Hickory's Smokehouse

Hickory's Smokehouse in Thornton, near Blackpool, is a family-friendly American-style smokehouse restaurant built around slow-smoked barbecue, big comfort-food plates, shakes and Southern-inspired hospitality. Dogs are welcome in the bar area, so everyone can settle in together while the brisket and barbecue trays arrive.

The restaurant is unapologetically all-in on the smokehouse theme, with a lively casual feel that makes it more of a full meal destination than a quick pop-in-and-out sort of place. It's the kind of spot where hungry crews can dig into proper comfort food without anyone having to wait outside.

Dogs need to stay on a lead and settled by the table, and a quieter corner works well if your dog finds the buzz a bit much. It's a solid wet-weather option when everyone—paws included—needs feeding and a bit of warmth.