SANDPOINT — If your mouth starts watering with anticipation as soon as you hear the name, Smokesmith Bar-B-Que must be the topic of conversation.

A community favorite as soon as it opened its doors, Smokesmith earned a slew of Best of Bonner County honors — first for best barbecue and best new business, second for best catering, and third for best food truck and best wine.

"We couldn't find what we wanted here in Bonner County, so we made it," Katie Smith said of the decision by her husband, Sean, and herself to open the barbecue spot after moving to Bonner County more than seven years ago.

Smokesmith opened for business in 2020, operating out of the 21-foot white box truck transformed into a food truck. Nicknamed “Eddie” after the cousin in National Lampoon’s "Christmas Vacation," the food truck quickly became a staple in the food truck and catering scene.

On their website, the Smiths said they are passionate about making simple, satisfying food without overcomplicating the process. When it comes to barbecue, it's either "undeniably and gloriously the real thing" — or it's not, the couple notes on the restaurant's website. 

"We create craft barbecue because of our passion for detail and our want to share it with our amazing community," Katie Smith said.

Inspired by friends at The Fat Pig, the Smiths said they wanted to bring that same attention to detail and passion for what is created in their own restaurant.

The couple have always loved craft foods in general and barbecue specifically. When they traveled, they were always searching out the best barbecue spots or hitting up a barbecue food track at any festivals they attended.

It wasn't long before they decided to open their own barbecue spot — one that "honors the age-old tradition of slow-smoking meats to create a mouthwatering symphony of flavor," the couple says on their website.

Smokesmith specializes in brisket, pulled pork and ribs, as well as classic made-from-scratch sides, including coleslaw, mac 'n' cheese, and beans. The restaurant's barbecue sauces have quickly won fans who can't get enough of them.

Fans from around the region — and the country — can't say enough about how good the barbecue is.

"We went to Smokesmith for the first time today and will absolutely be back," wrote Hayley Keys in a review of the restaurant. "The food was incredible. We got brisket and ribs and was honestly the best BBQ I’ve had out here. They have generous portions of both meat and sides. … Some awesome family-style BBQ and you can tell the owners are passionate about what they do."

Being able to deliver true barbecue and knowing that the care and love they put into their food is appreciated makes the hard work worth it.

"When a Texan says that our barbecue rivals true Texas barbecue, it makes our hearts smile," Katie Smith said.

Smokesmith is open Thursday, 4 to 8 p.m.; Friday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays, 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Mondays, 4 to 8 p.m. The restaurant is open all day Sundays for NFL Sunday ticket, and will continue live music every Friday, and some Saturdays.