Popular family-owned barbecue restaurant slow cooks its meat for 12 hours in Oakville

For those who love barbecue but don’t always have the time to achieve that tender, slow-cooked taste, you can find it anytime at STACK in Oakville.

Located at 240 Leighland Ave. at Oakville Place Shopping Centre, the restaurant is already reaching the same heights of popularity as the original Toronto location due to an extensive menu of slow-cooked Texas barbecue, fresh burgers, craft beer and more.

Bill & James Panos (father-son duo) take slow cooking seriously, always aiming for an authentic Texas taste.  They start with fresh, non-frozen meat which is then seasoned, rubbed, and slow cooked using only heat and smoke (no flame) in a J&R smoker imported from Mesquite, Texas.

The result is tender, fall-off-the-bone meat with a sweet and smoky flavour that makes the 12-hour process all worth it.

The preferred type of wood to smoke with is oak, which is why they opened in Oakville. Oak provides a nice flavourful smoke without being too overpowering; the top BBQ spots in Austin, Texas use the same. Austin is where Bill & James spent a great deal of time learning how to smoke over the past fifteen years.

STACK’s massive menu has a wide variety of dishes, all with that “slow good” taste:

The Food:

The BBQ at STACK is both delicious and filling.  The sauces, dry rubs and food are all made from scratch, including their Salsa, Pico De Gallo and Guacamole.

The brisket is high-quality prime grade beef, seasoned with salt and pepper, smoked for 12 hours, and hand-sliced to order.  The pulled pork is hand pulled to order in a Carolina style, smoked with a house-made rub and served on the side with a Lexington-style vinegar or Carolina BBQ sauce.  The Memphis-style Baby Back Ribs are smoked and glazed with house-made rub and BBQ sauce.  The tender, pull-off-the-bone meat is paired with a slice of daily-baked Jalapeno cornbread and fresh-cut fries.

In-house Ground Burgers and Sausages:

STACK burgers are ground in-house using a blend of prime brisket and chuck: no fillers, no breadcrumbs and no added preservatives. 100% pure meat. Both sausages, the Beef Brisket and Jalapeno Cheddar Pork, are made by hand, smoked and then grilled to order.

Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Options:

While they are primarily BBQ, STACK also caters to different palates with a house-made black bean burger, corn tortilla tacos, gluten-free buns, house-made salad dressings, and fresh-delivered produce.  All BBQ meats are gluten-free, including the burgers and sausages, because they’re made from scratch with no fillers.

Kids Menu:

BBQ is family style, so of course they encourage sharing a platter with the family. But when the adults don’t feel like sharing, the Short STACK menu provides many options for kids including a burger, mac ‘n cheese, chicken fingers, and ribs.  Each meal comes with a scoop of Kawartha Dairy Ice-cream or House-made Mini Doughnuts.

Local Craft Beer and Kawartha Dairy Milkshakes:

Every dish at STACK can be perfectly paired with a refreshing craft beer on tap or one of their craft ciders and spirits.  The drinks selection has something for everyone, including bourbon, red and white wine, and non-alcoholic mocktails.

STACK’s most popular dessert option is their hand-made mini-donuts.  These soft and delectable donuts are powdered or topped with your choice of cinnamon sugar, icing sugar, Oreo crumble, or salted caramel.

For those who prefer a cold and creamy dessert, shakes and sundaes are also available in a variety of Kawartha Dairy flavours.

Great for parties and large groups:

Founded in 2012, STACK is a family-owned restaurant passionate about cooking delicious and authentic Texas barbecue.

“We have learned the art and science of craft barbecue by studying with some of the most incredible Pitmasters throughout the US,” said Bill Panos. “Their tried-and-true experience and genuine spirit inspire us every time we fire up the pit.”

The Panos family has been in the restaurant business for four generations, each growing up and working in kitchens.  Bill’s father and grandfather owned a restaurant in Toronto.  Bill owned a franchise for several decades but was tired of the chain lowering the quality of food and wanted to go back to the days when every single item was made fresh in-house, just like at his father’s diner.  So, STACK was opened at Yonge and Lawrence in 2012 and has excelled even through the pandemic.

“Like Yonge and Lawrence, Oakville is a family-oriented community.  The kind of places we like to be in,” said owner Bill Panos.

Try the unique, slow-cooked taste they have become known for yourself and stop by STACK’s Oakville location at 240 Leighland Ave., or have them cater your next event.

Order online or get it delivered with Uber Eats, SkipTheDishes and DoorDash to bring that authentic Texas BBQ flavour home.

For their full menu and latest updates, check out STACK’s website, Facebook and Instagram pages.