Gardner’s Barbecue #1

Location

Judging from the long line of folks waiting to eat at Gardner’s Barbecue #1 the last time I was there, it is still a great place to visit and eat. Inside, most customers were eating all they wanted, choosing either to go through a buffet line or to be served family style at the table. As good and plentiful as the food is, there is more to Gardner’s than just eating. The lively red-and-white table coverings are just part of the reason it is so bright and cheerful. People there smile at each other — and at strangers. Somehow, it is more like a church supper than a restaurant. When the cash register attendants were too busy counting money to talk to me, Gloria Davis, the assistant manager, took me under her wing and answered all my questions. She told me that her boss Gerry Gardner, brother of former Congressman and Lt. Governor Jim Gardner, maintains the long family association with this country cooking institution.

Hrs: Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.