Courtesy of Mark’s Hometown ‘Cue
By Lee Coleman
Opening Mark’s Hometown ‘Cue at 3951 Main Street in Warrensburg this summer was a kind of homecoming for owner Darrell Langworthy.
Langworthy was born in Warrensburg but moved to Florida with his parents when he was 6. He came back in the 1990s but moved to Vermont where he served in the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard over a 15 year period. Langworthy’s wife, Sarah, is also an Air National Guard veteran. The couple has two children, a girl aged 11 and a boy 8.
It was also in Vermont where he started a Texas-style barbecue business in a food truck in Essex, Vt, and eventually opened his own restaurant in South Burlington, Vt. Langworthy has a culinary degree from Adirondack Community College and is a certified chef with the American Culinary Federation.
“I’ve been a chef most of my life,” Langworthy said.
His barbecue restaurant in South Burlington, which he closed in July, had excellent customer reviews and a loyal following.
“We are putting all our forces into the Warrensburg location,” he said.
Langworthy brings his wealth of experience with barbecue meats to Warrensburg. The restaurant is named after Darrell’s late father-in-law, Mark, who got Darrell interested in Texas-style barbecue some years ago and encouraged him to open his own restaurant.
The downstairs of 3951 Main Street has been completely renovated. The restaurant has seating for about 30 but Langworthy said the majority of his business is take out.
“Our most popular barbecue is beef brisket,” he said. All the meats are slow-smoked to perfection using Langworthy’s own rubs and sauces.
The menu also features spare ribs, pulled pork, smoked sausage, Reuben sandwiches and a number of homemade sides to go with the meats. On Saturdays the restaurant makes its own pastrami, another popular item.
He buys his produce locally as much as possible. He buys his meats from Jacob’s and Toney Meats on Main Street, not far from the new eatery.
Service at the restaurant is fast. The customer places his or her order and sees their meal prepared in front of them, the barbecue meat cut and the made-the-same day sides added. As they pay, the meal is ready for take-out or eating in the restaurant.
Hours for the restaurant are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. The restaurant is closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Langworthy was known for his community spirit at his South Burlington restaurant, giving free meals to the needy, especially during the COVID pandemic in 2020, and being involved in local food pantries. He plans to continue his giving back to the community in Warrensburg. He said he is donating to North Country Ministries’ food drives and their food pantry.
He is also helping the Toys for Girls and Boys holiday program conducted by the Marine Corps League. He likes this charity because the toys stay in the local community, rather than being sent to a central location and distributed out of town.
The chef loves the hometown feel of Warrensburg. He said the community continues to prosper as it grows and becomes more popular with tourists traveling to and from the Adirondack mountains.
“It’s a great town with its own support system. It’s still small enough but big enough to accommodate new families and new businesses,” Langworthy said.
He has noticed a lot more traffic on Main Street since he returned home than he remembered in past years.
Langworthy has many relatives in the town. His parents have moved back and he has aunts and uncles living nearby.
“My cousins opened a new brewery here,” he said. He was referring to his cousins Adam and Darby Langworthy and their new Bandstand Brew Works on Main Street.