Happy as a Pig in Muck: Lunch at The Crafty Pig

I am on the subway pretty much every day, which means that I see the same posters and advertisements on a daily basis. One such poster that has been particularly taunting me lately has been for The Crafty Pig. Promising a delicious barbecue smokepit and brewhouse, The Crafty Pig replaces LUAC on Great Western Road and in its first two months has built quite a following. So last weekend, the temptation became too much and we found ourselves craving a massive lunch to set us up for a long day of furniture browsing…

The Crafty Pig isn’t quite a themed restaurant, but there was definitely a strong MEAT motif running throughout. From juicy, dripping burgers, to OTT hot dogs and tender brisket…even the brunch omelette had pulled pork in it! Now, that’s dedication!

Curious to try said omelette, I decided to give it a go. Gary chose the brisket sandwich. I don’t think it’s taken us as long to order food in a restaurant since…well, I can’t remember! We had to ask for a few more minutes a few times before making up our minds, everything on the menu looked amazing - we were even umm-ing and ahh-ing over the sides before eventually settling on bacon cornbread - yum!

It’s clear that these guys are passionate about barbecue food, which is awesome to see. With attention to detail, clever names and an astounding variety of toppings and sauces (it doesn’t sound like a tall order, but TRUST me - the right toppings can make or break a good meal!), The Crafty Pig offers a solid menu full of choice. They even have an excellent pizza menu (FYI, 2 for 1 all day every day…) and, despite all the pork, plenty of meat-free options to keep our vegetarian friends happy. There’s also a staggering variety of premium and craft(y) beers for all you beer lovers.

While we waited for our food the staff were super friendly and kept us updated on how long our meal would be. The decor is in-keeping with the traditional smokehouse feel and features exposed bricks and wooden finishes. I even spied a smattering of fairy lights at the back of the room - not very smokehouse-y, but I’m always happy to see some twinkly lights! I really enjoyed the music, which was mostly 60s soul and blues tunes.

I couldn’t help eyeing up the pizzas that arrived at a table near us - I think I’ll need to go back and try them to see if they taste as good as they look…

Of course, I soon forgot all about the table next to us because Holy Moly, the size of that omelette! The eggs were light and fluffy and the pulled pork was juicy and plentiful, they made for a very surprising perfect couple. Despite being very hungry, I couldn’t finish it. I know, I know. Whatta wimp, right? Gary on the other hand, wolfed his brisket down. He gave it a thumbs-up which, along with the clear plate, meant it had been very much enjoyed!

The Crafty Pig is a welcome addition to Great Western Road - we really enjoyed popping in for a quick Sunday lunch and with quality food, friendly service and more than decent prices I’m sure we’ll be back sooner rather than later. I’d better start choosing my pizza, then….

Have you visited The Crafty Pig? What’s your favourite barbecue treat?

Happy as a pig in muck,

Miss West End Girl x