Well we hit the BBQ Trail again and found BBQ Exchange in Gordonsville, VA. This was a fun little Jeep Ride that led us out through some of Virginia’s back roads and small highways in the foothills. We love going through the small towns on these type of highways and seeing what we can discover. This trip offered up some pretty cool little antique shops and several nice people along the way. We also may have discovered Gordonsville’s best kept secret or one of them at least. The BBQ Exchange turned out to be another good stop along our trail.
Where Is The BBQ Exchange?
The BBQ Exchange is in Gordonsville, VA. Located on Martinsburg Ave. they are about 13 miles off of I-64. Take Exit 136 and go North on Highway 15. They will be located on your right. They are not hard to find. There is supposed to be a haunted hotel and a nice antique shop there as well. Also they are not too far from Charlottesville, VA if you’re visiting that area. So even though this is a small town, there are lots of attractions nearby.
The Restaurant and Staff:
The BBQ Exchange has a pretty nice restaurant. They have a good amount of tables inside as well as some outside seating. The staff keeps everything clean and checks on the customers as they do it.
When you enter the restaurant you go to the back part of the counter to place your order. As you move down the line they will put your sides on a plate and give it to you at the end where you pay. If you order the pulled pork it’s also in that line. Other entries will be brought to your table which you pick after you pay for your food.
Everyone working there was very friendly and helpful. They seemed to enjoy what they were doing and helping others out. Just a pleasant place to eat. Even the other customers were friendly. It didn’t matter that we were not from around there.
What We Ate at The BBQ Exchange:
Meat Lovers Platter including Pork, Brisket and Sausage.
So not knowing when I’d ever get back this way I ordered the BBQ Lovers 4 Meat Platter. Yes it was a full pound of meat and no I did not finish it all there. We make sure to travel with a cooler in the Jeep at all times. So on my platter I had the Pork, Brisket, Ribs, and Sausage.
BBQ Exchange Ribs (3 Bones) with 4 meat platter.
The Pork will melt in your mouth and has a good smoke flavor. I did sample the different sauces on it but ate most of it without sauce.
The Brisket was just as moist and tender as the pork. It also had an awesome flavor. For anyone who has cooked brisket before you know how hard this can be. We’ve been lucky to visit some places with really good brisket in the past and the BBQ Exchange ranks right up there with the best of them.
2 Meat Platter with Pork and Brisket.
Well this leads me to the ribs. And at the risk of sounding repetitious, they were very good too. They had a really good rub on them and smoked just right. Again, I added no sauce.
Finally the Sausage. It has a little kick / heat to it. I really liked it but if you don’t like a little bit spicy I’d suggest eating something else. I don’t see you going wrong with any of these choices.
Along with the 4 meats we had a variety of sides. We both had the Mac & Cheese. Tammy also had the Broccoli salad. I had the Baked Beans and a side of Brunswick Stew with mine. Tammy topped off her meal with a chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting which she said was really good. It must have been since I didn’t get to try it. Oh well, maybe next time.
Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting.
The mac & cheese was good. Tammy says the broccoli salad is good though I did not try it. My baked beans were very good. They had some meat and peppers added in with a good sauce. I really liked the Brunswick Stew. It also had a little heat to it which made it stand out from the average stews.
My Final Thoughts:
So what else can I add to this review of the BBQ Exchange? I don’t think there’s anything else to say. I believe we found a gem hiding in a small town near the mountains of Virginia. If you’re anywhere near Charlottesville or just traveling on I-64 you should take the short run up Route 15 and check them out. As you can tell I was very pleased with everything from the restaurant to the people to the food. We did not get to meet the owner(s) on this trip. The great staff that I mentioned was the employees. Great job everyone. And as I said even the other customers were friendly. What more could you ask for?
Your Thoughts:
So now’s when I want to hear what you think about the BBQ Exchange.
Have you been to the BBQ Exchange?
Tell us about your visit. Leave some comments and I’ll get them posted as soon as I can. We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences at the BBQ Exchange.
If you agree with my review share it on your Facebook or other pages.
Help spread the word.
I look forward to hearing from you.
You can check out their website at: http://bbqex.com/
You can also find them on Facebook.
Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.
4 Comments
LOVE the BBQ-X! This is the place I think of when I’m craving BBQ (besides maybe Billikens at Lake Anna, but only for their ribs). It’s well worth the 45 min drive each way. The pork is great, plus the other meats mentioned here. Also noteworthy is the BBQ chicken quarters, and even better is the pulled chicken.
Half of the love comes from their great sides menu. The beans are great, thick with plenty of meat and a good spice blend. The slaw is good both by itself and on the pork, and they have a spicy version too with a good kick. They do well with the other usual a like mac & cheese, potato, and macaroni salad. Even better are the outstanding hush puppies and fried green tomatoes. If you like pickles, they make about a dozen favors (dill, garlic, mustard…). I recommend skipping the roll and get the pumpkin muffin – it’s soooo good. Don’t forget the collards, and all the great desserts, including multiple features with bacon.
The owners have successfully taken on quite a challenge. They brought forth a diverse and fun menu, but didn’t just focus their efforts on a couple parts (see rib place above). Everything they work on, they do right! Stop on by for some good food and company, and your tablecloth drawing might just end up on the wall for your next visit!
Rusty, Thank you so much for the extra information. We did get a pretty good sampling but no way we could try it all in one visit. My wife agrees with you on the pumpkin muffin. I didn’t know that they had fried green tomatoes. Maybe that’s a seasonal item. Anyways everything we had was really good as you have reinforced. Thanks for jumping in with some more info. I do appreciate all comments.
We LOVE the BBQ Exchange! I live in Lynchburg, but went to high school in Fluvanna County where my family still lives. When I hear from my mom that she had dinner at the BBQ Exchange, I’m actually jealous because I didn’t get any. I only wish that I had something like that closer to where I am now. I have friends who consider themselves to be BBQ experts and love the BBQ Exchange.
The line can be long at times, but there’s a good reason for that. The food is awesome! I haven’t had anything there that I didn’t love, and the fact that you can get a Virginia, craft beer to go along with it is a bonus, too.
Great, now I’m going to be craving it for days after thinking about it again. Ha!
Thanks for the comments. The bright side is the weekend is almost here. Could be sounding like a road trip.