Chef/Owner Brandon Rushing has announced the opening of Briny Swine Smokehouse & Oyster Bar in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood (2577 N. Clark St.). Scheduled to open this spring, Briny Swine is a seaside-inspired smokehouse and oyster bar featuring Carolina-style barbeque, sustainably sourced seafood and Lowcountry classics – served with cocktails aplenty and live music.
Briny Swine is a restaurant that was first established in Edisto Island – a community of 2,000 between the North and South Edisto Rivers 45 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina. The 68-square-mile sea island is mostly undeveloped. Edisto’s fishing community and the island’s heritage spill into its restaurants. There, Brandon and his wife Katherine own and operate the original outpost of Briny Swine and Ella & Ollie’s.
Brandon plans to bring some of that Edisto to Chicago. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he was exposed to the concept of sustainable seafood as a youngster. After graduating from the Oregon Culinary Institute (Portland), he set his sights on Charleston. He and Katherine opened their first restaurant, Ella & Ollie’s, in 2016, with Briny Swine following thereafter.
Briny Swine is rooted in two of South Carolina’s culinary traditions – pig pickins’ and oyster roasts.
Carolina barbeque usually centers on slow-cooked whole hog and other meats smoked between 12-24 hours. In addition to pork, guests will find turkey, ribs, and chicken. Brandon has spent years honing his sauce recipes, which include vinegar, tomato, mustard and mayonnaise bases. All meats at Briny Swine will be served with fives sauces, including:
Pepper Vinegar (vinegar-based)
Carolina Red (tomato-based)
Spicy Carolina Red (tomato-based with chipotle and habanero peppers)
Carolina Gold (mustard-based)
Alabama White (mayonnaise-based)
Brandon uses two, 108’ Lang Smokers, made especially for Briny Swine in Georgia. “These babies are the real deal,” he says, noting that his restaurant is one of the few in the country using them. Lang smokers are preeminently known for their reverse flow, off-set firebox design. With heavy plate, steel construction, they allow for consistent smoking of meats. Called stick burners, Lang smokers burn wood on one side of the unit to create heat that circulates evenly around the meat in the main cooking compartment. This clean heat produces flavor with the use of Carolina oak to produce flavor-packed barbeque ribs, pulled pork, brisket, Dino bones and smoked wings.
Brandon hasn’t forgotten about the rest of the Lowcountry goods. Every appetite will be satisfied with selections such as Jimmy red corn bread with sorghum butter; Collard greens; House-made slaw; Grit cakes with Marsh Hen Mills grits, andouille, smoked gouda, charred onion and poblano jam; Lowcountry arancini with Marsh Hen Carolina gold rice, pork hash, smoked onion marmalade and scallion slaw; Fried green tomatoes with chow chow, smoked pimento cheese and bacon jam; and a host of main dishes and sandwiches.
Weekday specials will include meatloaf on Mondays, wings on Wednesdays and fish on Fry-Days. A Late-Late Night Menu will also be on offer.
An oyster selection will showcase raw, smoked and roasted platters.
Briny Swine’s beverage offerings spotlight local beer and favorite spirit brands. Expect rosé, bourbon and beer on a steady flow.
Briny Swine opens for dinner Spring 2024, and will open for weekend brunch in the days following.
Chef/Owner Brandon Rushing has announced the opening of Briny Swine Smokehouse & Oyster Bar in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood (2577 N. Clark St.). Scheduled to open this spring, Briny Swine is a seaside-inspired smokehouse and oyster bar featuring Carolina-style barbeque, sustainably sourced seafood and Lowcountry classics – served with cocktails aplenty and live music.
Briny Swine is a restaurant that was first established in Edisto Island – a community of 2,000 between the North and South Edisto Rivers 45 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina. The 68-square-mile sea island is mostly undeveloped. Edisto’s fishing community and the island’s heritage spill into its restaurants. There, Brandon and his wife Katherine own and operate the original outpost of Briny Swine and Ella & Ollie’s.
Brandon plans to bring some of that Edisto to Chicago. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he was exposed to the concept of sustainable seafood as a youngster. After graduating from the Oregon Culinary Institute (Portland), he set his sights on Charleston. He and Katherine opened their first restaurant, Ella & Ollie’s, in 2016, with Briny Swine following thereafter.
Briny Swine is rooted in two of South Carolina’s culinary traditions – pig pickins’ and oyster roasts.
Carolina barbeque usually centers on slow-cooked whole hog and other meats smoked between 12-24 hours. In addition to pork, guests will find turkey, ribs, and chicken. Brandon has spent years honing his sauce recipes, which include vinegar, tomato, mustard and mayonnaise bases. All meats at Briny Swine will be served with fives sauces, including:
Pepper Vinegar (vinegar-based)
Carolina Red (tomato-based)
Spicy Carolina Red (tomato-based with chipotle and habanero peppers)
Carolina Gold (mustard-based)
Alabama White (mayonnaise-based)
Brandon uses two, 108’ Lang Smokers, made especially for Briny Swine in Georgia. “These babies are the real deal,” he says, noting that his restaurant is one of the few in the country using them. Lang smokers are preeminently known for their reverse flow, off-set firebox design. With heavy plate, steel construction, they allow for consistent smoking of meats. Called stick burners, Lang smokers burn wood on one side of the unit to create heat that circulates evenly around the meat in the main cooking compartment. This clean heat produces flavor with the use of Carolina oak to produce flavor-packed barbeque ribs, pulled pork, brisket, Dino bones and smoked wings.
Brandon hasn’t forgotten about the rest of the Lowcountry goods. Every appetite will be satisfied with selections such as Jimmy red corn bread with sorghum butter; Collard greens; House-made slaw; Grit cakes with Marsh Hen Mills grits, andouille, smoked gouda, charred onion and poblano jam; Lowcountry arancini with Marsh Hen Carolina gold rice, pork hash, smoked onion marmalade and scallion slaw; Fried green tomatoes with chow chow, smoked pimento cheese and bacon jam; and a host of main dishes and sandwiches.
Weekday specials will include meatloaf on Mondays, wings on Wednesdays and fish on Fry-Days. A Late-Late Night Menu will also be on offer.
An oyster selection will showcase raw, smoked and roasted platters.
Briny Swine’s beverage offerings spotlight local beer and favorite spirit brands. Expect rosé, bourbon and beer on a steady flow.
Briny Swine opens for dinner Spring 2024, and will open for weekend brunch in the days following.
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