Driving north along Route 82, Hood’s Barbecue beckons. If you’re lucky, you’ll be making the drive through Unionville on a spring weekend day, when Larry has the BBQ smoker fired up, the sweet smells of barbecue wafting over to the little league fields across the street.
I recently stopped in for lunch on a weekday, and met Larry Hood III, who was taking lunch orders while his mother and sister worked the kitchen. This is a family affair. Larry Sr., and Dawn, as well as their kids, Larry III and Morgan, work together to create home cooked comfort food in a friendly, casual setting.
“We do beef brisket sandwiches, ribs and chicken on the weekend,” Larry III told me. “The pulled pork is what we’re known for though.” I had already checked the menu, and knew I was ordering their signature sandwich, The Hoodie.
The Hoodie is slow roasted pulled pork smothered in their own BBQ sauce, melted provolone cheese and topped with their homemade cole slaw. One Hoodie and crabby french fries sounded just right for me, and it proved to be the perfect lunchtime meal.
A gooey slice of Provolone was wedged between the two piles of tangy shredded BBQ pork. The creamy cole slaw acted as the icing on the cake with the Hoodie, and the roll was soft but held together well until the final bite. The crabby fries were crispy, seasoned to perfection.
For those who aren’t BBQ pork lovers (is this really possible?), Hood’s Barbecue offers an assortment of sandwiches for everyone. They offer a wide selection of burgers, topped a variety of ways. They also craft Sloppy Joes, cheesesteaks, Chicken Parmesan sandwiches, wraps and hot dogs.
I’d been following Hood’s Barbecue on Facebook, and had noticed they had closed for a week. I asked Larry about it. “It’s been Hood’s Barbecue. We rented for six and half years…and then we purchased the property in late February, took a week and fixed things up and opened up March 1st as the new, improved Hood’s.”
The inside of the restaurant is simple and casual, and reflects the country feeling you’d expect along a scenic road rural Chester County. A few trophy bucks hang on the wall. An antique stove sits in one corner. Photos from the local steeplechase and other horse riding activities fill out the country motif.
It didn’t take long to notice that Hood’s Barbecue acts as a bit of a community center in this little village of Unionville. Several folks came in for takeout, and were happy to catch up with the Hoods as their orders were being fixed and bagged.
Hood’s also offers breakfast served all day. Choose from omelettes, pancakes or breakfast sandwiches. They also offer Mexican fare such as burritos and quesadillas. In addition to their restaurant and take-out business, Hood’s also caters.
Hood’s Barbecue is located at 1664 W. Doe Run Road, Unionville, PA. Reach the restaurant at (610) 347-1670. To inquire about their catering options, call (610) 347-1433.
Photo credits: Jim Breslin.
