The barbecue's enticing at Lake Wylie's Pit

Rainy, chilly weather sent us across the Lake Wylie Plaza parking lot to the BBQ Pit to fuel up and warm up for lunch.

At the BBQ Pit you'll meet and be greeted by one or some of the owners — two couples living at Lake Wylie — or their family members. I was fortunate enough to be invited to join them during a barbecue contest in Clover where I sampled their pulled pork and homemade sauces before they decided to open the restaurant. Their secret recipe created for friends for cookouts during football games grew into a catering business (which they still do) and the quartet became an award-winning barbecue team, called Q-2-U, even capturing the title of Masters of BBQ Champions awarded by the South Carolina BBQ Association. What they serve in their restaurant is worthy of all those little gold piggy trophies and plaques displayed in the quaint, clean restaurant with a few tables, outdoor seating and bar seating overlooking the cooking area.

The meat, whether the ribs or chicken, falls of the bone and melts in your mouth. The pulled pork is tender and juicy. Even the sides, like the mac and cheese, smoked baked beans and recent addition of hushpuppies, are tasty homemade recipes. I even like the slaw, which has taken me 30-plus years taste.

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But for me, it's their sauces that put this barbecue ahead of the pack. At the tables are three options – regular, thick and hot self-described online at q-2-u.com as “an epicurial delight for those with discriminating taste.” My co-worker loved the thick sauce saying: “It was kind of sweet with a kick, tangy I guess. Girl, that's the kind of sauce I like.” I do, too.

After mulling over the menu with the expected barbecue sandwiches, plates, ribs and chicken, and unexpected smoked and grilled bologna sandwich and voted best in Lake Wylie hot dogs, I opted for the sampler ($11.50). After placing our order at the front counter, we grabbed a seat. Fellow diners come and go, and our lunch came out pretty quickly.

It took two baskets full to serve my three thick ribs, a chicken thigh and pulled pork, plus a bun and two sides of hushpuppies and mac 'n cheese, plus slaw — definitely too much for one, and enough to share and still have plenty for a take-home meal.

I don't usually order ribs out because of the mess. Trying to cut them with a plastic knife, didn't work, so I had to dig in. I ended up wearing sauce on my sleeve and even on my glasses. But, the pork was so good and the sauce so savory, it was worth every drop. I'd gladly wear it again. However, I'll stick with the chicken with the same wonderful flavors if I need to stay tidy. The pulled pork was juicy, and since I can't decide which of their sauces I like best, I douse it with all three.

The BBQ Pit's prices run $3.50 for sandwiches to $17 for a full rack of baby back ribs. There also are children's meals for $3.50, as well as family specials serving three to five with two large sides including 1-1/2 pounds of pork and four buns for $22.50, 1-1/2 racks for $34 and eight pieces of barbecue chicken for $24.50. Or, get a pound of pork barbecue to go for $9.

Part of the BBQ Pit flavor is sports-theme, too, with local hometown Panther pride, and two large televisions for watching the game while soaking suds of select beer.

I've lived in the Midwest and enjoyed that style barbecue, too, but I always say part of the reason I moved to the Carolinas is for the barbecue and sweet tea. The Q2U team at Lake Wylie's BBQ Pit reaffirms what makes Carolina barbecue so great. Luckily, they sell their rub and sauces, too, so I can share it with friends and family back North, too.

Catherine Muccigrosso, Lake Wylie Pilot editor