The red walls of Whole Hog Café are hardly visible amidst plaques and decorations and atop the half-wall dividing the restaurant are more glittering trophies than could be easily counted.
The award-winning restaurant offers many different sandwiches, but it’s difficult to pass up their perfect pulled pork to try something else. The sandwich comes on a fluffy bun and condiments are left to the customer. Whole Hog offers six variations of barbecue sauce with flavors ranging from sweet to vinegary. It’s easiest to create a combination of sauces to save the headache of trying to pick just one.
Another sandwich topper available is Whole Hog’s classic coleslaw. The southern salad is tasty whether it’s eaten alone or on the sandwich. Other sides include homemade brownies, beans and the best potato salad around. The potato salad leans more to the mayonnaise side than the mustard side, but Whole Hog’s perfect blend of sauce and spices pulls it off.
Whole Hog’s prices are fairly low. A “plate,” consisting of one choice of meat, two sides and a roll that can be substituted for a sandwich bun is $6.99. Just a pulled pork sandwich without sides is $4.49. The sandwich and award-winning ribs ($9.99 for a half slab) are the restaurant’s signature dishes.
The restaurant’s locations are scattered about Arkansas, New Mexico, Missouri and New Jersey, but its taste is truly reminiscent of Memphis barbecue. On the wall of Whole Hog’s dining area is a full sized Beale Street sign; appropriate considering their food causes customers to forget they’re in Arkansas.
