An event catered by Nooga-Q. (Photos by Mark Gilliland)More Info
NOOGA-QAddress: 301 Signal Mountain RoadHours: Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.Phone: 423-752-1935
Summer in the South and Nooga-Q’s slow-smoked barbecue just go together.
The restaurant’s delectably tender pulled pork, beef and chicken; beef brisket; ribs; and wings are served by the plate or by the pound with your choice of scratch-made sides, including all the classics such as coleslaw and fried okra. The cherry on top is Nooga-Q’s banana pudding, homemade with real fruit and freshly crumbled cookies. When surrounded by such summer-appropriate eats, why is owner Tami Smith devoting so much time to crafting dishes such as chicken marsala?
“Wedding season,” Tami told me.
In addition to its in-store and carry-out options, Nooga-Q offers full-service catering.
“No size is too small for us,” Tami said. “We’ve catered groups from 10 to 3,000 [people].”
Nooga-Q’s catering service is flexible not only with headcounts, but also with travel.
“I’ve gone to Sweetwater, Athens, Spencer…” Tami said.
Customers may opt to pick up their orders, have them dropped off, have a wait-staff come to serve them and more. And they may, of course, customize their menus to accommodate the needs of any event: rehearsal dinners, corporate events or family reunions, for example. Not surprisingly, the most popular option, said Tami, is its barbecue, but Nooga-Q’s less conventional recipes, such as the chicken marsala, are becoming more popular among party-throwers.
To view Nooga-Q’s standard catering menu visit nooga-q.com. Or, call the restaurant to find out about custom options.
Smoky meats and summer in the Scenic City may belong together, but scratch-made meals and get-togethers are even more complementary.