Short Sugar’s Pit Bar-B-Q

Short Sugar’s menu is big, including breakfast, all kinds of sandwiches, and a burger roster that features the “teenage burger,” which is a double cheeseburger. I really liked my chili dog, which is a raunchy little thing that arrives wrapped in wax paper. The dog is topped with a chili so fine that it is more a paste than hash. With a line of mustard, it seems a faultless dish – not necessarily delicious, certainly not fancy, but somehow addictive in the way that only the most ignominious chili dog can be.

What to eat at Short Sugar’s in Reidsville, NC

Barbecue is the featured attraction, a point that is obvious if you walk in the door that leads to the take-out counter, for here you have a view of quarter hogs on the grate, soon to be chopped up and served on a plate (with fries, slaw, and hushpuppies), on a tray (with just slaw and hushpuppies), or as a sandwich. The meat is sweeter than most due to Short Sugar’s fascinating sauce which is mixed in and also available in squeeze bottles on the table if you want more. The slaw is brilliant, fresh as can be, and the hushpuppies provide a welcome crunchy counterpoint for the tender pork. Our only disappointment was a ham biscuit. The biscuit was blah.

A big restaurant with a long counter, booths, and tables, Short Sugar’s has the patina of a place that has been around many decades. Most of the clientele are regulars, but the staff treats strangers as welcome guests.