I was lucky to accidentally come upon the Big Bad Wolf food truck, even luckier that it was early in the lunch hour and crowds had not yet begun to form. A handful of local customers who came to eat here (at al fresco picnic tables) or take meals elsewhere told me that long waits are not uncommon. All agreed that time spent was worthwhile for what they unanimously consider the best BBQ around. High praise, indeed, in a region where excellent BBQ is a given.
Ribs in particular are crazy good. They’re baby backs, which all too often are more about tenderness than taste. These are both: literally fall-off-the-bone easy-to-eat, and yet potent with the delirious fusion of sweet pork, smoke, and sauce.
Pulled pork is like that, too: velvet soft and not the least bit fatty, containing enough flavor in the meat itself that sauce — however good it is here — hardly matters.
Bologna is smoked, adding hickory savor to its inherent spiciness. In a sandwich with cheese, garnishes, and condiments, it is a mighty $4 meal to remember.
Unusual fried green tomatoes: sliced thin and fried until crisp all around, they feature just a thin ribbon of tangy fruit within the breading. A joy to munch, and just right with anything else on the menu.
Note that when the truck is parked along the highway — generally from March into October — it open Wednesday through Friday from 11 to 6 and Saturday from 11 to 4. Catering is available year-around.
Other Nearby Restaurants
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You and Me Coffee and Tea
Corbin, KentuckyCorbin, Kentucky’s coffee house is a source for Counter Culture brewed coffee, pourover, & cold brew, and a sophisticated fried bologna breakfast sandwich.
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Boone Tavern
Berea, KentuckyBuilt in 1909 and affiliated with Berea College (which supplies much of the staff), the Boone Tavern serves great vintage hotel food with many modern twists.
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Billy’s One Stop
Barbourville, KentuckyLocals and regular travelers along the Cumberland Gap Parkway stop at Billy’s for a $1 chili bun, lunch-counter eats, gas, and convenience-store needs.
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Smokey Bear’s BBQ
Corbin, KentuckyA happy-go-lucky BBQ parlor with a law-and-order theme, Smokey Bear’s is a favorite among Corbin citizens, especially its police officers. Try the Pig Tator!
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Lily Shop-N-Cart
Lily, KentuckyIn this remote Kentucky convenience store, chili is made daily for the area’s favorite cheap sandwich, the chili bun. Also: a quick-eats, hot meal menu.
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Hitz BBQ
Berea, KentuckyAt a highway exit in Berea, Kentucky, Hitz doesn’t look like a first-rate BBQ joint, but it is. Meats are expertly smoke-cooked; side dishes are extraordinary.