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From Carolina ‘cue’ joints to rough-and-ready pop-ups, southern US barbecue has captured the hearts and palates of hungry Londoners. We’re now spoilt for choice, but Porky’s needs to be on your radar.
This Camden Town joint, where the vibe is low-key and the service friendly, produces Memphis-style cooking that’s true to its roots: portions are massive, prices reasonable, flavours full-on.
Enter and you’re transported to the Deep South. Elvis and Carl Perkins croon through the speakers as diners devour vast slabs of meat in a casual, stripped-back setting of exposed brick walls, vintage posters and ambient lighting. As you’d expect, pork is the main attraction.
Tender, perfectly seasoned, 18-hour slow-cooked pulled pork, and plump, juicy wet ribs are the most popular dishes, but you’ll also find spit-roast barbecue chicken, fried catfish and quinoa chilli, a polite nod to vegetarians.
We went the full hog and ordered ribs and pulled pork with scrumptious sides of creamed spinach, barbecue beans and the most sublime corn and cheese hush puppies we’ve encountered outside the US. To make the experience complete, we smothered everything in the own-made chilli-vinegar dressing and drank a couple of Fordham Helles lagers from the extensive British and American craft beer menu. Porky’s is a must-visit for soul food lovin’ meat-eaters: arrive ravenous, and admit defeat if need be… doggy bags are at hand.