Sweet Smoke BBQ Announces Plans to Close
'No secret how hard life is in the restaurant business right now,' say the owners.
Sweet Smoke BBQ at Chill on the Hill in 2023. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Sweet Smoke BBQ, the food trailer known for bringing Texas-style barbecue to Milwaukee, will close after more than four years in business.
Owners Adam and Cindi Beilke announced Monday that Sweet Smoke’s final day of service will be Sunday, Dec. 6. The couple said they would release a schedule of the trailer’s remaining appearances soon, giving customers time to redeem gift cards or make a final visit.
“There isn’t any one single reason that’s moved us to make this decision — it’s no secret how hard life is in the restaurant business right now,” the couple wrote on social media. “We care so much and pour everything we have into trying to give people a special experience when they come out to the truck.”
The Beilkes said the demanding nature of running the business ultimately took its toll.
“In the end, we’re mostly just tired and miss seeing our friends and families,” they wrote.
Sweet Smoke officially launched in April 2022, making regular appearances at breweries, markets and other events throughout the Milwaukee area. Its menu centered on slow-smoked brisket, pulled pork, ribs and turkey, along with smash burgers and a rotating lineup of homemade sides.
Adam, a former accountant, was inspired to launch the business after eating at Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas. The meal began what he described in a 2022 interview with Urban Milwaukee as a decade-long effort to master cooking with live fire.
“I quickly became obsessed with trying to recreate it,” he said at the time.
The couple entered the restaurant business without professional experience, leaving their previous jobs to launch Sweet Smoke.
“We are not risk takers, so to quit our jobs and start a food truck with no experience was a massive leap,” they wrote Monday.
The business endured a major setback only months after opening when a June 2022 fire heavily damaged Common Cookhouse in Oak Creek, where Sweet Smoke rented commercial kitchen space. The fire displaced nearly 20 food businesses.
Sweet Smoke subsequently operated from Hawthorne Coffee Roasters, 4177 S. Howell Ave., while continuing to build a following through pop-ups and events. The business became especially well known for appearances in Bay View, including at Chill on the Hill at Humboldt Park and the now-shuttered Enlightened Brewing Company.
In announcing the closure, the Beilkes thanked customers who supported the business and recommended it to others.
“This all happened so organically, and without all of you that just doesn’t happen,” they wrote. “We will greatly miss those windows of service every week.”
The couple added that they will be less nostalgic about the behind-the-scenes work, including cleaning, taxes, inspections and license renewals.
“We love you Milwaukee and hope to see you around,” they wrote.
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