5 Harry & Larry's Bar-B-Que
There's just something about beef brisket and slaw that gets the mouth watering. Or maybe you're a rib aficionado. Or have a thing for smoked turkey. The beauty of Southern barbecue is that you don't really have to choose. Just get a multi-meat plate and dig the H in. One taste of Harry & Larry's wares and you're transported back to that last roadside smoker you hit up on your way from somewhere to someplace else and the only thing you remember is trying to get one more taste of the sauce out from under your nails before resorting to that old Wet-Nap in your glove compartment. Brisket, ribs, sausage and turkey beckon. Stop in for a slab or buy it by the pound and haul it home and become the hero of dinner. ((407) 614-5950)
There's just something about beef brisket and slaw that gets the mouth watering. Or maybe you're a rib aficionado. Or have a thing for smoked turkey. The beauty of Southern barbecue is that you don't really have to choose. Just get a multi-meat plate and dig the H in. One taste of Harry & Larry's wares and you're transported back to that last roadside smoker you hit up on your way from somewhere to someplace else and the only thing you remember is trying to get one more taste of the sauce out from under your nails before resorting to that old Wet-Nap in your glove compartment. Brisket, ribs, sausage and turkey beckon. Stop in for a slab or buy it by the pound and haul it home and become the hero of dinner. ((407) 614-5950)
4 Caro-Bama BBQ
While the food-truck resurgence has brought with it a vast array of gourmet treats that at one time would have seemed offbeat to serve out of a truck, classic American barbecue has never suffered from this disadvantage. 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. (407-342-5066)
While the food-truck resurgence has brought with it a vast array of gourmet treats that at one time would have seemed offbeat to serve out of a truck, classic American barbecue has never suffered from this disadvantage. 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. (407-342-5066)
3 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. (407-347-9515)
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. (407-347-9515)
2 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. (407-296-0609)
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. (407-296-0609)
1 4Rivers Smokehouse
4Rivers' Winter Park location (not its original outpost; its success quickly outgrew that venue) is its flagship -- the central restaurant 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's not a neat cuisine and even 4Rivers' sandwich menu -- the Messy Pig and its two layers of slaw, in particular -- pushes the envelope. Some fans swear by the desserts, as well. (Fried Oreos, anyone?) If you've got a sweet tooth, they are Southern-inspired and sinful as you-know-where. (407-474-8377)
4Rivers' Winter Park location (not its original outpost; its success quickly outgrew that venue) is its flagship -- the central restaurant 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's not a neat cuisine and even 4Rivers' sandwich menu -- the Messy Pig and its two layers of slaw, in particular -- pushes the envelope. Some fans swear by the desserts, as well. (Fried Oreos, anyone?) If you've got a sweet tooth, they are Southern-inspired and sinful as you-know-where. (407-474-8377)
By: Local Expert A.D. Thompson
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