With the aroma of smoked meat permeating the air, Ann Tolson eagerly awaited her prize: A to-go bag full of mouth-watering dishes from West Newton’s Blue Ribbon Barbecue.
“I’d recommend it to anyone who loves good food,” said the Boston resident who stopped by on a recent weeknight. A true fan, Tolson said she’s been dining on brisket and burnt ends since the venerable restaurant, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, first opened its storefront at 1375 Washington Street in West Newton.
“To last 30 years [in the restaurant business] is basically unheard of. We bucked all the odds,” said Needham resident Ron Stoloff, who owns and created the eatery with brothers Geoff and Chris Janowski.
Blue Ribbon Barbecue can attribute its decades of popularity to its devoted fan base as well as to the hard work of its staff. Some employees – including Jill Garza, manager of the West Newton branch – have been with the company since the beginning.
“The customers are amazing and have been very supportive since day one,” said Stoloff, who also praised his workers. They both kept the restaurant going even through the Covid pandemic, when there were “a lot of sleepless nights,” he recalled.
As the eatery grew in popularity over the decades, the owners decided to expand, opening branches in Arlington, Boston, and Dedham. With the four storefronts as well as a vibrant catering business, Blue Ribbon Barbecue goes through an impressive amount of food companywide each year, according to General Manager Scott Gubitose. This includes:
- 18,000 gallons of barbeque sauce
- 24,000 pans of cornbread
- 36,000 pounds of collard greens
- 100,000 pounds of mac & cheese
- 140,000 pounds of brisket
- 58,000 slabs of ribs
“We don’t cut corners …and I think it shows in our food,” said Gubitose, whose own go-to meal is the pulled pork.
The restaurant could not create its signature dishes without an essential piece of equipment –a J&S Smoker from Texas. In fact, the smoker is the main reason Stoloff and the Janowski brothers opened in Newton 30 years ago, since the city was one of the few places that allowed its use.
Once the owners got the OK to have a smoker, they could start producing their signature baby back ribs, brisket, and many other delicious items.
“I just love the smell,” said Stoloff, who also is a fan of pulled pork.
On a recent weeknight, while staff members quickly assembled non-stop to-go orders, Fred Pimental and his son Alex, 14, of Andover, sat on two of the few stools available at the West Newton restaurant.
Already fans of the Arlington location, they decided to stop by the original storefront after a sports practice.
“The ribs are really good,” said the teen with a big smile, while his father praised the collard greens.
After 30 years, Stoloff still calls the restaurant his “baby.”
“I love it. … I eat, sleep, and breathe Blue,” he said.
