Local restauranteur Brian Rainey teamed up with his longtime friend, Dayton chef Gavin St. Denis, to open a craft barbecue concept at 1535 Xenia Ave. This was after Rainey closed Calypso Grill and Smokehouse in October 2024.
The switch to a barbecue concept was to reach a broader audience.
Yellow Springs Smokehouse is a “Midwestern amalgamation of what you would expect from a typical barbecue concept” with items such as Carolina smoked pork and Texas-style brisket.
They pulled from some of what Calypso was doing to still have a Caribbean element on the menu.
Yellow Springs Smokehouse still has Calypso’s jerk sauce, jerk chicken, coconut vegan chocolate pudding and the painkiller cocktail. They also have a new take on the coconut rice.
For Rainey, having a restaurant on Xenia Avenue holds a special place in his heart.
His first job in the restaurant industry was at Kentucky Fried Chicken — located where Yellow Springs Smokehouse stands today.
“That’s full circle,” Rainey said. “I was back there frying chicken when I was 16, doing the dishes and what not.”
Rainey is also the owner of Sunrise Cafe. He has owned the restaurant at 259 Xenia Ave. for 20 years.
For more information and updates, visit yssmokehouse.com or the restaurant’s Facebook page (@yellowspringssmokehouse).
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