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Guide To The Best Barbecue In The Pittsburgh Area

Nothing says summer quite like tasty, smoky barbecue. Although the South is most famous for delicious, slow-cooked barbecue specialties like pulled pork, ribs and chicken, here are some places in the Pittsburgh area where you can find incredible barbecue dishes to enjoy this summer.

(credit: Two Brothers Bar-B-Q/Facebook)

Best Pulled Pork:

Two Brothers Bar-B-Q
5228 Thoms Run Road
Presto, PA 15142
(412) 257-2950
2brosbbq.com

Two Brothers Bar-B-Q is a small take out restaurant located south of Pittsburgh near Bridgeville. If you are wishing for some great pulled pork, its dry-rubbed pork that is slowly smoked for 10 hours and pulled by hand will satisfy your cravings. The pulled pork is available with or without the zesty sauce, heaped on a kaiser roll for $6.49 or piled on top of nachos and topped with cheese for $7.49. Even ask for it in a quesadilla where it will be paired with cheddar, monterey jack, onion straws and barbecue sauce.

(credit: Hog Father's Old-Fashioned BBQ/Facebook)

Best Ribs:

Hog Father's Old Fashioned BBQ

1301 Jefferson Ave
Washington, PA 15301
(724) 229-1227
hogfathersbbq.com

The favorite of visiting Texans, Hog Father's Old Fashioned BBQ is also located south of the city in Washington. Hog Father's offers both St. Louis style and Carolina babyback ribs. The babyback ribs are tender and fall right off the bone with a fantastic smoky flavor. Hog Father's half-rack special includes a half rack of ribs of your choice served with two sides such as the smoky baked beans, fresh coleslaw or sweet potato fries for $14.99. With this being a special stop for Vice-President Joe Biden on his way to the airport after a speaking engagement in Ohio, it is well worth the 40-minute trip from downtown.

(credit: Thinkstock)

Best Cheap Option:

Wiggy's
2350 Noblestown Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
(412) 919-0361

Located in Pittsburgh's West End, Wiggy's is known for its wings with a variety of sauces and styles. The Jamaican and golden BBQ are among the most popular, but there are sauces to suit every palate. Wiggy's has a very casual pizza-shop atmosphere where customers can help themselves to soda refills, which can be helpful when enjoying a large plate of hot wings. Customers can get a dozen wings at Wiggy's for only $7.95. What a deal. Wiggy's also offers appetizers such as poppers, fried zucchini, mac & cheese bites and fries for $3.95 as well as subs, sandwiches, wraps and rib and chicken dinners.

Related: Best BBQ in Pittsburgh

(credit: bbqstus.com)

Best Sauce: 

BBQ Stu's
PO Box 111
McKeesport, PA 15134
(412) 673-6457
bbqstus.com

If you want to make your own barbecue creations at home, why not start with an award-winning sauce? BBQ Stu's Barbeque Sauce has won several awards and been reviewed by many sauce enthusiasts. With Pittsburgh serving as BBQ Stu's hometown location, it prides itself on keeping locals happy. BBQ Stu's makes sauces from Original, that is mild in flavor, to Steel City Blast Furnace which adds a mysterious heat element to the original sauce. For those who like it hot, there is a Steel City Blast Furnace X-Xtra Hot which provides an extra spicy-hot kick. BBQ Stu's also makes a Pennsylvania Gold sauce, which is a mustard-based sauce perfect for both grilling and dipping. BBQ Stu's sauces can be ordered online and delivered right to your house to enjoy for the perfect barbecue weekend.

(credit: Blake Matthews)

Best Chicken:

Rowdy BBQ
3900 Saw Mill Run Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15227
(412) 882-6788
rowdybbq.com

Located South of Pittsburgh, near route 88, Rowdy BBQ is a small takeout barbecue stand along Saw Mill Run Boulevard. Among its many barbecue dishes such as pork, ribs, hot dogs and burgers, Rowdy's barbecue chicken stands out. Smoked and blackened to perfection and slathered with your choice of sauce, this juicy tasty chicken is a must try for any barbecue lover. Rowdy BBQ offers a choice of mild, hot or chipotle sauce. A half chicken served with fresh-cut fries or one of the homemade side dishes such as potato salad or mac & cheese is only $7.95.

RelatedBest Specialty Food Shops In Pittsburgh

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 Head to CBS Pittsburgh's Best Of page for more local tips on family fun, shopping, nightlife, food, culture and more!

Jennifer Stockdale is a native of the greater Pittsburgh, PA area. She is a restaurant marketer and wine enthusiast and one of the hosts of the East Coast Wine Geeks Podcast. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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