Delicious Virginia Roadside #BBQ: The Aldie Country Store

THE BIRTHPLACE OF GOOD LOCAL BARBECUE: ALDIE COUNTRY STORE

Locals will debate whether it was a good thing that The Washington Post discovered the wood smoker at the Aldie Country Store, but really, in truth, that's water under the barbecue bridge. Owner Surekha Desai has the Post story tacked over the register ... as it should be. He'll talk your ear off as he tempts your tastebuds with samples of his beef, chicken and pork barbecue. 

"TRY THIS, TRY THIS, TRY THIS..." AND IT'S NOT B.S. AT THE ALDIE COUNTRY STORE

I go to the Virginia countryside often, and today was a mission with my friend Daren Thomas. We departed DC early, went to all our various destinations in Delaplane, Upperville, Middleburg - my old stomping grounds -  and returned to the city by early afternoon. But not empty-handed. We stopped at Market Salamander for coffee, eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and  the Aldie Country Store for barbecue and the Little Applie Pastry Shop for, well, pastry -- pie and ham biscuits. Both are in Aldie, VA, next door to each other and worth the drive.

THE ALDIE COUNTRY STORE. THE BARBECUE IS COOKED OUT FRONT AND SOLD IN THE BACK.

When we arrived the pork ribs were fresh off the cooker. Surekha insisted we taste but we were already sold by the scent of the smoke and the moist appearance of the meat. Daren and I both also got green beans and I got spiced, barbecued chicken. The quality is worthy of driving out there and bringing back for a dinner party, or backyard hoe-down. 

ALL KINDS OF FRESH BARBECUE AT THE ALDIE COUNTRY STORE ( PLUS RICE, MASHERS, GREEN BEANS)

Is it destination barbecue? Yes, absolutely. I would imagine Surekha would want you to phone in advance for a party order: 703.957-4999. But when we visited today there was a lot of food available, with folks line up for pulled pork  or beef sandwiches. For GPS purposes, the address is 39285 John Mosby Highway (aka route 50).