Trust us—you can’t take a smoke-perfumed, meat-heavy grub session at Jimmy’s BBQ with owner/expert Jimmy Mog lightly.
He’s the Main Line’s neighborhood guru, a local smoking king who, casually and confidently, satisfies suburbanites hunger for succulent, slow-cooked smoked meats on a daily basis.You’ll spy his no-frills haunt situated within the Westgate Shopping Center, immediately noticeable by the beefy wafts blanketing the area’s landscape the second you step foot out of your car. We anticipate you’ll speed indoors, with the mouthwatering aromas pulling you in. Inside, the setup is tasteful, yet simple, lined with communal tables each adorned with a three-deep lineup of house-made sauces aside necessary paper towel rolls.
Over the last four years of operation, Jimmy’s BBQ has developed a cult following. The counter-service dining room is constantly packed, feeding locals like diner Mike Banks’ need for true barbecue. “Jimmy’s Memphis-style BBQ is by far the best I’ve had in the Northeast,” shared Mike, who frequents the Malvern hot spot a few times a week with co-workers for lunch.
Jimmy suggested that during any visit to his deliciously-intoxicating haunt, you don’t skip the brisket—ever. “It’s phenomenal,” he suggested. “The best in the restaurant.” Being that this is the 12-hour-smoked crown jewel of his authentic, extensive menu, during my visit with photographer Nina Cazille, there was no denying we devoured some. For the record, after one tender, melt-in-your-mouth bite, we couldn’t take our paws off the slabs of meat. While our tabletop suggested we may not have eaten for days, and that we had a lot of serious grubbing to catch up on, our serving of brisket—well, we basically licked the dish dry.
Since pork is synonymous with the art of barbecuing, we obviously had to go there too during our recent meat expedition. Jimmy’s pinches of slow-smoked bacon offer a fresh bacon-eating experience. Long gone are the days of thin, crisped slices of bacon. Instead, Jimmy loads you up on a fourth-of-a-pound of pretty pig chunks. Beautifully smoked, and lightly seared on the exterior, we could just pop these nuggets all day, every day.
It’s important to differentiate Jimmy’s meat-smoking shtick, that his lineup of hickory and cherry wood-smoked meats—ranging from pulled pork, spare ribs and beef brisket, to sausage, lemon-pepper pulled chicken and wings—celebrate Memphis-style ‘cue, which is all about the rub (hence, why sauce is on the tables, not served on the meats). “Our rubs are made from scratch, and honestly, our ribs don’t need sauce,” he said. And, he’s right.
Not giving away all his secrets—but, just enough—Jimmy shared that his meat rub incorporates dashes of salt, pepper, paprika and brown sugar. His chicken, which touts an incredibly flavorful zest of citrus, is rubbed with lemon pepper, rosemary and brown sugar.
But, while the meats are the stars of this dining show, his extensive classic sides left us swooning, too. From smoked baked beans and generous hunks of corn bread, to snappy potato salad and collard greens, all the authentic accessories were on hand. My favorite however, was the creamy mac and cheese, packed with an addictive blend of cheddar, parmesan, American and Monterey Jack.
Let us be clear: Jimmy’s BBQ is the real deal in a sea of imitators. Visit often and always arrive hungry. After one bite you’ll be hooked—and, we don’t say that lightly.
Find Jimmy’s BBQ at 309 Lancaster Ave. in Malvern, or online at JimmysBBQ.com. Full-service, on-site catering is available, as well as trays of barbecue are available for pick-up.
All photographs credited to Nina Lea Photography.
