Luella's Bar-B-Que

What Luella's Bar-B-Que does

Luella's Bar-B-Que is a privately held, independently owned restaurant operator founded in 2007 by Jeff Miller in Asheville, NC, named after his grandmother Grandma Lue, whose family recipes anchor the menu. The company operates two full-service dine-in restaurants — North Asheville at 501 Merrimon Avenue and South Asheville at 33 Town Square Blvd. in Biltmore Park Town Square — each offering dine-in, takeout, and delivery from 11am to 9pm daily, with a scratch-made Southern BBQ menu spanning smoked meats (brisket, pork, ribs, chicken), sandwiches, bowls, sides, a full bar with craft cocktails and local beer, and allergen-friendly options including vegetarian tempeh and gluten-free items. Pricing is unit-based across snacks ($5.95-$6.95), sandwiches ($10.95-$15.95), trays ($15.95-$32.95), bowls ($6.95-$16.95), and sides ($2.95 each). Beyond the restaurants, Luella's operates a multi-track catering division that has run full-service events for fifteen-plus years, including weddings, corporate events, and private parties with on-site smoking and buffet service, plus pickup/delivery catering orders and private party bookings (up to 35 guests at Merrimon's covered patio and 30 at Biltmore Park's half-dining-room). The business is geographically concentrated in the Asheville metro, has no disclosed institutional funding or parent company, no mobile app, no API surface, and operates solely through its website-based online ordering system and organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok).

Name

Luella's Bar-B-Que

Legal name

Luella's Bar-B-Que

Website

https://luellasbbq.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Luella's Bar-B-Que is an independently owned Asheville, NC restaurant operator (founded 2007) running two BBQ dine-in locations with takeout, delivery, full-service catering, and private event hosting, serving local diners, tourists, and event customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual (THAFABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Casual Dining Restaurants (THAFACAB)

Keywords

• Smoked barbecue
• Southern BBQ
• Restaurant catering
• Private event catering
• Scratch-made food

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dining: Revenue from dine-in customers at two Asheville locations offering full menu items including smoked meats, sandwiches, bowls, sides, and beverages including cocktails and craft beer.
2. Takeout and Delivery: Online ordering for takeout and delivery from both North and South Asheville locations.
3. Catering - Pickup and Delivery: Catering orders for pickup or delivery, offering individually boxed meals, items by the pound/quart, or bundles with supplies for events.
4. Full-Service Catering: Comprehensive catering for weddings, corporate events, private parties with on-site smoking, buffet service, and passed hors d'oeuvres. Fifteen-year tradition of full-service catered events.
5. Private Events: Private party bookings at both locations - Merrimon Ave. covered outdoor patio (up to 35 guests) and Biltmore Park dining room (half space for up to 30 guests).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Luella's Bar-B-Que is a scratch-made Southern BBQ restaurant operating two dine-in locations in Asheville, NC, serving smoked meats, sandwiches, bowls, sides, craft cocktails, and local beer. Beyond restaurant dining, it offers takeout and delivery via online ordering, on-site and pickup/delivery catering, and private party hosting at both locations. The menu is built around family recipes passed down from owner Jeff Miller's grandmother Grandma Lue.

Product overview

Luella's Bar-B-Que is a restaurant business with two physical dining locations in Asheville, NC (North Asheville and South Asheville/Biltmore Park), offering dine-in, takeout, and delivery services. The core product is its scratch-made Southern BBQ restaurant experience. The business operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture with the restaurant as the core offering, supplemented by catering services (both pickup/delivery and full-service), private party hosting, and online ordering capabilities. Menu offerings feature smoked meats, sandwiches, sides, and specialty beverages. Founded in 2007 and locally owned by Jeff Miller (Grandma Lue's grandson).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restaurant Dining Services Full-service Southern BBQ restaurant operating two physical locations in Asheville, NC (North Asheville at 501 Merrimon Avenue and South Asheville at 33 Town Square Blvd., Biltmore Park), offering dine-in, takeout, and delivery for individual customers and walk-in guests.
• Menu Offerings Scratch-made Southern BBQ menu featuring smoked meats (pork, brisket, chicken, ribs, tempeh), sandwiches, trays, bowls, sides (including Brunswick stew, mac 'n hoop cheese, baked beans), desserts, craft cocktails, and local beer, built on Grandma Lue's family recipes.
• Catering Pickup and Delivery Catering service offering scratch-made BBQ and Southern sides as individually boxed meals, items by the pound or quart, or bundle packages with supplies, available for pickup or delivery from both Asheville locations.
• Full-Service Catering Comprehensive full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and family gatherings, including on-site smoking, buffet service, passed hors d'oeuvres, and professional staff, with quote-based pricing and dietary accommodation.
• Private Party Hosting Private event hosting at Luella's two locations, including the Merrimon Avenue covered outdoor patio (up to 35 guests) and the Biltmore Park dining room half-space (up to 30 guests), with on-site food and bar service.
• Online Ordering Website-based digital ordering system for takeout and delivery orders from both North Asheville and South Asheville locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Positive customer reviews highlighting great ribs, best baked beans, huge portions, friendly staff
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Lusty MonkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal mustard producer whose whole grain mustard is used in Luella's Lusty Mustard sauce. The sauce 'bites in the best way' according to Luella's.
• City BakeryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal bakery that delivers fresh bread to Luella's daily. Buns from City Bakery are paired with their BBQ offerings.
• CheerwineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnique Southern beverage since 1917, available as a canned soda at Luella's and referenced as what they 'like to drink' at the restaurant.
• Ashe County Hoop CheeseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal cheese producer whose product is used in Luella's Mac 'N Hoop Cheese side dish, giving it a creamy, made-with-love texture and flavor.
• Devil's Foot Beverage Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBackyard-born natural craft soda company whose ginger beer is featured in Luella's specialty cocktails including the Mule Team.
• HomewoodminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistoric 1920's stone manor in downtown Asheville used as a venue for Luella's catering events, particularly elegant occasions.
• Stony Woods EstateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNearby private estate in Marshall with panoramic mountain views, perfect for intimate events with main villa and luxury treehouses.
• Haiku I DominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStunning venue in Biltmore Village offering a tranquil, charming setting for catering events.
• Junebug Retro ResortminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor50-acre property with 1950s-60s era campers, treehouse venue, and riverside ceremony space used for Luella's catering events.
• Highland Brewing Co.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustrial chic brewery in Asheville with event spaces offering views of Blue Ridge Mountains. Featured on Luella's draft beer menu and as a venue partner.
• Hi-Wire BrewingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEclectic-industrial brewery in Biltmore Village with event spaces ideal for casual parties, corporate events, and weddings.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Martin Bar-B-Que Joint: Asheville-area craft BBQ restaurant with multiple locations across the Carolinas. Comparable as a regional BBQ operator using family recipes and scratch-made sides, with both dine-in and catering revenue streams.
• Moe's Original BBQ: Southern-style BBQ chain with locations across the Southeast. Comparable as a multi-unit BBQ concept with dine-in, takeout, and catering built around traditional smoking techniques and family-style side offerings.
• Buxton Hall Barbecue: Asheville BBQ restaurant focused on whole-hog Eastern North Carolina-style barbecue. Comparable as a craft BBQ sit-down restaurant in the same market, with catering and a reputation-driven brand built on traditional smoking methods.
• Whole Hog Cafe: Regional BBQ chain with locations across the South known for whole-hog barbecue and traditional Southern sides. Comparable as a scratch BBQ restaurant group with dine-in, takeout, and event catering offerings.
• Sweet Lew's BBQ: Western North Carolina BBQ smokehouse near Asheville with a small set of locations serving scratch-made meats and sides. Comparable as a regional BBQ peer focused on traditional smoking and local-market dine-in/takeout.
• 12 Bones Smokehouse: Asheville-based smokehouse serving traditional Southern BBQ with two locations and a strong local following. Directly comparable as a same-city BBQ competitor with scratch-made menus and dine-in/takeout/catering operations.

Broad incumbents

• Mission BBQ: National BBQ franchise with hundreds of locations across the U.S. Comparable in core product (smoked meats, scratch sides) and catering program, though at vastly greater scale and with a military/community mission-driven brand overlay.
• Famous Dave's: National BBQ chain and franchise system with full-service dining, catering, and consumer packaged goods. Comparable in product category and catering-centric operating model, though at significantly larger scale.
• Sonny's BBQ: Long-established franchise BBQ chain with dine-in, drive-thru, and catering operations across the Southeast. Comparable as a multi-channel BBQ operator with a strong catering program.
• Dickey's Barbecue Pit: Large franchised BBQ concept with dine-in, takeout, delivery, and nationwide catering. Comparable in catering-driven revenue model and Southern-style smoked meat menu, though operating at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LuellasBBQ
• Instagraminstagram.com/LuellasBBQ
• TikToktiktok.com/@luellasbbq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/luella's-bar-b-que

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Luella's Bar-B-Que