The Award-Winning Hole-In-The-Wall Restaurant To Visit When You're In Georgia

Southern Soul Barbecue isn't flashy for an award-winning restaurant — but then again, flashy isn't what you'd expect from a hole-in-the-wall barbecue spot. Sitting inside a repurposed vintage gas station on St. Simons Island, Georgia (about halfway between Savannah, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida), it's the sort of place where you might not guess its lofty reputation just by looking at it. This restaurant has taken a top spot in Southern Living's ranking of The South's Best Barbecue Joints, and it has been featured on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives".

With a weathered, almost shack-like building, Southern Soul Barbecue is a decidedly unfussy spot to fill up on slow-cooked meat and hearty sides. The picnic table seating is a perfect fit for the coastal location, as is the relaxed and friendly service. Yet while the ambiance and service are definitely perks, people come here for the meat. Many consider oak to be the best wood for smoking brisket, and that's exactly what Southern Soul Barbecue uses to add a solid, smoky taste to its menu of brisket, ribs, pulled pork, smoked turkey, smoked chicken, and sausage. You can get them in sandwich form (with a toasted bun and pickles) or as a platter with sides and white bread to soak up the juices from the tender and moist meats.

Although meat may be the main draw at Southern Soul Barbecue, a top-notch barbecue restaurant needs to deliver when it comes to sides. Here, that means a laundry list of classics: Coleslaw, fried okra, barbecue beans, collard greens, and potato salad. It also includes Southeast favorites, such as hush puppies and Hoppin' John – a New Year's dish with black-eyed peas, rice, and small pieces of pork. For a particularly local taste, you can get an award-winning Brunswick Stew as a side. This is a hearty pork stew with beans, corn, and tomatoes that likely came from Indigenous peoples' cooking traditions in the region, and it's an unexpected highlight at the restaurant.

Perhaps what makes Southern Soul Barbecue a bit more unique is the fact that its menu goes beyond just barbecue staples. For example, a juicy chicken salad is one delectable option that's always on the menu. Otherwise, look to the specials board for something different, such as a smoked fish dip or even a Reuben sandwich. There are also recurring weekly specials, including a jerk chicken burrito or house-cured pastrami, along with a nod to the classic Cuban sandwich in Florida. So, while Southern Soul Barbecue may be, aesthetically speaking, a hole-in-the-wall, the focus on quality makes it worth the trip to Georgia's Atlantic coast.