Vacation Round Up: Southern Soul BBQ

On the way home from Florida, I was determined to experience some great local food. I'm a fan of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" on the Food Network and, as it turns out, there was a restaurant that had been featured about 15 minutes off our main route. So, we headed over a big bridge and a slightly less big causeway to St. Simon's Island, Georgia to visit Southern Soul BBQ.

My husband and I are big BBQ fans. We've eaten various styles all over this fine land and this was some of the best. It's a place that you would probably pass right by if you weren't aware of it. Nestled between a gas station and a Domino's pizza on a traffic circle, it's small and unassuming. However, if you keep your eyes peeled, you'll see the smoker and the pile of wood sitting outside the front door. If you have your window open you'll smell it and if that doesn't draw you in you need to check on your BBQ awareness.

Both my husband and I had pulled pork. Mine was on a sandwich with slaw. There were multiple styles of sauce to choose from and they were all excellent. I had fried okra and it was perfect. My husband ordered a side of fried green beans which were delicious! Both veggies were still fresh and slightly crunchy within their batter and each batter was different; perfectly suited to the vegetable it contained. My four year old had a grilled pimento cheese sandwich. Since that was a departure from his usual cheese, he wasn't quite sure about it, but I had a bite and thought it was yummy.

The atmosphere was friendly and laid back. It felt a little more hippy than most BBQ places. Everyone was great, from the employees to the customers. The cross section of customers was amazing as well. The youngest was my infant son, the oldest was a group of 70+ folks who came in for lunch. There were bikers, yuppies, yankees (that was us), and a gentleman who was staying nearby doing some photography.

If you're ever in southeastern Georgia, or spending time among our coastal islands, check this place out. And, if you've found a great little local place in your travels, please let me know. I always appreciate advice in my quest to eat locally as often as humanly possible!