Farmhouse favorites in a relaxed setting
It was a party you wouldn’t want to miss if you were in Bolivar. The Francka Feast started a decade ago when dairy farmers Thomas and Jessica Francka welcomed about a hundred of their closest friends for a gathering featuring a collection of smoked meat and fried veggies. “Anybody was welcome, we just asked everybody to bring a side or dessert,” Thomas says. “The last time we had it was right before COVID in 2019 and we probably had 350 people over.”
After a wedding venue with a kitchen near the Francka farm went up for sale in 2020, the couple decided to move their food, atmosphere and welcoming hospitality one-quarter mile down the road to open The Pitchfork in Bolivar just off Highway 13. The restaurant features unique dishes utilizing Thomas’ smoked meats and plenty of down-home dishes they would serve on their farm.
“I wanted to open something where people can come sit, relax and not be rushed,” Thomas says. “No matter if you just came out of the milk barn or your office, you’re more than welcome here.”
The Franckas had an uphill challenge as COVID and supply chain issues were still disrupting restaurants when they opened in August 2020. The restaurant is an extension of their family. Their hours reflect a family with a son still in school, the Franckas daughters-in-law wait tables, their kids named some of the dishes and the food is typical of what the family would eat around their kitchen table.
“We wanted to have a wide variety,” Jessica says. “He smokes all the meat out back, but we also have things like chicken strips, burgers, quesadillas and salads.”
Show up at The Pitchfork hungry and start your meal with a heaping helping of chips and queso, their most popular appetizer. Freshly sliced potatoes are deep-fried and served hot alongside their housemade queso.
The Franckas — members of Southwest Electric Cooperative — go to great lengths to make as much of their products in-house including their macaroni and cheese, chicken strips, mashed potatoes and gravy, Buffalo sauce and more. “That’s just how we were raised I guess,” Jessica says. “We just want to create and present the freshest meal.”
Adds Thomas: “Some things are expensive, but our philosophy is, if you’re going to serve food, you might as well do it right.”
The centerpiece of The Pitchfork’s menu is Thomas’ smoked meats — pulled pork, chicken, ham, pork loin, ribs and brisket — which are served on their own and also used in other dishes. Thomas uses hickory wood in a 20-year-old smoker his brother-in-law built. After decades of smoking meats, Thomas has it down to a science.
“It’s just trial and error,” he says. “When I first started, I didn’t know exactly what I was doing. But now I know when to wrap it and get it real hot or let it cool down for a few hours.”
One of the most popular smoked options is their brisket and rib dinner. A full order includes four house-smoked ribs, five tender slices of brisket, Texas toast and your choice of two sides — some of the most popular are green beans and cheesy potatoes. “You get all that flavor of the hickory from the smoker,” Thomas says. “The brisket melts in your mouth and the ribs fall off the bone.”
If you feel like a burger, you can get something from as simple as a plain cheeseburger to one of The Pitchfork’s memorable, mile-high combinations. The Home Run Burger starts with a freshly pattied one-third pound burger cooked to your liking and topped with Thomas’ pulled pork, brisket and housemade queso on Texas toast. Grab a second breakfast with the Grand Slam Burger featuring American cheese, ham, bacon and egg on your patty.
Other sandwich options include a grilled cheese with American, Swiss and pepperjack, a pork tenderloin and hot ham and cheese.
The Pitchfork Favorites include some of their most unique dishes. The Chicken Coop was named by the Franckas’ son Austin. The simple dish starts with a bed of freshly cooked fries topped with chunks of hand-breaded chicken and melted cheddar cheese. “You can get all your taste buds filled with one bite,” Thomas says.
For a heartier combination, try The Barnyard, which was named by their oldest son Scott. The dish starts with a bed of Fritos topped with shredded cheese, baked beans, pulled pork, housemade queso and jalapenos. “It’s like a massive Frito pie,” Thomas says. “You get the crunch of the Fritos and the flavor from baked beans, all that cheese and house-smoked pork. It’s a wonderful taste.”
Other favorites include a quesadilla with your choice of meat and cheese between a pair of 10-inch tortillas or the Cowboy Coney, a hot dog topped with pulled pork, queso and your choice of baked beans or chili.
If you have a sweet tooth and saved room for dessert, Jessica will be ready with housemade cookies, pies or cakes, depending on the day.
With plenty of delicious smoked creations, housemade dishes and a welcoming atmosphere, the Franckas have turned a former antique store and wedding venue into a dining destination in southwest Missouri.
“I love cooking and baking,” says Jessica. “It’s something I did with both my grandmas and my mom. I just like to share it with other people, and if they enjoy it, that’s a bonus.”
The Pitchfork
Specialties: Appetizers including housemade chips and queso and potato skins. Sandwiches and burgers including the Grand Slam Burger and pork tenderloin. Pitchfork Favorites including The Barnyard and The Chicken Coop.
Price: Appetizers from $5.95 to $7.95. Sandwiches and burgers from $8.95 to $16.95. Smoked meats and entrees from $8.95 to $21.95.
Details: Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Wednesday. Cash, check and credit cards accepted. Nonsmoking. Free Wi-Fi. Located at 4894 S. 138th Road in Bolivar. Contact at 417-327-3182 and on Facebook.