Photo credit: Joe Marino
Wilson’s BBQ
1851 Post Road
Fairfield, CT
It took me all of three years to finally walk into Wilson’s Barbeque, but hey, that’s how life works sometimes. I was instantly drawn in by the smell. It reeks of cooking meat and I could smell it from down the block.
When I first walked in, I was kind of underwhelmed. The dining area is very small, and I seated myself and ordered at a counter like I would at a Five Guys restaurant. All of the food comes served to you on paper plates and trays, like you would get it at a cookout or a tailgate. Although unassuming and lacking in flash, the ambience is just what I expected from a place that serves awesome barbeque, and that’s really the only way to describe it.
If you’re as carnivorous as I am, then you are going to love Wilson’s. I had a pulled pork sandwich and split an order of wings and fries with my mom. The pulled pork sandwich was the best I’ve ever had in the northeast.
The slow-cooked meat is so tender and good, and their East Carolina vinegar-based sauce is to die for. The wings put those at Archie Moore’s to absolute shame and the fries were pretty great too.
It’s so hard these days to find barbeque with authenticity. You can go into any place nowadays and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be able to order pulled pork sliders or a rack of ribs off of the menu. But there’s barbeque and then there’s real barbeque.
Tender, juicy meat smoked to perfection with just the right amount of flavor and tanginess, that’s what you get at Wilson’s. It’s their passion. Barbeque isn’t just a business to them, it’s an art, and that is reflected in how you feel when you’re there. It’s comfortable, familiar, delicious food that makes you feel like you’re grilling up in your backyard in the middle of summer. The only thing missing is the wiffle ball game and your crazy uncle.
I staggered out of the place at the end of the meal, so full of finger-licking goodness. If you’re going to go to Wilson’s for dinner, I strongly advise skipping lunch. You’re going to need every bit of stomach space that you can get, because you are not going to want to stop eating. I went for lunch after grabbing Dunkin Donuts with a friend of mine just a couple hours prior. Big mistake on my part.
So, two thumbs way up for Wilson’s BBQ. I can’t think of many places I’ve had better barbeque. I just think you’d have a hard time going there with a bunch of people, because it really isn’t a big place. And you’d think a place with such great barbeque would be a great venue to post up and watch football, but Wilson’s really isn’t equipped for that. Luckily, you can call in and get takeout so you can enjoy it while watching football at your house. You can’t lose.
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