These posts started off being called 'Thankful Fridays' but I'm really bad at keeping to my scheduling so I've given them a little re-brand so I can get away with posting on different days! #DontJudgeMe Lots of food in this post (shock!) so enjoy!BANK HOLIDAY BURGERS. We drove into London last Sunday (hello free parking on Bank holiday) and headed to Porky's* on Bankside for something to eat. My god - the hot sauce in that place is INCREDIBLE. All the food (including the sauces) are freshly made on site each day and they've got a brilliant selection of whiskeys and beers which are totally channelling a Louisiana vibe. OH and there's beer pong contests, whats not to love?!
Porky's is a vibrant eatery which encompasses the heart and soul of bbq food. As a visitor to London I was estatic to stumble across this place on South Bank.
Service was prompt and homely with our waitress being effiecient and happy to answer any questions we had.
I ordered a pulled pork burger reading the 18hr pork was the star of the restaurant. When it arrived to the table with a side of fries I knew I had a good choice. The pork was succulent topped with classic slaw on a fresh bun.
The only factor which held me up on rating higher was the price. However I will concede that it is fair considering location.
On a whole porky's is definitely worth a look if your in the area. Wouldn't hesitate recommending this establishment to anyone in need for a bbq fix.
We Love Food, It's All We Eat
+3.5
When I first got a job on London’s Southbank back in the mists of time, there weren’t many local culinary delights to shout about. Sure there were a few OK pub lunches to be had and a couple of decent greasy spoons but that was all. How things have changed! The area has now been re-branded as Bankside and some great restaurants have popped up. They’re still out-numbered by the Prets and Starbucks of this world, but the independents are more than holding their own.
First came The Table, then Tsuru, Vapiano, even Gordon Ramsey took a gamble on the area and opened The Union Street Cafe. Mark Hix is also opening a Hixter – things are really on the up. Although it wasn’t any of these establishments that we went to review, it was Porky’s BBQ – the home to some good old Tennessee style meat.
New Globe Walk, as the name strongly suggests, runs next to Shakespeare’s New Globe theatre and around halfway down this road is Porky’s BBQ. As soon as you walk in you are welcomed by a brick bar with the resurant’s name displayed in lights. Decor is fairly standard, lots of exposed brickwork and distressed concrete. Light oak floors, vintage posters and filament bulbs complete the industrial theme. Admittedly we dined at 6pm and for once the sun wasn’t hidden behind a blanket of grey clouds, but we thought the back of the restaurant was very bright and maybe a little too formal. We reckon places like Porky’s BBQ should be dark n’ dirty (Big Easy in Covent Garden has pulled off the look almost perfectly).
The staff were very attentive and as we were shown to our table the waitress explained that she was drafted in from their Camden branch. It was fairly obvious that they had brought in experienced staff to make the new site run smoothly. We ordered a cocktail each and the waitress ran through the differences between a Memphis style BBQ’s and the excuse of a BBQ that most of us burn beyond recognition in our gardens (Big Fat Dan excluded – check out his Instagram). Well a Memphis BBQ is when the meat is cooked in a smoker (imported from Oklahoma) at low temperatures for a long time (up to 18 hours) in a dry rub to give a spicy kick. This ‘low and slow’ method sure is a winner, a method that Pitt Cue, Duke’s Brew & Que and BBQ Whisky Beer to name just a few, have mastered.
The cocktails arrived and again mine was the more girlie of the two, how I always manage to choose the most effeminate drink is beyond me. My big apple sour £7.50 -Absolut, apple sauce, egg white, sugar and lemon juice was like an alcoholic apple pie. Whilst Saff’s Smokers rye £8 – Rittenhouse rye, smoke, egg white, lemon juice, sugar and bitters, was bursting with smoke and somehow tasted of Christmas.
We found it quite difficult to order from ‘the warm up’ (starters) section, we wanted all of them. Eventually Saff went for the Pulled pork croquettes £4.50, served in the obligatory enamel bowls. These three beauties were packed full of light potato and a very generous amount of their smoked pulled pork. The deal maker for Saff’s starter was that they were cheeseless (regular readers will know that Saff can’t eat cheese) I, on the other hand, adore the stuff and simply had to order the Cheesy corn hush puppies £4.50. My three golf ball sized spheres of golden deep/fried corn batter loveliness were delicious. The cheese wasn’t too overbearing and there was a good balance of sweetcorn kernels. The actual corn batter is a little gritty, don’t worry that’s how it’s supposed to be. There are a few some veggie options on the menu also such as Quinoa and feta chilli £9.50 and a Memphis beanburger £5.95.
Main course or ‘the main event’ is really short, only three choices. Add to that three different burgers and a long list of sides (‘sideshow’). This makes decision-making so much easier, especially if you’re in a group and plan to share. We ordered the Memphis meaty ribs and tips £9.75, the Pulled pork £8.95 and a side of Sweet potato fries £3.50. The pork ribs were cooked perfectly and the meat slipped of the bone effortlessly. As mentioned before the spicy dry rub adds a blast of heat, whilst the homemade BBQ sauce adds that sticky sweetness. Talking of BBQ sauces, there are three bottles of it on the table. One labelled BBQ, Bad or BBd depending on what table you sat (I think they had trouble with the Dymo machine) was fairly runny and sweet. The Sopmop was explained as BBQ vinegar but in reality was simply vinegar. And Chilli sauce, thicker and much, much hotter!
The pulled pork did exactly what it says on the tin. It’s smoked for 18 hours, rough shredded and served with a toasted brioche bun and pickles. The portion size was good too – not so big that you feel overwhelmed but enough so that there’s some leftover to take home in a doggy bag (we made a pulled pork hash out of ours). The sweet potato fries were a little soggy in the middle, they never seem to crisp up like their non-sweet relatives. We’ve even tried triple cooked sweet potato chips at home with, let’s just say, interesting results.
Time to move on to the dessert or ‘the encore’ as the menu kindly calls them. Again the list is short, only three to choose from and fairly safe – no surprises here! I had a Chocolate pecan pie with squirty cream £5.85. This dessert was really rich, the pastry was crumbly, the filling tasted of quality bitter dark chocolate. My only criticism is that the pecan pieces were too small, I like big nuts (sounds wrong, doesn’t it!). Saff ordered the Strawberry shortbread sundae £5.50 – strawberries, vanilla ice-cream, a super sweet strawberry sauce and an unbelievably light homemade shortbread all shoe-horned into a big sundae glass.
Porky’s BBQ is brilliant new addition to Bankside. The prices are good value and the turnaround is quick (but not rushed) so It could even be an option for lunch. I’ve got a feeling that Porky’s BBQ is going be seeing a lot more of us and our colleagues…
We ate at Porky’s as their guests, this does not affect our review in any way. We always write with complete honesty.
Went during lunch. Service is slow but the food more than makes up for it.
Pulled pork croquettes, perfect ribs, and portions that are fit for a king.
Definitely will be going back.
American-style BBQ restaurant right near the Globe Theatre. I popped in for a quick meal before heading to a Shakespeare play. I sat at a table outside and enjoyed an Old Fashioned, Ribs&tips, and french fries. The rib entree was gigantic and I could hardly finish it. Although they weren't the best ribs I've had (could have been more tender), they were quite a treat all the same. The Old Fashioned was excellent, but the service is what earns this restaurant such a high rating. The staff were all friendly and my server in particular was very attentive. Since I was by myself, it was a nice opportunity to chat!
We arrived to a bustling lively environment and was seated quickly. There were 8 of us and the servers were attentive and paid attention to dietary changes within the orders.
The food arrived hot and tasty. I especially liked the buffalo wings and the BBQ beans. The rib croquettes were a bit disappointing due to a lack of rib meat but everything else from the burgers to the steak was great. Beer pong was fun and a great way to end our evening.
We love Porky’s! 🐖
A really chilled informal bar/restaurant with a fun vibe.
The food was great. I had the BBQ lunch platter and some catfish bites. Their lunch menu is a main, a side and a glass of wine/lager for only £10. Can’t complain!
They’re SUPER dog friendly - to the point where our dog got a water bowl and some pulled pork.
Thanks to Nico for making us feel so comfortable.
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Our work team had a wonderful lunch down at Porky’s Bankside today. We were invited back after a negative experience previously and this time the whole place felt a class above.
Steve, the new manager has the venue running like a well-oiled machine and together with the staff has made a venue that’s perfect for large groups and small tables alike.
The atmosphere at Porky’s is extremely relaxed and the staff appeared to really be enjoying their work. They had all of our requests covered despite us being a table of 12 and were forthcoming with recommendations as well as anticipating our requests.
There was water on the table upon our arrival and the manager Steve greeted us personally, helping to assure we kicked off lunch on a positive note. Our drinks orders were taken right away and the waiting staff were inquisitive and interested in what we ordered, providing suggestions and tasting notes.
A range of starters were ordered for us at the table and this was a nice touch as it meant that everyone could get eating at once. The amount of starters we had made the main course a challenge!
Between courses the waiting staff were helpful and efficient in clearing the table and kept refreshing water jugs which is something that doesn’t happen often enough in most restaurants.
Mains consisted of burgers and ribs and the size doesn't compromise the quality. This is comfort food of the best kind and would be equally appealing in winter or on scorching day like today.
All in all it was a very relaxing afternoon, the restaurant was busy but never felt chaotic, the music was great but never loud and food came out quickly and steaming hot. Simple touches like lots of sauce, napkins and a genuine concern for our experience made our time at Porky’s pass by in a flash. The only disappointment is having to go back to work for the afternoon. We will definitely be back and will be sure to recommend to other teams in our building. Thanks Porky’s, you guys nailed it!
Ps. Great beer! Want to come back and drink the rest of the selection!
We've been to the Camden branch a number of times but this was our first visit to Bankside. Staff were really accommodating but unfortunately seated us by a table that arrived for a birthday - about 20 people and us two were in amongst them as they all arrived, loud and excited, which was understandable, but made us feel crowded and that we needed to leave quickly. But their fault but bad planning on the seating front. Food and drink was great (but the burnt ends should've been more burnt!)
Fantastic food and atmosphere. Friendly service and manager very charming. Will definitely be coming back
For a Tuesday is was quite quiet, but that did not stop the 8 of us having a good fun time. The food was great, and also the staff were friendly to talk to and responsive. It's well worth checking out!
When you are far from home it’s great to find a place that has the style of food you love. The food was pretty decent and honestly made me feel more at home as an American. The wait staff was fantastic. The music was good, but if you wanted to be authentic to Texas and also Cowboys, country is the music you should play. I just feel like people go to restaurants for more than just the food but for the atmosphere too. It should be said though, if it didn’t come out of a pit it isn’t BBQ. If it wasn’t slow cooked in a smoker, it isn’t BBQ. Putting BBQ sauce on items does not make it BBQ. Also, if you are going to claim the ‘American’ style you got to serve American style drinks with plenty of ice. Location is not exactly practical unless you are going and coming from work. I can imagine someone driving into the city just for BBQ.
Really nice food, decent portions but not the biggest. Beers fairly expensive (even by London pub standards). Enjoyed a lovely piece of steak after EGX Rezzed though :-)
One of the best places to hang out as a group in London. An array of fun games and a crazy atmosphere. And above all of that is the food. The staff ensure you have all you need to have a memorable time.
Been here a few times and really enjoy the experience. Nice music, sport and great staff. Food is top as well and recommend the chicken burger!
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