Happy Friday, everyone! It may have only been a four-day work week for me, but man, did it drain me! The school I work at is going through their end-of-the-year statewide tests and it’s exhausting taking care of everything. So, in the honor of June coming and to brighten up this stressful week, I’ve decided we all need a little more barbecue in our lives. I think I may have found the best barbecue (at least in Virginia): BBQ Exchange.
“I was in barbecue heaven.”
We first found this place after we went on a hike through Shenandoah National Park back in October or November. There isn’t much around in that part of Virginia. Just a lot of farms, fields, and cows. I remember looking around for places that might be good to stop at, and then there it was, just like a ray of sunshine coming down from the heavens. We initially passed the restaurant, but we all decided we should probably go back since it was crowded.
The exterior isn’t much. It has a patio and is surrounded by white wood. We didn’t even know the name of the restaurant until I looked it up on the map. (Although the second time we went, I noticed a BBQ Exchange poster on the side of the building.) You can even see how they cook the meat outside in the back. Inside, the line was long. My mom and I decided to pick our order and find a seat while my dad waited in line. The inside is pretty cute. There’s a lot of pig decor and it’s got wooden floors. They cover the tables with large sheets of paper and give you some colored pencils, so you can have plenty of fun drawing your own pictures while you wait for your food.
When our food finally came, we dove straight into the meat. I ordered the ribs, my mom got a brisket, and my dad couldn’t decide on one plate and went for the meat sampler. My ribs were glorious. They come sauce-less, so you can choose from any five sauces you want. The ribs literally fell off the bone. My baked beans were tasty. The corn bread was moist and delicious. I was in barbecue heaven.
I became obsessed. Unfortunately, BBQ Exchange is located in Gordonsville, VA, which is about two or so hours from my house. It’s not like we can jump in a car one night and decide to go over there for some ribs. Plus, they are only open until 8 PM every night. All winter we were planning a trip to Montpelier, but mainly so we could stop at BBQ Exchange on the way back.
My second time back, this past weekend, was not disappointing! We went around 4:30 PM, so the line wasn’t very long and the food came out quickly. I’m pretty sure I ordered the same thing as I did the first time. I also got a t-shirt so I can advertise this barbecue heavenly goodness to the rest of the world.
So if you are ever in western/central Virginia, take a break and take a stroll through Gordonsville, VA (about an hour south of Charlottesville). It’s by no means a big town, but it’s big on barbecue. I mean, they are home to “Porkapalooza” in February. I’m already trying to figure out when I can go back. I need to experience their barbecue one more time before I go back to traveling.
What’s the best, surprising restaurant you have ever been to eat? No chains allowed!
