Owner Shayne McCallum waited 18 months for the new concept eatery to be approved by Maribyrnong Council, before finally receiving permission just hours before their soft opening.

Anyone lucky enough to get in for the early teaser was treated to tacos, potato skins and crunchy fried mozzarella sticks.

But punters had to wait until the grand opening for samples of hot meat from the restaurant’s centrepiece — a $20,000 Yoder Frontiersman smoker.

McCallum, who is the guru behind Footscray’s 8bit burgers, told the Herald Sun the opening was just another sign of the ascendance of the west.

“Footscray is on the rise, even without us being here you can see that the suburb is just exploding with energy,” he said.

Up In Smoke will be more upmarket than 8bit, and will feature a selection of craft beers to wash down the meat-heavy menu.

“But it will still be cheap, you can’t get away with high prices out here because everything in Footscray is cheap,” Mr McCallum said.

The food served up will respect tradition, but customers can expect to find Australian twists on the classics.

The menu remains a tightly held secret, but items to watch out for include daily smoked brisket, short ribs and pulled pork and traditional American sandwiches.

Non meat eaters will be able to order stuffed potato skins, a variety of cheese dishes, and hot smoked vegetables.

Originally published on news.com.au