Kentucky

Mt. Sterling barbecue restaurant focuses on smoked meats and family recipes

By Matt Wickstrom Contributing writer

March 23, 2026 5:00 AM

A new barbecue joint in Mt. Sterling has the community fired up about its smoked meats, seafood specials and Sunday brunch .

Nolo’s On The Levee first opened on July 4 inside a century-old former gas station by Nolan Colliver, a longtime restaurateur with kitchen experience everywhere from Cracker Barrel to Dudley’s On Short, Portofino and Windy Corner Market.

It was at the latter working under Chef Ouita Michel where he got his first taste of smoking meat, instantly fueling a passion that has yet to slow down.

“After discovering my love of it there, my wife got me a smoker one year for Valentine’s Day that I’ve used to continue honing my skills on ever since,” Colliver said. “I’ve taken it to Mt. Sterling’s Court Days and sold food there for several years, and still use it here in the restaurant today.”

Despite stepping away from the food industry for several years in the late 2010’s to work as a Harley Davidson mechanic, he kept using the smoker to cater events, bolstering his love for barbecue in the process. Eventually, he returned to cooking in late 2024.

“I started working at a small catering company here in town that had a restaurant called Amazin’ Grazin’,” says Colliver. “I wanted to make sure I can still stand on my feet 12 hours a day and that I could do everything in the kitchen that I used to. All the while, I was up front with them about my intentions and constantly making the motions to get where we are now with our own place.”

An OG Smash Burger with a side of Loaded BBQ Tot-Chos, and a bowl of Mamaw's Soup Beans with 2 pieces of sweet fried cornbread at the new barbecue restaurant, Nolo's On The Levee, on Jan. 23, 2026, in Mt. Sterling, Ky. Tasha Poullard tpoullard@herald-leader.com

Nolo’s smoked meats, weekly specials and brunch

Although the only meats Nolo’s regularly serves are brisket, pulled pork and chicken tenders, it makes up for it with smashburgers and weekly entrée specials like grouper, catfish cheesesteaks, country ham melts and more.

The Smoked Brisket Platter, served with southern collards and Ethel's mac & cheese, at the new barbecue restaurant, Nolo's On The Levee, on Jan. 23, 2026, in Mt. Sterling, Ky. Tasha Poullard tpoullard@herald-leader.com

The limited barbecue options don’t mean what’s available is lacking. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. According to Colliver, his pork is prepared in a North Carolina style and the brisket similar to what you’d find in Texas, but with a twist.

“With Texas-style brisket, people say to only use salt, pepper, onion and garlic, but I actually messed around with a few different rubs to find a couple I like to start replicating with my own ingredients,” he said. “One of them used coffee and cacao powder, which led to me using instant coffee and cocoa powder and matching it with guajillo chili to add in with the salt, pepper, onion and garlic for the main blend, and it turned out really well.”

1 pound of Nolo's bone-in Smoked & Fried Chicken Wangs menu item, served with a side of housemade ranch at the new barbecue restaurant, Nolo's On The Levee, on Jan. 23, 2026, in Mt. Sterling, Ky. Tasha Poullard tpoullard@herald-leader.com

That experimentation also carries over to the restaurant’s Sunday brunch menu, which serves up dishes like weekly eggs Benedict and quiche creations, along with a play on chicken and waffles that instead features French toast.

Those are joined by more traditional brunch items like omelets, grits, country breakfast platters, and biscuits and gravy.

Due to alcohol sales being prohibited in its part of Montgomery County, mimosas and other brunch cocktails are not served, but Colliver is hopeful that could change in the future.

“Brunch was something that was my responsibility at every other restaurant that I’ve worked in,” he said. “I think it was because I started at Cracker Barrel, and then all the chefs that I encountered in the Lexington circuit didn’t like brunch — they didn’t want anything to do with it. I was always known as the egg guy so that responsibility naturally fell to me and I loved it.”

Sides and desserts with a grandmother’s touch

Nolo’s menu is rounded out with eight sides — or fixin’s — inspired by Colliver and his wife Cassie Jones’ grandparents. Included on the menu are Dora Faye’s tater salad, Mamaw’s soup beans and Ethel’s mac and cheese.

Their grandparents’ influence also is prominent in the restaurant’s dessert menu too, which has regular items like banana pudding and buttermilk pie, and daily specials that have included things like jam cake, cobbler and bread pudding.

Cassie Jones' signature peanut butter pie is a community favorite dessert at the new barbecue restaurant, Nolo's On The Levee, on Jan. 23, 2026, in Mt. Sterling, Ky. Tasha Poullard tpoullard@herald-leader.com

“Everything like that is a throwback to something I’ve consumed from our families,” said Colliver. “I spent a lot of time growing up in the kitchen with my mom and grandma, and ate my fair share of fixin’s. One of the coolest things about opening this place has been seeing people’s reactions to trying these recipes that I’ve known all my life.”

Similar to how Colliver is utilizing and learning from family recipes passed down to him, he hopes realizing his dream of owning a restaurant will inspire his son, who is 18, that anything is possible.

“I literally talked about doing this for 15 years but thought it was a pipe dream due to the cost associated with opening a restaurant,” Colliver said. “I’ve been able to do all this without outside investors by working hard and keeping my eye on the prize, both traits I hope he’ll carry with him into adulthood.”