The brewery joined forces with Renegade Street Eats, a four-year member of the local food truck scene, to add a kitchen to the Listermann taproom. The in-house Renegade Grille officially opened on June 24, allowing guests to pair their craft beers with a savory selection of wings, burgers and more.
However, for Listermann General Manager Jason Brewer, Renegade’s extensive menu starts and stops with the wings.
“I would challenge any wings against their wings,” Brewer says. “I’m not a small guy, so I can tell you they wouldn’t be here if they didn’t make the best wings. It took me probably two and half years to order anything else off their menu.”
For the past three years, Renegade Street Eats has partnered with Listermann to serve wings at the brewery every Thursday night, establishing a presence that Brewer ultimately sought out for more than just one night per week.
While Kris Buening, owner of Renegade Street Eats, still advocates for other recipes in her repertoire, she has given in to Brewer’s addiction to wings — she’s even tailored her menu to meet Brewer’s fiery wing needs.
Offering 12 different wing sauces, Buening has an answer for almost any taste bud that crosses her path, including Brewer’s. His buds wanted more than flavor; they wanted fire. Customers can now order any Renegade wings “Brewer Style,” an adjustment to the recipe that adds more heat to any sauce.
Brewer, of course, couldn’t be happier to have his favorite wings just across the bar.
“The one thing that I’m ordering once or twice a week is Chipotle 562 wings ‘Brewer Style,’ ” Brewer says. “I could literally eat that wing sauce every day. Put it on a pair of shoes and I will eat that pair of shoes.”
Likely adding to Brewer’s favoritism, Buening’s Chipotle 562 wing sauce is made with Listermann’s very own 562 Lateral Oatmeal Stout, a popular stout fitted with hints of coffee and chocolate.
“That’s the first beer Jason challenged us with and it has been a hit with anyone and everyone that tries it,” Buening says of the beer and sauce combo.
But Buening isn’t bound by her wings; she’s confident that her gyro burger is the best in town.
“You’re honestly not going to find another one like this in Cincinnati because I make my gyro meat from scratch,” she says. “Other gyro burgers I’ve found around town are beef patties with gyro meat on top of them. (Ours) is a burger made entirely of gyro meat.”
Additionally, Renegade Street Eats’ deep fried mac and cheese balls, a fan favorite among frequent visitors to the truck, will become a much more lasting addition to the menu thanks to her new kitchen.
“Those are a tried-and-true favorite that we weren’t always able to keep around,” Buening says. “But with the permanent location here (and) the availability of refrigeration, they will always be here.”
Brewer and Buening wanted a permanent relationship for more than just a constant supply of mac and cheese balls; they partnered with the concept of family in mind.
Tired of working away from her loved ones, Buening started Renegade Street Eats to bring her family together. She and her husband captain the ship as the two primary chefs, while her two girls — ages 17 and 13 — also lend a hand whenever possible.
Now, four years into the endeavor, Buening has loved every minute of it. “I’ve loved it from the first time that I watched someone eat my food and saw how much they enjoyed it,” she says.
While Renegade will still keep the truck in action during the year from March to October, Buening and her family feel right at home in their new kitchen.
“(Listermann) just really welcomed us in,” she says. “It’s such a family atmosphere. To be included in all of that, we felt really special.”
Brewer wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Having food here that is from the same roots that we are really helps us complete the experience,” he says. “They’re really just part of the family.”
RENEGADE GRILLE is located inside Listermann Brewing Company, 1621 Dana Ave., Norwood. More info: listermannbrewing.com.
