New Eatery Brings Taste Of Texas To Bristol

Bristol Borough’s newest eatery has brought a taste of Texas to Lower Bucks County.

Chuck’s BBQ at 2 Pond Street, right near the Mill Street Parking Lot, has turned the former Lets Go To The Hop into a Texas-style take-out joint that features signature BBQ, pork ribs, Nashville-style hot chicken, pulled pork, whiskey pork and beans, homemade mac and cheese, soup, chili, and many other menu options.

The new eatery that held its grand opening Wednesday is owned by the husband and wife team of Chase and Colleen Guernsey and business partner Chris Schmitt.

With a custom-built 8-foot-long smoker fired up cooking meats and a refreshed 400-square-foot kitchen busy preparing meals that have been ordered, the ownership at Chuck’s BBQ are seasoned restaurant veterans with a fresh young staff who are quickly becoming a family.

Colleen said that Chuck’s BBQ fits in well with Bristol’s fast-growing restaurant scene and the borough’s well-established mainstays.

“You can expect something very different from everything else in the area,” she said.

Chase and Colleen, a Bucks County native, met while working in the Texas restaurant scene and moved to Bucks County a few years back. Chase, a Texas native and former U.S. Navy submariner, fell in love with Bucks County once they moved to the area to raise their two sons. Chase’s service in the galley aboard a nuclear-powered submarine based in Hawaii led the career cook to Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts in Austin and the Culinary Institute of America. He worked in fine-dining in Texas, Las Vegas, Japan, New Hope, and Philadelphia before opening Chuck’s BBQ.

Schmitt has known Chase and Colleen for years. He is a graduate of the Restaurant School and has worked at The Lemont in Pittsburgh and the popular Churchville Inn in Northampton.  

The items on the menu at Chuck’s BBQ include both staples and fresh additions to the Philadelphia area, including Chase’s hot chicken. Chase created the hot chicken menu item after trying the spicy Nashville staple while on a trip to Hattie B’s Hot Chicken in Tennessee.

In their effort to create a quality meal, Chuck’s BBQ will use as many fresh ingredients as possible. They have fresh hand-cut fries, fried okra, and collard greens when they are in season.

“We’re making menu items from scratch,” Chase said.

“When we’re cooking, you can smell the smoker,” Colleen added with a laugh.

As spring moves in, Chuck’s BBQ will add soft service ice cream and fresh ice cream. Delivery options are also in the works by the team.

The owners of the business said they will also be offering catering for various events due to the team’s experience with various styles of food preparation.

Chuck’s BBQ is aiming to become a local staple that supports the local business community. The eatery is using products from Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey (for the whiskey beans), Richman’s Ice Cream, the custom smoker from Joseph Kelly of Levittown, fresh produce from area farms and herbs and collard greens from Noah’s Dove Farm in Bristol, according to the owners of the new eatery.

“We supporting the community and they’re supporting us,” Colleen said, adding the business is sponsoring numerous philanthropic efforts.

Chuck’s BBQ is also aiming to be environmentally friendly. They will sell reusable bottles, have compost friendly packages, and items that are biodegradable.

“We’ve received a good reaction and people have been asking when we open,” Colleen said. “Now we will be.”