Noble Barbecue is moving into the former Deering Center home of Elsmere BBQ. Photo courtesy of Ryan Carey
Noble Barbecue plans to move this summer from outer Forest Avenue to the former Deering Center home of Elsmere BBQ and rebrand to feature New York-style pizza, in addition to barbecue.
Noble founder Ryan Carey said Friday that he recently closed on the property at 476 Stevens Ave. He expects to relaunch there in early or mid-July as Noble Pizzeria & Barbecue and said the Forest Avenue location will stay open until about two weeks before the move.
Noble Barbecue is moving from outer Forest Avenue to Deering Center. Derek Davis/Staff photographer
“We’re going on seven years at our Forest Ave. location,” Carey said. “Last year was the best year we’ve ever had, but I feel the brand has outgrown the location. So, when I heard 14 months ago that Elsmere was no longer going to be operating there, I thought it would be a great opportunity.”
Carey said he’ll be dropping barbecue platters from Noble’s menu but will keep barbecue sandwiches – which he said are Noble’s top-selling items – and their sides, like mac and cheese, corn muffins and fries, along with salads.
Noble Barbecue’s brisket sandwich. Derek Davis/Staff photographer
“Adding pizza to the menu I think will be really appealing for the neighborhood,” Carey said. “The goal is for someone to come in on Monday and get a barbecue sandwich, and then on Friday come back and get a pizza.
“Pizza is nothing new to our team or me,” he added, noting that he’s been making pizza through his catering company, Fire & Co., since 2014, and specialized in wood-fired pizza for festivals through his concession company, Pizza Pie on the Fly, for three years before that. “I love the mass appeal of it and what we do with it, and it’s the reason I’m injecting it into the rebrand.”
Carey said Noble’s pizza will be New York-style, 16-inch pies with thin, crispy crust. The restaurant will offer a lunchtime slice bar from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The bar and dining room in the former Elsmere BBQ in Portland. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer
The new location represents a massive space upgrade for Noble, which now has 18 seats in a 1,500-square-foot space on outer Forest Avenue. The new 4,000-square-foot location has an 18-seat bar, 64 seats in the dining room and patio seating for 50.
Carey said he doesn’t plan on major renovations, just some paint work inside by a local artist. “We’re going to leave the bulk of the restaurant the same,” he said.
Noble Pizzeria & Barbecue plans to be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
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