SOUTH STREET SEAPORT’S NEWEST ARRIVAL IS HEARTLAND BREWERY & BARBECUE

New Name and Menu for the Popular Restaurant Will Satisfy Downtown Appetites Hungry for Barbecue

April 5, 2006 New York, New York – Barbecue is heading downtown and landing at Heartland Brewery in South Street Seaport. This popular brewpub on the corner of South and Fulton Streets will maintain its character, while gaining an authentic Southern Pride smoker and the menu of its sister restaurant, Spanky’s BBQ in Times Square. Heartland Brewery & Barbecue will be a welcome addition to this barbecue-starved neighborhood!

Jon Bloostein, CEO and owner of Heartland Brewery, which has five locations in Manhattan and Spanky’s BBQ in Times Square, saw the potential for changing the pub grub menu in his South Street brewpub, to best satisfy the appetites of the residents, tourists and business people.

“New Yorkers have really taken a liking to barbecue in the past few years, and while many places such as Spanky’s in midtown have had great success, the Financial District has had a huge void for this type of cuisine,” said Bloostein, who plans to deliver barbecue throughout the Wall Street area. “I saw an opportunity to spice things up and with the resurrection of the historic waterfront with numerous residential properties going up and new businesses coming in; the timing couldn’t be more perfect.”

Heartland Brewery & Barbecue, at 93 South Street, is situated at the cross streets of South and Fulton, in a 125 year-old year old tavern facing Pier 17 and the East River. Housed in the historic Schermerhorn Row, a group of buildings stretching along Fulton Street build in 1812 by a ship owner Peter Schermerhorn, it was occupied by the saloon for the Fulton Ferry Hotel for a long time. More recently it was the home of the North Star Pub, a beloved British pub that operated for 18 years before closing in 2001, Bloostein kept the impressive mahogany bar and tin ceilings, and added new tables from England and breweriana from his extensive collection giving the space a comfortable and informal décor.

The restaurant will provide a genuine barbecue dining experience with Chef Eric Guillot, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New Orleans, at the helm. Boasting a Kansas-style smoker on premises that uses hickory and apple wood for flavor and sweetness, and a menu that offers entrees ranging from Smoked Brisket Texas Chili to Free Range Buffalo Short Ribs, guests will undoubtedly savor the mouth-watering food, classic beer hall atmosphere, and of course, the hand-crafted beers exclusive to Heartland.

Signature Spanky’s dishes such as the Pulled Pork Sandwich with house pig sauce, St. Louis Style Center Cut Pork Ribs, Southern Fried Dill Pickle Spears, are among other tantalizing selections on the new Heartland Brewery & Barbecue menu.

Smoked Chicken Wings, Popcorn Shrimp, Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls, and Tex Mex Nacho with smoked brisket chilies are just a few of the appetizer choices. For a main course, there’s Mighty Red Gumbo, Chicken Fried Steak, and BBQ Chicken and Ribs. Sides include Cheese Grits, Mac & Cheese, BBQ Baked Bean and Collard Greens. Also on the menu are Smoked overnight Brisket Chili and Hacked Smoked Chicken sandwiches, a variety of hearty salads and delectable desserts such as Key Lime Pie, Pecan Pie, Mississippi Mud Cake and Apple Lattice Pie.

At any given time there will be ten outstanding brews on tap at Heartland Brewery & Barbecue. Heartland’s “Classic Six” year round ales – Red Rooster Ale, Indian River Light, Corn Husker Lager, Farmer Jon’s Oatmeal Stout, Harvest Wheat and Indiana Pale will be joined throughout the year by seasonal ales such as Grateful Red, Smiling Pumpkin and Summertime Apricot Ale.

Taking advantage of this waterfront location Heartland Brewery & Barbecue will offer outdoor seating in the warmer months that can accommodate up to 60 people. Heartland’s fresh ales and lagers are the perfect compliment to the sweetness and spice of this fresh smoked barbecue.

“I’m looking forward to turning on New Yorkers to authentic barbecue and microbrews and giving tourists a tasty bite of the Big Apple to take home!,” said Bloostein.

The original Heartland Brewery and Beerhall in South Street Seaport opened in March 2003. It’s part of the Heartland Group, including Heartland Brewery at Union Square, Heartland Brewery at Radio City, located at 51st Street and Avenue of the Americas, Heartland Brewery and Chophouse at Times Square, Spanky’s BBQ at Times square and it’s latest addition Heartland Brewery and Rotisserie at the Empire State Building, 34th Street and Fifth Avenue.

The wife and I go to Heartland at Radio City every so often to get a good brew and have been to the South Street Seaport location as well. Now to be able to get the Spaky’s BBQ and the Heartland Brew in an outdoor location, that spells disaster (in a good way).