Smokin’ Pig, Richmond Hill, GA

As we exited Interstate 95 at Highway 17 we were immediately struck by the enticing aroma of smoked meat.  Hell, we began salivating before we could even see the place! And it’s a good thing, too. This place is a definite reminder to never judge a book by its cover. It looks like an annex of the Amoco gas station next door and you could nearly miss is without that land mark, but believe us, it’s worth looking for. We’ve been to plenty of fancy food restaurants that are all trendy and fashionable with food that isn’t fit for the pigs this place serves. So if “hip” is what your seeking, move on. But if great food served in a homey environment by downright friendly people is what you seek, then you need to come on by and grab yourself some of this grub.

When we walked in we were immediately greeted with true Southern hospitality. Folks here are friendly and proud of what they are serving up – with good reason. And if you read signs, the first thing you will see is they aren’t serving up anything that’s fried, just good food made fresh. This is true down home southern Q with down home sides. The potato salad was rich, slightly tangy and not heavy or greasy like some can be. It tasted almost like a deviled egg turned potato salad. The baked beans were well seasoned and just sweet enough, with a hint of molasses and a mild bite.  The smoked brisket was the best we had ever tasted in a restaurant. It was such a pleasure to eat a moist smoked brisket which had been smoked through without becoming dry. The pulled pork was also tender with a great smoke ring in the meat. And their sauces! You can tell these are made from scratch. There is a traditional spicy vinegar, a tangy sweet sauce, a hot sauce in a mustard base and a more mild version. All are delicious and we took turns rotating through them, mixing them and licking them off our fingers while we ate.

We are both rather hard to impress when it comes to BBQ, but this place was excellent. Now, the only reason we didn’t give five tomatoes on the freshness of ingredients is that we would love to see them using local ingredients. There are TONS of great farms in Georgia and the Florida Panhandle that could be providing this place with their ingredients and we would love to see them taking advantage of it. We have had some awesome free-roaming Berkshire pork from this neck of the woods that would knock your socks off. Other than that, the place was clean all around, the people friendly and helpful and the flavor hit a home run for both of us.

Freshness and Source of Ingredients 

Cleanliness

Professionalism of Staff

The “YUM” Factor

Smokin’ Pig, 3986 Highway 17, Richmond Hill, VA  www.smokinpigbbqjoint.com