There are few things more Southern, or more satisfying, than a BBQ sandwich. You know it: pulled pork with the perfect sauce, whether you like it Georgia-tomato-based or Carolina-vinegar-based, spicy or sweet.
D.B.A. Sandwich Company, a new addition to the Atlanta BeltLine, has all of these.
Located in the Irwin Street Market, between Jake's Ice Cream and Glide Pizza (see previous blog post), D.B.A. just opened a few weeks ago. It is takeout for now (thanks, COVID), but there are some tables outside to the left.
A sister restaurant to D.B.A. Barbecue, a Virginia-Highland institution, this location offers the staples you'd expect (pulled pork, Brunswick stew, pimento cheese), plus some new twists like the Spicy Southern Italian - a hybrid between an Italian grinder and vinegar based BBQ.
Although the brisket was recommended, and I rarely pass up good brisket, January is a month of dietary restraint. So I opted for the pulled chicken on Texas toast, and my boyfriend got the Turkey BLT. Neither exactly healthy but worth the splurge. The barbecue sauces, all tomato based, came on the side, which was perfect for sampling. I'm not sure which was which, but my favorite had some pepper flakes. I like a little spice in my BBQ. Well, in everything, really.
Below, the Turkey BLT - turkey with pecan-smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and creole mayo.
It's a restaurant worth trying again and again. That brisket will be calling me in February.
An Atlanta native, Nicole Gustin is the Founder & CEO of BiteLines, which offers walking food tours on the Atlanta BeltLine. She considers the BeltLine her backyard, and is excited to see how Atlanta is reinventing itself. The BiteLines blog features art, restaurants, happenings and weirdness on the Atlanta BeltLine. Share story ideas and pics at: contact@bitelines.com. Or follow on Instagram @bitelinesatl.
Note: We have paused our tours during the pandemic, but will ramp up again as soon as it’s safe.