Liz Peitzman
- Feb 1, 2019
- 2 min read

Jesse's Barbecue & Local Market Business Spotlight

Updated: Aug 7, 2020

Jesse’s Barbecue and Local Market has made itself a prominent fixture within the Souderton community. With the combined desire to create a place for locals to come and gather and Jesse’s cooking talents, the barbecue concept took precedence as the founding partners Jesse and Tom noticed such a niche within Souderton that could be filled.

“I always had a passion for grilling meats. My passion for smoking meat was cultivated when my wife and I lived/worked at a small Christian camp off the grid in Oregon. It was there that I learned the fundamentals of slow, wood-fired cooking. When we moved back to PA I got my first smoker from Georgia and began to hone my skills and toss around the idea to start my own restaurant. With the help of my mom and my uncle, Tom, here we are!”

“My mom, Jesse’s grandmother, always had a love for cooking and she passed that down to Jesse’s mom, which is my sister, and then she passed it down to Jesse; so it’s a family thing. I don’t have the knack for cooking like they do, but I jumped on board. I liked the idea.”

Tom had always been a Souderton resident, but while his nephew Jesse was looking for a house, Tom had mentioned their current location and it just made sense. Starting out as a 2-car garage, they transformed the space which has continued to evolve over the last 6 years into the Barbecue & Local Market that it is today!

With the outdoor seating area next to the smokers and the concerts held during the summer season, it seems Jesse and Tom have achieved their goal in making a great place to hang out and have great food!

“It feels like a place that’s been around for a while, and people can tell the food is homemade. And we’re fortunate enough to have a great staff!