This family-friendly American-style diner has been a long time coming for Wilmslow
Many of the best-laid plans have gone awry in the past 18 months. The Hickory’s team took over the site on Racecourse Road in Wilmslow almost two years ago and now, finally, the much-anticipated BBQ smokehouse is open.
We can’t wait to welcome you all and show you what we have done with the place
Hickory’s might be new to Wilmslow but this is not its first rodeo. The independent Cheshire based group has been operating in Chester for over 21 years. As well as a multitude of Hicks, they also look after cocktail bar Barlounge and award-winning steakhouse Upstairs At The Grill.
Everyone loves a veranda
The space is huge with a vast, leafy, terraced veranda, the kind you want to make a beeline for in this ridiculous heat, and a glass garden room with retractable roof and walls - a smart move to have those options if the past 18 months are anything to go by. Inside the style is all American with sporting references aplenty and a corrugated iron wall hanging that shouts “Welcome to Wilmslow” in classic USA roadside diner style.
Hickory's is all about the family-friendly vibes with loads of games and activities for kids - the Wilmslow venue even features a specially designed kids cinema room to keep them busy once they’ve tucked into their burger and got bored with adult conversation.
Low and slow
There’s also a USA-style “sportsbook” area with large HD TV screens showing sports like NFL, golf and rugby, betting kiosks and computers and a hot-desking area to people working away from the office can take advantage of the super-fast WIFI.
All that sounds lovely, right? But what’s the food like? Well, there are no prizes for guessing that spice-rubbed, smoked and slow-cooked meat are the main draw. Think racks of baby back ribs, deeply flavoured beef brisket, and the eternally popular pulled pork alongside steaks, burgers and smoked chicken wings. Milkshakes and cocktails are the main draws of the drinks menu.
Hickory’s founder, Neil McDonnell, said: “At times it's felt like this day would never come but we are finally there and I know the team are all raring to go. One benefit of the delayed opening has been the extra time it has given us to finesse the design of the restaurant, add a few quirky extra touches and make sure our team are all very excited and ready to go. We’ve had an overwhelming amount of support from the local community here in Wilmslow, so, as you can imagine, we can’t wait to welcome you all and show you what we have done with the place.”
Hickory’s General Manager Adam Mitchell said, ‘The team are beyond excited to open. All the training and our practice nights have been leading to this moment and we just can’t wait to start welcoming our guests for real, so come and say ‘Hi’ and see what we have done with the place.
Hickory’s Boddington Arms, Racecourse Rd, Wilmslow SK9 5LR
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