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GEORGIA PIG
1286 SW 40th Avenue (State Road 7)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317
= Poor = Not So Good = Good = Excellent = Flawless |
GEORGIA PIG
1286 SW 40th Avenue (State Road 7)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317
954-587-4420
Monday – Thursday, 6 am – 7:45 pm, Friday, 6 am – 8:45 pm
Saturday, 6 am – 5:45 pm; closed Sunday
Parking lot in the rear
Cash only; no credit cards accepted
Reviewed by BeBe King
Food: 
Service:
Modest, sign-less entrance to Georgia Pig
A friend who grew up in North Carolina, where they really know their bar-b-que, says Georgia Pig serves the best bar-b-que in South Florida. When another friend heard we were going there, he warned us that it was a “joint”. Well, it is a joint alright; it’s a great joint, which has been serving serious food to crowds of devotées since 1953!
You need to keep your wits about you when you journey to Georgia Pig. When the state widened the road, the restaurant was forced to remove their wonderful sign with its neon pig. A continuing dispute with the Department of Transportation over who should pay to reinstall it has left the sign propped up against a wall by the parking lot. So, keep your eye peeled for the street number on the front of the building, or better yet, roll down your window and stop when you detect that delightful scent of smoky bar-b-que.
The placemat menu
At Georgia Pig, your paper place mat is your menu. The daily special ($7.25) is listed on a board above the opening to the kitchen. The day we ate there it was Fried Chicken, Rice with Gravy and Black-eyed Peas. However, we were hungry for bar-b-que, so we chose the BBQ Spare Ribs ($11), which were black on the outside and very crisp – perhaps a little too tough, but very tasty. We also ordered two platters ($10 each): Sliced BBQ Pork and Sliced BBQ Beef, both of which were excellent. Our fourth selection was Half a BBQ Chicken ($9.50), which was moist and delicious. These entrées were served with a side of Cole Slaw, a big pile of pale, undistinguished French fries and large rolls for sopping up sauce. There were three squeeze bottles on the table. One contained a mild and divine BBQ sauce, slightly vinegary and not at all sweet; we hate sweet BBQ sauce. Another was a somewhat more fiery BBQ sauce, which we mixed with the first for a little extra punch. The third was ketchup and there was also a bottle of Louisiana Crystal Hot Sauce for those who like serious heat. A Combination Platter of any two of the four entrées we chose costs $11 and a Platter of Center Cut Hickory Smoked Ham is $10. The only seafood offering is Fried Jumbo Shrimp with Tartar Sauce and Fries for $9.
The Daily Specials menu!
On the advice of our North Carolina friend, we ordered a side of Brunswick Stew ($3.50), a thick mixture of tomatoes, ground meat, corn and other vegetables. The version at Georgia Pig, which is served with saltines, has a deliciously smoky, peppery flavor. The origins of this marvelous Southern dish are disputed. Did it originate in 1898 in Brunswick, Georgia or in 1828 in Brunswick County, Virginia? Doesn’t matter which claim is valid; you’ve got to try it! Other sides are Chili ($3.50), Potato Salad or Macaroni Salad ($1.50), small Lettuce Salads ($2.50-3) and Soup ($3.50), which was Chicken Noodle the day we were there.
The menu offers a variety of bar-b-que meat sandwiches as well as hamburgers, and sandwiches of ham, bacon, chicken or cheese, ranging in price from $3 to $7.25 for the deluxe BBQ Sandwich with fries and cole slaw. A Children’s Menu has small portions of bar-b-que or shrimp ($6.50-8).
Georgia Pig serves breakfast from 6 am until 11 am. The menu includes Eggs, Hot Cakes, and French Toast in various combinations with bacon, sausage, ham and grits and the classic Sausage Gravy and Biscuits. Drinks at Georgia Pig are coffee, hot or iced tea, milk, Coke or lemonade. That’s it – no beer, no wine. They do a brisk take-out business, for which they charge 25 cents extra per order, and will prepare box lunches.
Desserts at Georgia Pig are pies for $3 a slice and you must save room to sample them. Terri makes the pies and she is a genius! We ordered the Pecan Pie, which is the best we have ever tasted; it’s chock full of pecans and avoids the cloying sweetness too often found in this Southern favorite. We also had the Coconut Cream Pie which is sheer heaven. Terri’s crusts are perfect and everything about her pies is the pure distillation of their traditional ingredients. Next time, we’re going to try one of her fruit pies – apple, cherry or peach.
"Sheer Heaven" Coconut Cream Pie
The décor at Georgia Pig is, to be charitable, basic and rustic. The booths, tables and chairs are solid and serviceable, but not new. There are a few high stools at a counter. Glass cabinets on the wall harbor a collection of pigs made out of every known material. The music is Country-Western. The waitresses are helpful, efficient and friendly. If you’re a regular customer, you’ll probably get a hug from one of them. Next to the side door are two bulletin boards crowded with photographs of satisfied diners. We arrived about noon and had to wait in line to be seated. Once we tasted the bar-b-que, we understood very well why Georgia Pig has attracted such a loyal clientele for 55 years.
Check out all the pig trinkets on display
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