the brand is sandwiches. Since opening, this small but mighty butcher shop has cultivated a zealous following for hot and cold subs made with a level of care and attention typically reserved for fine dining. Italian beef fans will find a new favorite in the Butcher ($14), a big bundle of thin-sliced braised beef bathed in flavorful jus. It’s all topped with crunchy, tangy giardiniera. Both the Meatball ($14) and the CQ ($13) – chicken parm – are flawless, flavorful representations of the type. In the former, three airy two-inch balls are nestled in marinara, draped in melted provolone, and dusted with flurry of grated pecorino. In the latter, thin breaded chicken cutlets get the sauce, cheese and pecorino treatment, but also a generous slather of creamy pesto sauce. Likewise, if you love a classic Italian cold cut sub, opt for the PLG ($13), which is densely packed with capicola, soppressata, prosciutto, provolone, arugula, tomato, red onion and Italian dressing.
The adjacent Smokehouse 91 is a well-run fast-casual operation starring smoked meats like brisket, pulled pork, ribs, turkey and sausage. All are available by the half pound and some – brisket, pulled pork and turkey – in a sandwich. Everything is a la carte, with sides like beans, greens, mac and cheese, creamed corn and others available in small or large portions.
The fatty beef brisket ($14.99) is thickly sliced, meltingly tender and assertively smoked. Slices are cloaked in a dark, peppery bark and there’s enough fat to keep things moist and lush. The baby back ribs ($7.99) will appeal to the fall-off-the-bone crowd as the meat slips off with barely a nibble. It too is tender, smoky-sweet and flavorful. The pulled pork – piled high onto a bun ($14) – is not so much “pulled” as it is shredded into fine threads, giving the meat a texture that approaches mushy. I prefer to see and bite some larger strands and pieces. By-the-pound meats come with pickles, slaw and sliced bread. A spotless sauce station provides guests with a half dozen different regional styles to mix and match.
Like the sandwiches prepared next door, the sides and desserts offered here exceed expectations. I’m not sure I’ve tasted better collard greens ($5.50), which are braised until crisp tender with pork bones and served with plenty of meat in a rich broth. A cup of deeply spiced brisket chili ($5.50) eats more like a meal thanks to a winning meat-to-bean ratio. Little touches here go a long way: crispy garlic breadcrumbs that top the thick, creamy mac and cheese ($5.50); slaw, pickles and thin-sliced red onions that cap sandwiches; honey-slicked butter that comes with cornbread ($5.50).
At checkout, guests find themselves face-to-face with a cooler of desserts, with items like fruit cobbler, Oreo and peanut butter trifle, and banana pudding staring back from see-through containers. I’m firmly in the no-pudding camp but the banana puddin’ ($6) will win over even the most ardent holdouts thanks to a textural balance of banana slices, wafers, pudding and whipped cream.
The Village Butcher/Smokehouse 91
818-822 S.O.M Center Rd., Mayfield Village
440-565-7330
thevillagebutchermayfield.com
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This article appears in Apr 10-23, 2025.