Whose Bark Has Bite? 10Best Tackles Orlando Barbecue
LAST UPDATED BY A.D. Thompson
October 26, 2018
Whether you like your pork pulled and saucy, your beef dry-rubbed and fall-off-the-bone tender or perhaps either/or shredded into a street taco, Orlando has some stellar options for those who crave the smoky-decadent goodness of quality barbecue. The rep of the renowned 4Rivers Smokehouse generally precedes itself – and for good reason – its food is as good as it’s lines are long, but with an ever-growing number of locations, locals have less distance to travel (and can always call ahead for pickup). In Windermere, Yellow Dog Eats prides itself on quality Q - not to mention great beer and live music. Both Ocoee and Apopka have farther-flung local favorites in and the beloved Porkie’s Original, where both barbecue- and motorcycle enthusiasts cruise in quite regularly for generous helpings of both. Down in a hip habitat on Mills Ave. (and another in Lake Nona) Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa infuses international flair into its takes on the traditional. Try the sticky-sweet plantains as a side!
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9
Apopka/Winter Garden
Apopka/Winter Garden
Photo courtesy of Porkie's Original BBQ
Barbecue aficionados in just about any town will often cite more local, off-the-path venues among their favorites and such is the case with Porkie's, a casual, friendly, little place with a massive following they've built over the decade-plus they've been open. Slow-cooked oak- and hickory-smoked ribs are the specialty, but Porkie's burgers, chicken, steaks and hearty sandwiches have some serious proponents. Porkie's has a regular Bike Night, so you can come for the Q and stay for the show as motorcycle enthusiasts roll in for a family-friendly event that draws impressive crowds. Porkie's sauce selection ensures there's a delicious drizzle for every palate.
Recommended for Barbecue because: Porkie's friendly service, tasty food and generous portions are just three reasons the locals love it.
A.D.'s expert tip: Carb-meets-pork-meets-cheese and more in Porkie's tater hash. An excellent prescription for decadence. And hangovers.
Read more about Porkie's Original BBQ →
8
Clermont
Clermont
Photo courtesy of Uncle Kenny's BBQ
Generous portions and fall-off-the-bone goodness awaits Q-obsessed carnivores at this Clermont outpost, a family-run business that has accrued multiple honors on the Florida and — perhaps more impressively — Kansas City barbecue circuits. Chicken, pork, ribs, brisket, and other delights abound. Meat here is slow-cooked with oak and a signature dry rub that will have fans of midwestern 'cue salivating. Looking for spice? Try the jalapeno-cheddar sausage alongside a host of traditional, carb-laden sides. Uncle Kenny's offers up a choice of sauces — and they're so popular you can even buy them by the bottle at several locations around the area or online. Come hungry.
Recommended for Barbecue because: The experts have given Uncle Kenny's high honors in competitions so it's no surprise the place has a devoted following.
A.D.'s expert tip: This place has a great local, small-town vibe and sits in the shadow of Clermont's famed Citrus Tower.
Read more about Uncle Kenny's BBQ →
7
Gotha/windemere
Gotha/windemere
Photo courtesy of Yellow Dog Eats
This charming, off-the-beaten-path venue is charming and rustic, evocative of some diamond-in-the-rough surprise you'd stumble upon while road tripping. Its food is surprising, too. Sandwiches, salads, scrumptious starters and a whole lotta barbecue. A host of offerings showcase piles of YDE's signature pulled pork, including the Fire Pig (a wrap with apple wood-smoked bacon, gouda, fried onions and sriracha) and the Rufus (pork topped with thick-cut Brie, cherry ring peppers and topped with raspberry melba sauce). Ribs are available by the half-rack, as well. And YDE's house slaw is a sweet, tangy treat. Live music in the restaurant's outdoor beer garden adds ear candy to the menu.
Recommended for Barbecue because: Pulled pork? Check. Live music? Check. Great beer and wine to pair with? Check. YDE ticks all the boxes.
A.D.'s expert tip: Get a side of the coleslaw with cranberries, nuts and a little spice â" a YDE tradition.
Read more about Yellow Dog Eats →
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6
Winter Park
Winter Park
Photo courtesy of 4 Rivers Smokehouse
4Rivers' Winter Park location (not its original outpost; its success quickly outgrew that venue) is its flagship, the nucleus around which this Orlando-based, Texas-style barbecue empire operates. Brisket, ribs, pulled pork and smoked turkey are a few of its signature items. Not surprisingly, so are crowds. No one seems to mind waiting but you're welcome to opt for take-out instead. Barbecue is never neat eating, but even 4Rivers' sandwiches (take the Messy Pig and its two layers of slaw, for example) push the envelope. Some fans swear by the desserts, as well. Their menu is ample! If you've got a sweet tooth, they are Southern-inspired and sinful as you-know-where.
Recommended for Barbecue because: We've listed the Winter Park location, but others around the metro (Longwood, UCF, Downtown, Winter Garden and more) make 4Rivers convenient as well as quality.
A.D.'s expert tip: So hard to resist making a list of 4Rivers recommendations, but if I only had two words, they'd be "burnt ends." Closed Sundays.
Read more about 4Rivers Smokehouse →
5
Photo courtesy of Smoke & Donuts
So, are you interested in 12-hour-smoked brisket, or a homemade cake doughnut with Kentucky bourbon and maple glaze. The smart answer at the Smoke & Donuts mobile bistro (yes, that means food truck) is "yes." Though you can easily enjoy the duality of their wares in a traditionally separate fashion - e.g. brown butter-smoked turkey breast with house pickles, cucumber and cabbage slaw on an Olde Heart Bakery potato roll for dinner and a Madagascar vanilla-glazed doughnut for dessert, you can also combine them in creations like the brisket or pulled pork slider, served ON one of their signature doughnuts.
Recommended for Barbecue because: Generous portions of juicy-wonderful meat paired with tender, expertly glazed cake donuts? Just say yes.
A.D.'s expert tip: Lovers of lemon: do NOT miss the candied lemonade glaze.
4
Sanford
Sanford
What pairs better than blues and barbecue? At Fuel, you'd most likely get an emphatic "nada," particularly after you've had their burnt ends, which pair nicely with an impromptu harmonica break. And an al fresco seat on the increasingly hip streets of Sanford makes it an especially delicious trio. Fuel (so named because it is housed in a former gas station) sits adjacent to the Alley, a longtime blues haunt here in what locals often call "the Bokey," and the businesses are owned in tandem. Fuel's quality Q. Flavorful brisket, smoky, St. Louis-style ribs and tender pulled chicken are among the items holding court. Sides include smoked mac-n-cheese, fried okra, BBQ beans and a tasty corn bread that begs to be the canvas for your sauce sampling.
Recommended for Barbecue because: Fuel's cozy confines, bodacious brisket and live music-friendly location are a Southern-style trifecta.
A.D.'s expert tip: Pair your visit to Fuel with extra time to explore Sanford's charming downtown. Closed Mondays.
Read more about Fuel BBQ →
3
Ocoee
Ocoee
Photo courtesy of Ellie Lou's Brews & BBQ
Ellie Lou's web site promises they'll "rub you the right way," and as they've cultivated many a fan out in Ocoee (and a host of others who make the drive from more central Orlando-area locations to get their Q fix), it appears they're holding up their end of the bargain. With offerings like the Pork & Bleu (chopped pork with EL's signature bleu cheese cole slaw), classics including fried green tomatoes and cheddar grits along with delicious dry-rubbed ribs — you choose your sauce — this is a family-friendly haven with a place in its heart for beer lovers. Start your little brew-masters young with a root beer; they've got it on tap.
Recommended for Barbecue because: Small-town indie joints are so oft among the best. Ellie Lou's is just that kind of place.
A.D.'s expert tip: Mmmm. Bleu cheese cole slaw. Try it!
2
Photo courtesy of Tasty Tuesdays in the Milk District
We've been touting the joys of the Caro-Bama food truck for a while now and with this late-year list update, we're excited to report that they've now added a brick-and-mortar location at the North Quarter Market! The pair behind Caro-Bama combined the BBQ pizazz of their respective home regions (the Carolinas and Alabama) to the delight of diners who definitely don't mind eating their sandwiches with a fork. And that's pretty much a necessity. The basics begin with pulled pork, brisket or chopped chicken. From there, it's up to you to decide which of the sauces and toppings to slather on. Caro-Bama makes it easy, though, offering up a roster of proven favorites from which to choose if creativity's less your thing than consumption.
Recommended for Barbecue because: Caro-Bama brings together the best of two great Southern states with solid BBQ reps.
A.D.'s expert tip: The Kitchen Sink features almost everything: pulled pork, brisket, chopped chicken, Bama White & Sweet Home sauces, slaw, banana peppers and jalapenos! Try it.
Read more about Caro-Bama BBQ →
1
Mills 50
Mills 50
Photo courtesy of Pig Floyd's Urban Barbakoa
Pig Floyd's Urban Barbakoa's location amid the multicultural stretch of Mills on which it sits is ideal, and not merely for the hip vibe its confines — particularly the lovely open-air section — help breed. With Caribbean, Latin and Asian culinary influences finding its way into the menu, PF's allows lovers of traditional Southern Q and those with a hankering for flavors from far-flung places to have fun sampling the menu. Here you'll find the surprise of soy, citrus and curry along with the sweet, smoky profiles you'd expect. Succulent pork belly, tender brisket and pulled share the bill with an array of street tacos, BBQ banh mi and other intriguing selections.
Recommended for Barbecue because: Pig Floyd's offers a great location for meandering Mills and injects a generous helping of multicultural flavor into its barbecue offerings.
A.D.'s expert tip: Looking for Q in Lake Nona? Fret not, this is the home of Pig Floyd's newest location!
Read more about Pig Floyd's Urban Barbakoa →
Meet A.D. Thompson
Amy Drew has spent nearly three decades as a professional writer and roughly half her life as a Floridian. The words, she has found, come easier with bare feet and rum.
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