WE'RE IN OUR CAFE ERA, BLUE TIN COFFEE HAS ARRIVED ✨☕️

Smoke Justis is officially in the coffee and breakfast game… and yeah, we brought in a big hitter to help us do it right.

"Wait, I thought you guys smoked meats and poured bourbon?"

We did. We still do. But now the doors swing open at 6:30 a.m., every single morning, for a brand new breakfast and cafe menu built for the early risers, the commuters, and anyone who just wants to start their day right at the foot of the Roebling Bridge.

Meet the woman behind the coffee

We recruited Traci Gregg, former owner of Reality Tuesday Cafe in Park Hills, to come run the show as our new Morning Hospitality Manager at Blue Tin by Smoke Justis. Traci opened Reality Tuesday back in 2000 and spent 26 years building it into a Park Hills staple before closing its doors earlier this year. Now she's bringing all that experience, and a whole lot of heart, straight to Covington.

"Covington is missing a vital morning hub for business and celebration, and we are thrilled to bring Traci on board to help us fill that gap," said Richard Dickmann, founder of Smoke Justis. "At Reality Tuesday, Traci didn't just serve fantastic coffee - she built community. By blending her hospitality expertise with our cozy lounge space, we're making Blue Tin by Smoke Justis a refined morning destination. We want to be the place where the business conversation begins over coffee and closes over bourbon."

"I am thrilled to join the team and help perfect our new coffee and breakfast service," said Gregg. "I am so grateful for this next chapter. What we're building here is a very refined and elevated experience. I can't wait to welcome my regulars and show an entirely new community what we have pouring at Blue Tin."

Now, about that coffee

We teamed up with Seven Hills Coffee Roasters to cook up something that's ours and ours alone: Blue Tin by Smoke Justis, a proprietary blend of organic, fair-trade beans picked exclusively for us. Named after the signature blue tin details around the building, it's a bright, fruit-forward cup with notes of raspberry, peach, delicate florals, and black tea.

Come try the beans. Take some home, too - the Blue Tin blend will be available for retail sale.

Beyond the classics - espresso, cold brew on tap, breakfast cocktails - you'll also find a full tea menu, including the vanilla and spiced chai Reality Tuesday regulars already know and love.

And yes, there's food

The breakfast menu leans into what we already do best: skillets loaded with our signature smoked meats, plus handhelds like stuffed bagels. And yeah - brisket biscuits & gravy is very much a thing now.

New hours, same home

Smoke Justis is now open:

  • Sunday–Thursday: 6:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.

  • Friday–Saturday: 6:30 a.m. – 1 a.m.

Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, late night - we've got you covered. Grab a lounge seat, settle into regular seating, or reserve one of our second-floor meeting spaces (boardroom for the big meetings, booths for the smaller ones) at no extra cost, perfect for getting business done over a good cup of coffee.

We're biased, but we think Covington is the most vibrant city around, and we're always looking to build something more special in this place we call home. Come see what we're pouring.

Alex Tilford