The Polite Pig is hands down a do not miss dining spot. I have walked by so many times, and the lingering scent of BBQ wafting in the air always smells so good. During my last visit to Disney Springs, I was graciously hosted by The Polite Pig to come and see what they are all about.
The Polite Pig
Located in Disney Springs adjacent to lime garage escalator, the Polite Pig calls itself a “Modern BBQ + Taps” restaurant. It’s the third venture between James and Judy Petrakis (and James’ brother Brian), James Beard-nominated owners of two other restaurants in Orlando. If you fly Southwest Air from MCO you may be familiar with another restaurant of theirs, Cask & Larder on the airside terminal.
I would classify The Polite Pig a casual dining experience. You do not need a reservation, although, there will probably be a line wrapped outside the door on weekends. Be patient, it moves quickly. You stand in line and place your order at the counter, and will receive a pager device that allows a server to find you when your food is ready. Once you place your order, you will grab a seat (both indoor and outdoor seating is available) and a server will bring you silverware, as well as cocktails you may have ordered from the bar.
Tip: If you want to avoid the crowds go during non-peak times. This will vary, but if you dine between 11am-Noon, after 3 pm, and after 8 pm you should avoid long waits.
Cocktails
Featuring Florida craft beers, drinks on tap and a bourbon bar with over 60+ selections, you can surely find a cocktail to quench your thirst.
If you can’t decide on one drink, why not try a beer or whiskey flight! The Ravenous Pig Beer is made in their sister restaurant & brewery that resides locally in Winter Park. The beers included in this flight are Lone Palm Golden Ale, Red Drum Amber Ale, Five Points IPA and Working Man Porter.
If beer isn’t your thing, try a handcrafted cocktail. I loved the Polite Punch, just the right amount of sweetness and not too strong, even though it has blueberry moonshine in it. And while I am not a big bourbon drinker, I would have been remiss not to at least try something since they pride themselves on their bourbon collection. I had the Sweet Tea Old-Fashioned made with four roses bourbon and it was delicious. It went down really smooth, and didn’t have the bourbon burn, as I call it.
Starters
You could easily make a meal of the starters alone, offering not so small plates, one of these would have easily filled me up. We began our meal with the BBQ Meatballs made from the house brisket, as well as the Slider Trio. I couldn’t choose a favorite, but the fried chicken slider was up there.
The Main Event
I am a huge BBQ fan, so this meal was right up my alley. All they did was ask us what sides we wanted, and took care of the rest. To our surprise the Butcher Board was brought out and piled high with the most amazing and tender smoked meats.
We indulged in polite pork, smoked chicken, prime brisket, cheddar sausage, ribs, smoked turkey and the sliced pork shoulder served with slaw, house pickles, corn bread and our sides of mac & cheese and crispy brussels sprouts. The menu says serves two but I could easily have fed my family of four! I can’t pick a favorite, so don’t make me. I will however say the sides we chose were out of this world, and I was surprised how much I loved the cheddar sausage.
Get Sauced
When it comes to sauces, you have five options if you want to kick your meal up a notch, not that it needs it.
These are all named after the owners children and his wife. True to form the spiciest is named after his wife, Mary. I loved the Layla’s Sweet, but Lil John’s came in a close second
I absolutely loved The Polite Pig, and cannot believe this was my first visit! It is now on my must-do dining list when at Disney Springs. Have you dined at The Polite Pig before? Let me know what your favorite dish is.
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