One of the more recent restaurants to open its doors at Disney Springs, The Polite Pig gives people from all over the world the chance to taste some delicious, authentic barbecue. Given the fact that I am from the Midwest, I don’t have a lot of experience with BBQ. I can honestly say, however, that I haven’t had a meal quite like this one at Walt Disney World before.
The restaurant itself has quite an urban feel. The walls are made of exposed brick and have industrial pipes and graffiti covering them, making you feel as though you’ve stepped into a downtown city pub. This design provides a nice contrast to the “down home-cookin’” style of the food. There is seating both indoors and outdoors, and because of its central location in Town Center, it’s a great place to people-watch while you eat. We enjoyed our meal indoors because of the chilly weather, but sitting outside would provide a nice dining atmosphere as well.
There is also a large bar built into the main portion of the restaurant, although we did not partake in any libations this visit. The bar provides a large array of Florida craft and domestic beers as well as several cocktails, the majority of which can be purchased individually or in pitchers. There are a few signature cocktails that sound particularly delicious, so I hope to make a trip back soon to try them!
One thing I really appreciated about the menu at The Polite Pig was the wide array of side dishes it offered. I don’t eat a lot of meat, so when I visit a restaurant where the majority of the fare is meat, I turn to the sides. Rather than the fairly standard French fries, steamed vegetables, or coleslaw served at most Disney restaurants, there were a lot of hearty options to choose from: more traditional BBQ sides like potato salad, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and corn-on-the-cob, and a few out-of-the-box choices like tomato and watermelon salad, sweet potato tots, and roasted beets.
They even have a deal where you can purchase 3 sides for $15, which is great for picky eaters like me or those who don’t feel like eating a large meal. I ended up choosing the Polite Baked Beans, the Southern Potato Salad, and the Grilled Corn (which I shared with my boyfriend, who shared his Signature Polite Slaw with me). These sides, even though they weren’t massive portions, were very filling. I enjoyed the smokiness of the baked beans, the creamy dressing and dill flavor of the potato salad, and the seasoning on the corn.
I also had the chance to sample the Mac and Cheese, which my boyfriend ordered with his Half Chicken, along with the jalapeno cornbread that came with his meal. Our whole table agreed that the macaroni and cheese, was by far the best side dish we tried. The cornbread was great too—not at all dry or too spicy. My boyfriend really liked the chicken, which was marinated in a light citrus dressing, giving it a unique flavor. He admitted, however, that combined with a side dish, cornbread, and coleslaw, he was stuffed after eating. Although his meal was a bit pricier than most Disney quick service options, he absolutely got his money’s worth with the amount of food provided!
The friends we dined with both ordered The Southern Pig, a pulled pork sandwich topped with dressing and slaw. One thing they really enjoyed about the restaurant was the Sauce Bar, a counter located in the middle of the restaurant with a variety of dressings and sauces to dip your food in or top your sandwiches with. There were bottles of sauces with varying levels of heat and spiciness, as well as a few signature dressings on tap. Each of the signature options had suggestions on which meals to pair them with, but my friends liked that they could order the same meal and dress it up however they wanted depending on their flavor preferences.
All around, my whole group gave The Polite Pig a big thumb’s up. For those who have never experienced barbecue before, it is a great introduction. Some of the options were a little pricey, but the amount of food that came with each dish made up for that fact. None of us left the restaurant still hungry, that’s for sure! There was also a wide variety of options, so there will be something to please everyone in your group. If you’re looking for something out-of-the-box, something that will fill you up, something different from the standard burgers, chicken nuggets, and hot dogs served around Walt Disney World, than I absolutely recommend The Polite Pig!