Backyard Barbecue Store

For anyone who loves barbecue, the only thing better than a store that sells everything from grills and smokers to rubs, sauces, cookbooks and tongs, is a restaurant that serves first rate pulled pork and chopped brisket. The Backyard Barbecue Store in Wilmette does both.

Owner Dan Marguerite’s interest in barbecue may be, in part, due to his father’s close friendship with George Stephen, the man who invented the dome-shaped Weber grill. Whatever the source, his passion is evident, both in the variety and the quality of his inventory.

Marguerite’s design for his current store includes space for private parties and cooking classes, space that’s also used for Happy Hour on Fridays, lunch on Saturdays, and, during the football season, lunch on Sundays.

As a sports bar, Backyard Barbecue is a first name kind of place, where the regulars know each other and newcomers are accorded a warm welcome. The bar-style seating is clustered, all of it close enough to the bar to facilitate serving, yet far enough apart to accommodate conversation. On Saturdays, the TVs are tuned to the day’s biggest games, but on Sundays, the main focus is the Chicago Bears, the city’s NFL team.

The menu always includes chef Emily Shulruff’s skillfully seasoned pulled pork and chopped brisket, along with hot dogs on the children’s menu and sliders for Happy Hour. Weekly add-ons lean toward hearty fare like salmon burgers and chili with shredded cheddar and crackers. There’s also a full bar stocked with soft drinks, cocktails, wine and nearly a dozen  beers on draft.

Lunch at Backyard Barbecue does come with a caveat: one bite of the pork or brisket and you’ll find yourself thinking that with the right equipment, you could cook up something this good yourself. It’s a soft, but effective, sell, as I can attest. I came to do a story, and I left hoping my condo board will OK an electric grill.

Backyard Barbecue Store, 535 Green Bay Road, Wilmette  847.251.2272

www.backyardbarbecuestore.com