Here in the Bluegrass State, we know that the best food can often be found in the most unassuming places. We're also serious about barbecue. So when we say we've found some of the best BBQ in Kentucky at a former small-town gas station, well, you should listen! Barbecue heaven awaits at Heaton's BBQ in Princeton, Kentucky.
Humble and unassuming. Two words that would describe Heaton's BBQ, at least on the outside.
The inside is equally inconspicuous, with simple tables and chairs, paper napkin dispensers, and plastic utensils.
The food, however, is anything but ordinary. In 1996, the Heaton Family began serving up smoked meats at a convenient spot in Princeton, Kentucky... a gas station, in fact!
Putting together sandwiches of smoked meats and a luscious sauce, word quickly spread about this Bluegrass BBQ newcomer.
Kentucky barbecue has two main components: the meat and the sauce. Both of these ingredients are spectacular at Heaton's, but the sauce is where this BBQ joint really shines. Heaton's makes its signature sauce fresh and in small batches, with a high standard that ensures each bottle lives up to its name.
You know how, when something is *that* good, you'd like to "bottle it up" and take it home with you? Well, you're in luck! Heaton's sells its sauce by the bottle, and you'd be wise to pick up a few while you're there.
In addition to delicious BBQ sandwiches and platters, you'll find Southern specialties like fried green tomatoes on the menu at Heaton's.
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In a state that's famous for BBQ (Kentucky *is* home to the Bar-B-Q Capital of the World, after all), it can be difficult to stand out. And while Heaton's location certainly doesn't stand out, what does set this humble restaurant apart is its BBQ, which is, hands down, some of the best in Kentucky.
Have you visited this small-town BBQ spot in the Bluegrass before? Heaton's BBQ truly is a one-of-a-kind barbecue legend in the heart of small-town Kentucky!
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