When I first moved to Prince George about 5 years ago, I was desperate for some diversity in local eats. Yes, there were options, but coming from Toronto it felt like the choices and variety were finite. It’s awesome to see that Prince George is slowly starting to relish having quite a few options for restaurants to eat at as well as seeing people branching out to try different modes of cooking. And over the last few years, it seems like barbecuing is becoming a more deeply rooted tradition. Local BBQ enthusiasts are graduating from gas grills to charcoal grills and smokers.
Finding great barbecue in Prince George
Trench Brewing and Distilling
Trench Brewing and Distilling is well-known for their beer and seltzers (which are my favourite from Prince George breweries, by the way!), but their “From the Smoker” menu is out of this world. Trench offers many different kinds of smoked meats including chicken wings, pulled pork, bratwurst, and my personal favourite, the beef brisket. Many locals say their gargantuan “Meatsweats” tray is worth its weight in gold too.
Low and slow is the deal at Trench, and boy does it pay off. Trench nabbed 5 awards in Prince George’s Community Votes campaign this year.
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Smokey J’s Smoked MMMeats
Another BBQ gem, but this time on wheels! I will be honest, I haven’t eaten here yet but it’s my goal to purchase some food from this food truck this summer. I’ve heard AMAZING things from friends about their brisket mac and cheese (drooling as I type this) and it seems like they do so well that they sell out most days. I suggest you follow their Facebook page to get the whereabouts of their location as they move around occasionally.
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CrossRoads Brewing
A brewery/pizza-heavy menu spot with BBQ-offerings? Yes please!
CrossRoads Brewing offers a “Smoke ‘N’ Bones” menu that offers the quintessential BBQ items: brisket, wings, pulled pork, BBQ chicken and all the fixings. Surprisingly, a favourite of mine is the vegetarian chili served with jalapeno cornbread: so delicious!
You also cannot beat their patio; so warm with the addition of those fire tables, and dog-friendly too!
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Building a backyard BBQ oasis
It’s no surprise that with all of the staying home over this past year, more people are looking to create a home-based getaway in their backyards. This year, it seems the same trends will continue – in terms of more BBQ days.
The business to highlight here is my personal favourite BBQ shop, Decked Out Home & Patio. My hubby was overjoyed to buy his Weber smoker there a few years ago, and we are both happy to see the business thriving. They have recently moved into the Walls Ave. retail area and the new location is fantastic! We frequent this store often; picking up different wood chips and charcoal and have tried a few of their meat rubs as well. They have the nicest staff there and many of those are as passionate about BBQing as we are.
I love to spend my weekends cooking up a beef brisket or smoking a beer can chicken in Prince George! It is the best way to leverage the summer season and enjoy the outdoors right in our backyard.
Photo Credit: Decked Out Home & Patio
