Craft and Cleaver was born out of a humble passion for cooking over fire, inspired in part by the dive bars and vibrant restaurant scene of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Our journey kicked off with an epic road trip through the heartlands of American barbecue – hitting up Kansas, Missouri, Texas, and the Deep South. Along the way, we savoured barbecues’ best of the best, from Texas brisket to Kansas City ribs and Carolina pulled pork. We knew we had to bring that experience back to the UK.

It all went down during a wild night in Kansas City, Missouri, where we found ourselves shotting tequila and drinking local craft beer with some passionate pitmasters. The details of that night might be a bit hazy, but one thing stood out – it was time to take the plunge and bring authentic American barbecue back home to Hertfordshire!

But it wasn’t just about the food; it was about capturing the lively atmosphere of those iconic American joints where barbecue, cocktails and craft beer collide and the good times roll! And that’s exactly what we did with our restaurant and bar… Craft and Cleaver was born.

From Idea to Reality

We found ourselves a little run-down pub on a side street in St. Albans. There was a tree growing in the back room, the 60’s orange floral wallpaper was lifted straight out of an Austin Powers’ flick and the cellar was full of scuba equipment. It had potential…

We spent 3 months putting it all on the line, renovating day and night to put our mark on the place (and get rid of that wallpaper). Rustic textures; wood, brick and metal coupled with neon signs; we quickly realised that Craft and Cleaver wasn’t just another pub – we were going to be a full-blown restaurant and bar.

Cue opening week, and we didn’t have enough fridge space for all our fresh food, the kitchen was too small, we needed more staff and our smoker wasn’t big enough for all the barbecue. It was a crash course in running a barbecue joint, but we adapted, grew, and kept the fire burning. We doubled down and got everything in place – better processes, more hands-on deck, a second smoker – and now, we’re serving up some of the best barbecue around.

What Makes Us Different?

Craft and Cleaver is all about bringing authentic American barbecue to the UK, pairing it with craft beer and cocktails, and turning it up to 11 with on-trend flavours, playful twists and some global barbecue influence. At our core we’re an independent, family-owned restaurant, and we stand for three things: barbecue, cocktails, and craft beer. We do this with a personal, neighbourhood vibe that you won’t find anywhere else. We smoke all our meats 24/7 on site over hickory wood in huge American smokers imported from Oklahoma in the U.S. The result is a gentle smoke flavour that is unrivalled. It’s all in the smoke ring – true proof of low and slow barbecue.

Rewind to when we were starting out, American barbecue was pretty new to the UK scene, and there was a gap for someone doing it on a smaller scale coupled with craft beer and cocktails. We went all in, opening up in St. Albans on a side street where people had to seek us out. But we knew we had something special, and we wanted to create a place where people could enjoy not just the delicious food and drinks, but our passion for the whole experience – that Southern-style hospitality, the dive bar vibes, the industrial restaurant setting, and that unmistakeable Craft and Cleaver smell; briskets and pork butts slowly smoking away in the kitchen over hickory wood.

The Name Behind the Flame

Naming the business was a bit of a journey in itself. Our first idea? The less said about that the better. But then, in a moment of genius, ‘Craft and Cleaver’ came to us, and it was like it had always been there. Carefully crafted food, drinks and butchers’ knives! It summed us up perfectly, and it’s stuck ever since as a beacon of what we do.

American Royal Barbecue 2017

In 2017 we returned to the States, this time to compete in the biggest Barbecue competition in the world, the American Royal World Series! We competed alongside 600 other teams in the middle of the Kansas Speedway. The only team from the UK, it was quite the adventure! We competed in all categories, and our Pulled Pork topped out in 17^th place! Not bad out of 600. Check out our blog post for more info!

Where We’re Headed

When Craft and Cleaver first opened, the goal was simple: to run a barbecue joint that also served incredible cocktails and the best craft beers from across the UK. But it quickly grew into something bigger – a full-on restaurant and bar that’s still evolving to this day. We continue to refine our menu, hone the experience, and we never, ever want to stand still. We like to think we’ve created a place that’s all about unforgettable food, incredible drinks, good music and great vibes. We hope you like it as much as we do!

In the restaurant business, every day is a hustle; and we love every minute of it. Whether it’s testing out new dishes, tweaking the cocktail menu, an away-day with the team for new inspiration or chatting with customers at the bar, we’re always finding ways to grow and make Craft and Cleaver the best it can be. One thing’s for sure – there’s plenty more to come, and we’re just getting started!