The corner site beneath Swell Resort, which used to be Crust Pizza, has undergone a welcome transformation by owners Luke Fatooros and Jason Nettmann. The newly opened 90-seat smokehouse and whisky bar is, as the name suggests, all about the smoked meats. Jason, a well-credentialed international chef, leads the kitchen team with a glowing menu that brings together various methods of smoking. Start the party with a hickory-smoked cheese kransky plate, in-house smoked salmon, or the smoked hickory wings, which are chargrilled in Buffalo Sears’ own secret barbecue sauce. This sauce is legitimately a secret – all we know is that it’s highly addictive (you’ve been warned). Now, let’s get down to the juicy details – the eight-hour mesquite-smoke beef brisket, which is slow-smoked using secret rubs before being basted a Jim Beam sauce, is a must-try. So is the six-hour hickory-smoked pulled pork, served atop a char-grilled bun with coleslaw and ranch sauce. You’ll find a series of burgers, from the Tex Mex to the Buffalo Burger with hickory-smoked bacon, but it’s the glazed pork ribs that will really catch your hungry eyes – go straight for the super-sticky full rack with coleslaw and beer-battered fries.

We know most of your mouths are watering right now – but the Buffalo Sears crew also know that deliciously tender slow-cooked meats aren’t for everyone. So, you can opt for the barbecue-rubbed chargrilled chicken with baby potatoes and green beans, the lemon riesling chicken, or choose from one of the vibrant salads. Yes, it’s a smokehouse, but even the vegetarians and less-carnivorous are well looked after with the likes of the hearty portobello mushroom burger with melted Swiss cheese and creamy dijon mustard, as well as a mind-blowing vegetarian platter. What lies behind the whisky bar and in the stone-clad open wine cellar is designed to compliment the smoked goodness from the kitchen. As expected, there are plenty of whiskies on the ceiling-high bar shelves – you can enjoy your everyday single malts and blends, or treat yourself to some pretty fancy aged varietals. There’s a tidy list of cocktails that covers a handful of fun and unique concoctions, like the Smokey Anchor with Sailor Jerry spiced rum, pear juice, lime, honey, smoked applewood chips and lightly toasted marshmallows, all the way through to the Tegroni (negroni feat. tequila). Buffalo Sears will also be catering for the ladies, with weekend brunches featuring smoked oysters and champagne, and will also roll out weekly events like the ‘ribs, rum and reggae’ on Sundays, plus blues and jazz nights.

Head over to our Stumble Guide for Buffalo Sears location and opening times.