4Rivers Smokin' in Winter Garden

4Rivers Smokehouse in Winter Garden

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4Rivers Smokehouse in Winter Park in 2009, word spread quickly about the phenomenal food coming out of the former gas station where Rivers had set up his smokers. Since then, a seemingly everlasting line of people has stretched out the door (driving by the smokehouse at 11:15 this morning, I saw the line already went 10 people past the entrance). Consummate businessman and pit master, Rivers knew demand for his slow-smoked meats warranted a second location, which he opened in Winter Garden (about 12 miles west of Orlando) in April...but would the people come?

The Winter Garden location is nearly twice the size of the original, and it needs every square foot. Turns out Winter Garden has embraced Rivers' multi-regional barbecue style, with about 4,000 people scarfing down juicy brisket and smoked jalapeños per week. When I went there for lunch last week, I wasn't at all surprised to see six or seven people waiting to get inside and a cute server offering samples of the pulled pork — just enough to whet my appetite. The menu is the same, and my burnt-ends sandwich was delicious. Chatter among the patrons in line and at the shared tables is about the same as in the Winter Park. One woman in line ahead of me could barely contain her excitement when she revealed that this was her first time at 4Rivers, and that she had to try the Texas Destroyer. At the table, a fellow diner declared his brisket "some of the best barbecue I've ever had, and I used to live in Texas."

The biggest bonus of the larger space is a small setup of indoor tables (head over there between 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. for your best chance at securing one of these). Outside tables are plentiful, but do fill up during peak lunch and dinner hours, and there is also a drive-trough window for those who have called in their orders ahead of time.

Tags: 4Rivers Smokehouse | BBQ | dining | orlando | Winter Garden | Winter Park