The pork is divine at Pepper’s BBQ, but the star of the show is this Southern side

Settled on Warm Springs Road in Columbus across from a fire station sits Peppers BBQ.

Newspapers from the past century hang on the walls announcing everything from Lindbergh’s flight to Paris to Roosevelt’s death at Warm Springs.

Coca-Cola memorabilia screams at you as glass Coke bottles line shelves of the side walls. You walk in to the smell of smoky barbecue that I used to refer to as fresh Georgia air in my younger youth.

Barney Fife stands watch on the wall loading his trusty bullet into his gun with the words, “Go ahead... make my day,” beneath his picture.

Fife was right: The food made my day.

In true southern fashion, I ordered a BBQ pork platter with potato salad and lima beans. The pork by itself had a smoky flavor that almost didn’t warrant the use of BBQ sauce. However, I couldn’t resist using every sauce on the table as each one was just as good as the prior.

The potato salad was tangy and creamy with an amazing flavor that left me wanting more. As a person who is overjoyed to see lima beans or butter beans on any menu, I was very relieved when when I scooped a spoonful into my mouth to find some of the best seasoned and tasting I’ve ever had bless my taste buds.

I washed the meal down with a sweet tea that was the perfect amount of sweet. Three glasses later I had to stop myself from going back for yet another, or did I?

This 6’3”, 227-pound man who rarely is ever filled left happy, full and thankful to those Ledger-Enquirer readers who suggested he try Peppers BBQ.

Which Columbus-area barbecue restaurant should I try next? Email me at khutchison@ledger-enquirer.com.

This story was originally published October 17, 2022 at 8:30 AM.