There is so much more to American food than just a burger - and this Leeds restaurant proves it.

Hickory’s in Adel is part of a chain of restaurants that started in Chester, after the founders embarked on a foodie road trip through America’s so-called ‘Deep South’.

The restaurant prides itself on offering authentic cuisine, featuring smokers brought in from Missouri and Tennessee, and serving dishes such as Gumbo and Po'Boys alongside traditional American smokehouse classics.

Hickory's Smokehouse opened on Otley Road in the summer of 2024. | National World

placeholder image — Hickory's Smokehouse opened on Otley Road in the summer of 2024. | National World

My dining companion and I arrived for a late dinner on a quiet Tuesday evening. The car park, mostly frozen over, was almost empty but we did spot a large pickup truck. While it may not have been intentional, it certainly added to the American saying that bigger is better.

Upon entering Hickory’s, the Southern US inspiration is hard to miss. Anyone who has dined at a steakhouse in the States. will immediately recognise the wooden decor, lively country music from artists like Alan Jackson and the Dixie Chicks blaring from the speakers, and a distinct aroma of smoked meat filling the air.

Even though it was very late, at least three large groups occupied tables in the restaurant, which is a good sign considering the freezing temperatures outside.

Hickory’s offers an extensive menu featuring hefty, meat-based dishes ranging from ribs and steaks to burgers, brisket, and sausages. With so many options available, we decided to share ‘The Smokehouse Platter’, a £62 feast designed for sharing.

After a shorter-than-expected wait, the massive platter arrived, covering most of our table. It included Texas-style beef brisket, Memphis-style baby back ribs, BBQ baby back ribs, smoked pork, jalapeno and cheese sausage, pulled pork with BBQ pit beans, eight-hour smoked Jacob's ladder (a type of short rib), and bourbon-glazed slow-smoked chicken wings.

This was all served with cornbread, two types of fries (we chose Cajun and chili cheese), coleslaw, a variety of pickles, and Tennessee bourbon gravy.

With so many options available, we decided to share ‘The Smokehouse Platter’, a £62 feast designed for sharing. | National World

One important note: this is definitely not a first-date restaurant - nor a second or third, for that matter. No one will look their best trying to devour such a saucy assortment of meats, and Hickory’s is well aware of this, which is why guests are offered with bibs before their meals arrive.

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While the platter offered a lot to sample, the brisket and BBQ baby back ribs stood out as especially tender and flavourful. We were also impressed by the pulled pork and BBQ beans, which paired perfectly with the chilli cheese fries.

The slaw and pickles were excellent additions to cut through the salty and rich flavours of the meat. I only wish there had been more of them.

Although I found the cornbread a bit too sweet for my taste, it was interesting to try this Deep South staple which is something you’d typically struggle to find in the UK.

We paired our meal with Hickory's in-house pale ale, a refreshing beer that complemented the sweet and salty dishes well, and the 'Show Me the Money', a spicy and sweet margarita that is also highly recommended.

The restaurant is also very child-friendly, too. It even features its own in-house mini ‘cinema’ showing a range of Disney and other child-friendly flicks to keep children occupied, alongside generous helpings of popcorn.