Well we made a stop at When Pigs Fly BBQ in Lewisburg, WV while traveling on I-64. We found this one by doing a search on my phone. I had actually found a different place a little further west but they did not have Sunday hours listed so I kept looking. I had decided that when we left my sister’s house in WV that I was going to find a new place for bbq before coming back into VA. So we were getting close to the State Line. When I found When Pigs Fly BBQ, I thought that this sounds like the kind of place we need to try. I just liked the sound of it. I checked them out on the web and saw that they were open so we made our way there.
One note. If you’re traveling and decide to check them out don’t put their address into your GPS for directions. If you get off of I-64 on 219 South you’ll go almost 3 miles. As soon as you pass the Burger King you’ll need to turn right into their parking lot. Not too hard if you don’t use the GPS. We used ours and went all through a neighborhood on the opposite side of the Interstate. Trust me, just head for the Burger King and save yourself some time and confusion.
So once we got there we were not disappointed. Just like their website had said, they are a small “Mom and Pop” bbq joint. My kind of place. Inside was just a small simple restaurant. Very clean and friendly. We were greeted as soon as we walked in. Mike, who happens to be one of the owners, helped us out with our selections. He was very nice and was happy to have us there. And no, at that time he did not know that he was being reviewed.
When Pigs Fly BBQ, From the Buffet.
Tammy chose the buffet that they were offering. It had pulled pork and chicken on it along with vegetable choices and a salad bar. It seemed to be a pretty good deal. But yes I wanted more. I saw a pulled pork and rib combo on the menu so that drew me right in.
Along with Tammy’s pork and chicken she had their bbq baked beans and collards. I also had the bbq baked beans and chose fries for my second choice. They turned out to be waffle fries and were a pretty good change from the norm. The baked beans were very good. We both really liked their flavor. The collards were excellent as well, even without meat seasoning. I don’t know how they pulled that one off but they did.
Anyways, we came to When Pigs Fly BBQ for just that, bbq, so here’s the lowdown on theirs.
The pulled pork was really good. It had a nice smoke flavor along with the taste of the pork. As When Pigs Fly puts it they serve their pork naked and you can dress it at the table if you like. They do have some pretty good sauces but I still ate most of mine without the sauce. I think I would have liked a little dry rub cooked into it just to compliment the flavors. Don’t let that discourage you, it was really good without any changes.
When Pigs Fly BBQ, Pulled Pork and Ribs Combo.
Finally, the ribs. When Pigs Fly BBQ had some of the best ribs that I’ve had in a long time. That’s not saying that I’ve been eating bad ribs all this time. I’m just saying that theirs were that good. Do not put any sauce on them before you taste them. I know that some people just have to have sauce but these ribs deserve to be tried without any. They have a great smoke and rub flavor to go along with the taste of the ribs. All I can say is that on my visit they were excellent.
We did get to meet and talk to both owners before we left. After being served and trying out their food I explained what I do with my blog and that they would be on it too sometime after I returned home. They were both very friendly, even before I told them. We really enjoyed talking to them and learning more about them. That’s part of the fun doing these reviews. We get to meet some really good people.
I definitely recommend stopping by here for some very good food. I’d love to be there some day when they serve brisket. I bet it’s pretty good too.
So the smart phone was right again. Guess that’s why it is called smart. We found When Pigs Fly BBQ, to us in the middle of nowhere, with a simple search. No offence to the people of Lewisburg, just saying that for someone from the east coast of VA passing through, we were really out there.
Have any of you tried this joint out other than me?
How about some locals, what do you think about When Pigs Fly?
You can check them out on the web at: www.pigsflybbq.com or on FaceBook.
20 Comments
Thanks so much for your kind words! We enjoyed meeting and serving both of you, and look forward to having you visit again.
We hope some of your readers will come and give us a try, too. The easy way to get here is to take I-64, exit 169 (Lewisburg), then take U.S. 219 South for 2.8 miles. We’re right next door to the Burger King, on the same side. Or, just call us and we’ll come find ya. Mike and Kellen
Always a pleasure to find good bbq. Hope we help some others discover you guys along the way.
Yeay! Way to go Mike and Kellen! Glad you got another great review, but we already knew that you are the best BBQ place around!
Glad I hit the mark with the review. Hopefully more people will discover When Pigs Fly BBQ. I’m glad we did.
Having family living in nearby Hinton, we stay in Lewisburg and having tired of the normal chain reataurants, we gound When Pugs Fly BBQ. Both my wife and son ordered the Pork & Rib combo and both said next time they will justget the ribs. They were that good. We really enjoyed this place. One in our group was surprised they didnt offer cornbread or have hand wipes for a bbq joint. Next time we are visiting, we will be back. Not sure on your gps, but mine lead me right to it.
Both the cornbread (or hushpuppies for me) and the hand wipes are great ideas. Glad you could get right to them. I didn’t use the address they have on their website which is probably where I went wrong. Hopefully others will have better luck than I did. But you can’t go wrong if you look for the “Burger King”. Thanks for the input.
Been a fan since before the place in fairlea. I used to follow them around all the fairs an festivals they would do. Now I can go anytime I want which is way better. I have loved all there bbq an really can’t pick my favorite item they make cause everything is that yummy. Thank you mike an kellen for all the good times an food. I would say it’s a must for anyone who loves bbq an loves good portions .
Great to hear that When Pigs Fly BBQ have loyal fans. The best thing you can do to support them is put the word out wherever possible. Positive reviews like mine or ones found on sites like Yelp, Trip Advisor, etc. will help to lead more customers to them. Thanks for letting us know your feelings about them. Great to hear.
My husband and I have been there with our children. Service can make great food horrible or fantastic! When Pigs Fly BBQ is fantastic! They treat all their customers like old friends!
I find dining out is an experience! Everything plays into making the meal memorable. Your blog has made me want to make a trip back to visit this gem! Thanks!
Hope you enjoy the trip and the food. I know that they treated us the same way as you said just as soon as we walked into the door. They were a pleasure to meet and talk to. The food was the icing on the cake. We look forward to a return trip some day also. Thanks for the comments.
My family, our Pastor and some friends were actually in Pigs Fly this Sunday. We were in the back room. We are regulars. You cannot beat the food or the service. The portions are large enough that my wife and I usually split a pulled pork platter. Our 6 year old usually eats their beans and bread. The meatloaf is as close to my Mom’s as you can find. This is some of the best food you will get anywhere. Something you should also know – Mike and Kellen give back to our community. Every year they provide free Thanksgiving dinner for those in need. They fed 180 this year in their little restaurant. When Pigs Fly is a community resource we are proud of. When you visit Lewisburg WV it is a must stop.
Thanks for the input. Great to hear from the locals. I also want to thank you for the added note about Mike and Kellen giving back to the community. They obviously don’t brag because this was never mentioned when we talked. I love to hear stories like this. My wish for Mike and Kellen would be that many who read this would listen to what you are saying about them as much as what I have said about our brief visit and show them the support they should receive. What an awesome story. Thanks for letting us know this about them.
We have known Kellen (one of the owners) since elementary school. Not only do they serve some amazing food, but they also are very generous in the community. The Sunday brunch is our favorite and perfect after church. I am an agriculture teacher and several of my students sell fresh vegetables to them for the restaurant. Can’t beat local, fresh and starting new businesses in the form of young people and farm owners.
You kind folks are awesome. You make me want to come back up for another visit. Thank you so much for the comments. I wish all of you the best for the coming new year.
I meet Mike and Kelln about 5 years ago at The Hslifsx Co, VS, fair. The “So Bo” potaoto was named because they sold so many at the fair that year. Everyone looks forward to visiting the food booth for not only the bbq and ribs, but the slaw, baked beans and homemade tea!! Their helping are more than amble, even for the ones with a large apetite. No matter how busy they are, they always have a smile on their faces and are truly glad to serve you their amazing food.
You are dead on about the beans. I loved them too. My wife agrees about the tea, I didn’t try it. Above all else I agree that they were smiling the whole time we were there and really showed us that they were happy we were there. Great people. Thanks for stopping by and letting us know how you feel.
We want to thank each of your for your kind words, and look forward to serving all of you again. As to the Thanksgiving Dinner, we get an enormous amount of help from the community in the form of volunteers, and donations both of food and cash. Without all of that support, there is no way we’d be able to pull it off. We also enjoy working with the 4-H and FFA members. We try to source as many vegetables locally as we possibly can, in season, and working with those fine, hard-working young people enables us to get the very best and freshest produce at a reasonable price, while supporting their dreams. We have hired several FFA members in the restaurant, and they tend to have an excellent work ethic, and good customer service skills. We like to tell people that “we were farm-to-table before farm-to-table was cool.” Anyhow, we’re enormously grateful to our customers without whom there would be no When Pigs Fly.
I can’t add much to that other than “Thank You” to all the visitors and contributors to this post.
Patrick, I’m from Covington, VA. I have made the trip to Lewisburg several times to visit When Pigs Fly BBQ. Never have had a bad experience with food or service. Definitely recommend this place to any BBQ lovers.
On a side note, there is another place you should venture to if you haven’t already. Three Little Pigs BBQ in Daleville, VA. It’s in the Kroger shopping center. Another small place big on flavor and service. Thanks for your reviews
Greg, thanks for the suggestion. I haven’t been there but I will look into it for future road trips. I do appreciate all the input.