Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room raises the bar for crafting connections in Mt. PleasantPatio revamp. Menu makeover. Shifties Taproom celebrates Mug Club members

If you’ve dined or enjoyed a beverage at Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room, you’ve probably met general manager Kash Meisheri and have witnessed her dynamic personality, work ethic, and ability to cultivate a community.

The Northern Michigan University graduate moved to Mt. Pleasant the year Summit opened in 2019 at the intersection of S. Lincoln Rd. and M-20, with no connections to the area. She was seeking a job in the restaurant industry that wasn’t a chain—rather a place that’s actively part of its community. And that’s what she found at Summit. 

From starting as a server and bartender, to doing “everything in between” she says, Meisheri is now the general manager. 

Kash Meisheri, general manager at Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room, located at the intersection of S. Lincoln Rd. and M-20 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Fixing a smoker. Training staff members. Doing catering. Literally putting out fires. The responsibility list of hers continues and is ever changing. But the one thing that stays constant—something she says she takes very seriously—are the connections she has made over the years. 

“The Mug Club’ers that come in, you learn that not only are they coming in for this great beer, but they're coming in to see you,” she describes. “I have never had that before. And to just learn more and more about this community through the people is pretty empowering. And that's what's kind of kept me here.”

Meisher highlights the significant influence that the support from Mug Club members has had on Summit's resilience, particularly considering the challenging start the restaurant faced by opening its doors just before the onset of the pandemic.

“Especially in the restaurant industry, having to be shut down that dramatically our second year in, we wouldn't have survived without them. So that's why I always want to speak so highly about that and how important it is. I saw it firsthand. I saw what that kind of power can be when people support each other,” she shares.

To rally behind and represent what the restaurant went through in its early years, to showcase what it has become today, the exterior of the restaurant now has a new aesthetic for its outdoor seating area. Meisher calls it “beer garden vibes.”

“We're starting to create a little bit more of a beer garden vibe out here with pergolas,” Meisher shares. “We’ve gone through some different changes physically that hopefully also represent what we've kind of gone through a bit, emotionally. Even just the awnings, adding more colors and flowers that kind of add to that beer garden vibe, and to showcase those people that have kept us around,” says Meisher, motioning to the wood chairs that were made by Mug Club member Joe McDonald. 

Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room updated its outdoor seating area, elevating its aesthetic to “beer garden vibes” with pergolas, handcrafted chairs, colorful landscaping, and new awnings. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Kash Meisheri relaxes in wood chairs made by Mug Club member Joe McDonald at Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room's recently updated outdoor seating area. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)But these exterior changes aren’t the only new additions to Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room recently—and there’s even more to come. 

“Mountain Town Brewing Company brewers have a passion to share creations that they’ve made—not to mention the fun names they come up with,” Meisher boasts. “They built a Shifties bar in the brewery that has an additional eight taps. When we moved in 2019 [from the former Pickard location] they kind of lost their taproom vibe and when expanding into more of a full restaurant, adding new staff, a full kitchen—you’re bound to have some change. And although it was for the best, there were some portions that were missed and that’s fair.”

That’s where Shifties Mug Club Taproom comes in. Meisher says Shifties has been a hit with Mug Club members, as they enjoy the close-knit community where they have the ability to connect with the brewers themselves and truly be part of the Mug Club family, similar to the environment that the former taproom on Pickard had. 

Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room’s new Mug Club Member bar, Shifties Mug Club Taproom. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room’s new Mug Club Member bar, Shifties Mug Club Taproom. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room’s new Mug Club Member bar, Shifties Mug Club Taproom. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room’s new Mug Club Member bar, Shifties Mug Club Taproom. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room’s new Mug Club Member bar, Shifties Mug Club Taproom. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)For a $50 annual fee, the Mountain Town Brewing Company’s Mug Club comes with exclusive perks not only at Mt. Pleasant’s Summit Smokehouse and Shifties Mug Club Taproom, but also at Alma Brewing Company and St. Johns Brewing Co. 

However if you are not a Mug Club member, Summit Smokehouse has 22 beers on tap for restaurant goers to try, as well as an extensive barbeque-focused menu. 

Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room is located at the intersection of S. Lincoln Rd. and M-20 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room is located at the intersection of S. Lincoln Rd. and M-20 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room is located at the intersection of S. Lincoln Rd. and M-20 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room is located at the intersection of S. Lincoln Rd. and M-20 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room is located at the intersection of S. Lincoln Rd. and M-20 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. (Photo: Courtney Jerome/Epicenter)Mikale Rudoni is Summit’s kitchen manager and chef. Meisher says he had a big impact on the Summit’s latest revamped menu, which was released on Wednesday, August 23. 

“I think having a teammate that I trust, who has that same vision of Summit, who can give a ‘twist of us’ barbecue that pairs with our own beers … How beautiful is that?!” she exclaims. 

“Brisket burnt ends have been one of our top-selling items; we are still keeping it,” Meisher continues of the new menu. “But we are adding another venue of burnt ends.”

“It will be more of a pork belly burnt end. The brisket will have a friend with it!”

Crispy hickory smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends. (Photo courtesy of Summit Smokehouse)Smoked Jalapeño Poppers (left) featuring jumbo jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese, chorizo, cheddar cheese, and Summit Smokehouses’s Michigan maple rub, wrapped with a thick-cut applewood smoked bacon. Smokehouse Street Corn Dip (right) featuring all the flavors of Mexican street corn made into a dip! Smoked with a cherry and applewood blend and served with crispy fried corn tortilla chips. (Photo courtesy of Summit Smokehouse)Looking ahead to the future of Summit Smokehouse & Tap Room, Meisher predicts even more positive change. From participating in BBQ competitions across the state, to hosting beer dinners and events, to maybe even a food truck—Meisher is, of course, also looking forward to continuing connecting with her beloved Mug Club members.