Portland BBQ Joint Recognized as Maine’s Best by National Food Website

Who doesn't love the Q?

No, not the letter. I'm talking about the food. You know, that delicious, slow-smoked, briny, juicy, perfectly tender meat that pairs beautifully with the best comfort food sides one can dream of.

Barbecue is a gift from our ancestors — one that has been passed down for thousands of years and perfected by current pitmasters, who have it down to an exact science.

It's also a food that has seen massive expansion throughout the country. No longer can it only be found in hot spots like the Carolinas, Texas, Kansas City, and St. Louis. Barbecue has become so popular that delicious joints can now be found from coast to coast.

What is the Best BBQ Restaurant in Maine?

Now, thanks to this mass migration of 'cue, websites like the popular LoveFood have been scouring the nation for the country's finest pits. This includes a recent article that listed what the website believes is the best barbecue joint in every state. Maine’s representative is a very solid and popular choice. LoveFood’s number one spot for Maine is Wilson County Barbecue.

What Makes Wilson County BBQ Maine's Best barbecue?

Located in the trendy Bayside neighborhood, Wilson County Barbecue has been smoking meat and serving delicious cocktails since early 2020. The shop specializes in Carolina style, which means a hefty amount of sweet and acidic flavor. It also means smoked whole hog. That’s right — all that pork goodness is cooked intact to absolute perfection.

Wilson County BBQ isn’t just about the meat. The joint also has some of the best biscuits this side of the Mason-Dixon Line. These buttery, salty, flaky morsels are so good that Wilson County even has a sign in the window to alert folks when they are fresh and hot.

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The Bayside joint also has a creative cocktail menu. Enjoy a drink inside the unique, modern industrial setting, or relax on the large patio that features fire pits and plenty of seating.

But enough from me. Here’s a little of why LoveFood selected Wilson County Barbecue as Maine's best:

This cool joint in Portland is a great place to hang out and enjoy some pit-smoked whole hog barbecue. Wilson County Barbecue is owned by a North Carolina native, and its meats are cooked North Carolina style, with a range of tangy sauces.

Well, now I am officially starving.

Congratulations to Wilson County Barbecue on this wonderful recognition. It's always cool to see a Maine small business highlighted on a national level. Here’s to many more years of smoky, delicious BBQ from the crew over at Wilson County.