we recently re-visited the hickory pig when we traveled up to north georgia for our christmas tree. we first tried it out for ryan’s birthday ‘week of bbq’ when it was voted atlanta’s #1 bbq. gub got take-out then, which we enjoyed at the drive-in, so this was the first time ryan had actually been inside the tiny establishment. phil treated us very well and insisted we try most of the goodies on the daily menu. he kept bringing out more food for us after we had received our order. everything was great, but the ribs were especially awesome.

this is the kind of no-frills, hole in the wall, real southern place we really love!

– ryan & gub

hickory pig

3605 thompson bridge rd
gainesville, ga 30506
770-503-5235

we recently fried up some okra from our garden and it was delicious! we ate the tasty treats with ribs and collards from maddy’s and cole slaw from chik-fil-a. it was a hodge podge of our favorite southern delights!

fyi, maddy’s collard greens recently won best overall at the east lake farmers market collard greens cook-off and they are pretty awesome!

– ryan & gub

maddy’s ribs

1479 scott blvd.
decatur, ga 30030
404-377-0301

fried okra recipe:

ingredients:
5-8 large okra sliced

egg wash:
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk

batter:
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp parsley

directions:
– clean okra and slice
– heat oil in a frying pan at medium heat
– dip okra slices in egg wash and then in the batter
– gently place battered tomatoes in frying pan and fry until golden brown
– flip okra and fry the other side until golden brown
– place on okra guard to let cool and drain the oil
– serve with bbq or other southern treats

i recently went to fat matt’s rib shack for the first time. this atlanta establishment has been on my list of bbq spots i’ve wanted to try for years. i’m not sure why i waited so long; the ribs were definitely some of the best i’ve had in town! they reminded me of maddy’s ribs, which are also some of my favorites. they were tasty, but not too saucy, and the meat fell right off the bone. i also sampled fat matt’s bbq chicken and various sides dishes, all of which were tasty as well. and although i didn’t get to eat my food there, i really enjoyed the atmosphere while i waited and would love to go back!

one quick note, i did see signs for live music pretty much every night of the week at fat matt’s. if you’re into the whole bbq and live music thing, then you’ll be way into that. but for others, like us, who actually enjoy conversing while eating bbq, then you should probably try fat matt’s for lunch or an early dinner.

– ryan

fat matt’s rib shack

1811 piedmont avenue ne
atlanta, ga 30324
404-607-1622

i recently went to harold’s barbecue near turner field for the first time. this atlanta establishment has been serving barbecue since 1947 and is often listed as a favorite in town. i tried the rib sandwich with fries and coleslaw, which were all great. the portions were large and inexpensive, two meals and drinks were under $22 after tax and tip. the ribs weren’t as smoky as i would have liked, but i still enjoyed them. the brunswick stew and pulled pork looked great as well.

harold’s had a lot of character. with red and white checkered table clothes, paper towel rolls on every table, and super sweet tea, harold’s had all the staples of an authentic southern barbecue joint. i wouldn’t say it was my favorite barbecue in town, but i’ll definitely be heading back.

– ryan

harold’s barbecue

171 mcdonough blvd se
atlanta, ga 30315
404-627-9268

we recently went to community q bbq in decatur and loved it! the food and atmosphere were amazing; we’ll definitely be heading back. with burlap on the tables, a large family-style table for eating, and food delivered on trays with checkered paper, you could easily forget you were in an emory shopping center.

we had pulled pork with mac n’ cheese and st. louis style ribs with hand-cut fries. the ribs were definitely some of the best we’ve had in atlanta! they were tender and smoky, yet not too flavorful or saucy. the meats at community q have a good smoky flavor. we’ve had lots of atlanta bbq recently and we’ve noticed that smokiness has been missing from most meats we’ve tried.

the mac n’ cheese was the best we’ve had! they use rigatoni pasta with sharp cheddar, monterey jack, parmesan and heavy cream and then bake it to perfection. to say the least, it’s amazing! the other sides looked great as well; the baked beans and collards in particular. they also use local and seasonal ingredients and sell a good amount of local produce. we picked up corn, okra, peaches and tomatoes during our visit, all of which have been amazing at home!

community q bbq is the best in-town atlanta bbq joint we’ve tried! there are certain meats or sides we crave from other bbq places, but we hadn’t found a nearby restaurant that excelled in all areas until now. the meats, sides, and deserts were all very tasty here!

community q cooks their bbq fresh every day; any leftovers go in the stew or to the local food bank. be aware that they often run out of items if they are busier than expected. arrive early or call ahead to guarantee your favorites are available.

on another note, we love bbq and we love live music, but we really don’t like them in combination. there’s nothing worse then going out for some bbq and not being able to talk because there’s a loud band playing. (hello sam’s bbq1 and maddy’s!) we appreciated the quiet, laid-back atmosphere and southern feel at community q bbq.

check out their menu.

– ryan & gub

community q bbq

1361 clairmont road
decatur, ga 30033
404-633-2080

i turned 30, which is kind of crazy. to make the most of such a big birthday, i tried to do something fun every hour and take photos.

here’s what i got into:

we just discovered a great bbq restaurant called garden produce & country store! on the front page of their website they say “welcome to your neighborhood barbeque.” we wish they were doing business in our neighborhood!

we woke up this morning and decided to go on a ‘bbq adventure!’ the only rule was we had to try a place neither of us had been to before. after doing a bit of research and reading some reviews, we decided to venture out to a tiny place in stone mountain, mostly because of the words in this review. we were not let down!

we are big fans of ‘side of the road’ and ‘hole in the wall’ style restaurants that have great food. this quaint bbq joint totally fit the bill! it can be found on an unassuming canopy road near stone mountain. you’ll know you’re there when you see a couple of red gas pumps and a few cars parked on the side of a house. garden produce was quite small, with only a few tables for seating, but featured a comfortable rustic atmosphere. diners on the patio greeted us with a cheerful, “hello,” as we approached the restaurant.

we both really enjoyed the bbq; it was well worth the drive! ryan got ribs with field peas and baked beans and i got pulled pork with squash casserole and fried okra. the meals came with a delicious slice of corn bread, a pickle and a pineapple wedge. we are pretty picky about our bbq and often don’t like the same style, but we both really loved our meals! the ribs were great, not too smoky but still flavorful, and the pulled pork was excellent as well. plus the prices were very reasonable.

there were plenty of sides to choose from and they all looked great. some of the veggies came from their huge garden, including the field peas and squash. they also offer a homemade pastrami sandwich that sounded amazing! the country store sold seasonal produce and various jarred products, including pickles, jams and relishes.

we’ll definitely be going back again soon!

– ryan & gub

garden produce & country store

567 stephenson road
stone mountain, ga 30087
770-413-0338
gardenproduce@bellsouth.net