Piggybacking BBQ & Catfish: Low Country Smoke and Fresh Catch in Summerville

What to expect at Piggybacking BBQ & Catfish

Piggybacking BBQ & Catfish is a casual spot in Summerville that splits its menu between slow-smoked barbecue and fried catfish—two dishes that anchor Low Country eating. The restaurant leans into its name: the barbecue side handles ribs, pulled pork, and brisket cooked over wood smoke, while the catfish side offers whole fillets fried to order. Both halves share the same kitchen and dining room, so you can order smoked meat and fried fish at the same table without compromise.

The space itself is unpretentious—picnic tables, paper towels instead of napkins, sauce bottles on the table. The point is the food, not the décor. Sides run to the expected: coleslaw, collard greens, mac and cheese, cornbread. Iced tea comes by the gallon. Portions are large enough that most people leave with a box.

Key Takeaways

• Piggybacking serves both smoked barbecue and fried catfish from the same kitchen, so you can order either or both without choosing between them.
• The restaurant operates as a casual, counter-service spot with picnic-table seating and a focus on portion size over atmosphere.
• Catfish is fried fresh to order and comes as whole fillets, not nuggets or strips, with sides like collard greens and cornbread included.
• The barbecue is wood-smoked daily, with pulled pork and ribs as the most popular orders alongside brisket when available.
• Piggybacking is located in Summerville, making it a straightforward stop if you are already exploring that part of the Lowcountry.

The barbecue side of the menu

The smoked meats come out of a wood-fired pit. Pulled pork is the workhorse—tender enough to fall apart with a fork, with a smoke ring that shows the meat spent real time over heat. Ribs come as a full rack or half rack, and the meat pulls clean from the bone. Brisket appears when available, which varies by day and season.

Sauce is optional. Most people use it, but the meat is seasoned enough to eat plain. The house sauce leans sweet with a vinegar backbone, which is typical for the region. You can ask for it on the side or request a different heat level—the staff will tell you what they have.

Plates come with two sides included. Collard greens are cooked with meat stock and have the soft, savory quality that comes from hours on the stove. Mac and cheese is creamy and mild. Cornbread is sweet and crumbly. Coleslaw is vinegar-based and cuts through the richness of the smoke.

The catfish and fried fish options

Catfish is fried whole—two fillets per order—and cooked to order rather than held under heat. The exterior is crisp and golden, and the inside stays moist. The breading is seasoned but not spicy. Most people order it with the same sides as the barbecue: greens, cornbread, slaw.

The catfish is sourced fresh and the frying oil is kept clean, which matters more than most people realize. A catfish fry that tastes muddy or off usually means the fish sat too long or the oil is old. At Piggybacking, neither is the case. The fish tastes like catfish should: mild, slightly sweet, with a firm flake.

If you are not sure whether to order catfish or barbecue, order both as a combination plate. Most restaurants that do both do one well and the other as an afterthought. Piggybacking treats them equally, which is rare enough to be worth noting.

When to go and what to bring

Piggybacking is open for lunch and dinner most days, though hours vary by season. Call ahead if you are making a special trip, because the restaurant sometimes closes for private events or runs out of certain items on busy days. Weekday lunch is usually less crowded than weekends, and the wait is rarely more than 15 minutes even at peak times.

The restaurant does not take reservations, so you order at the counter and find a seat. Payment is cash or card. If you are planning to feed a group, call ahead to let them know how many people are coming—they can have food ready when you arrive rather than making you wait while everything cooks.

Summerville location and nearby attractions

Piggybacking sits in Summerville, about 20 minutes northwest of downtown Charleston. The town itself is worth an hour or two if you have time: the Summerville Town Square has shops and galleries, and the Azalea Park is beautiful in spring. Main Street has other restaurants and cafés if you want to make a longer outing of it.

If you are driving from Charleston, take US-17 north toward Goose Creek, then follow signs into Summerville proper. Parking is easy—there is a lot adjacent to the restaurant. The area is family-friendly and walkable once you park.

What makes this restaurant different from other Low Country barbecue spots

Most barbecue restaurants in South Carolina focus on one thing: smoked meat. A few add fried chicken. Piggybacking's decision to do both catfish and barbecue equally well is unusual. It reflects the restaurant's roots in Low Country cooking, where both smoked meat and fried fish are traditional, and where a meal often includes both.

The other difference is consistency. The restaurant has been in Summerville for years and has built a local following. That kind of staying power usually means the food does not vary much from visit to visit—the pit master knows the equipment, the fryer is dialed in, and the sides are made the same way every day. That matters more than novelty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I order just a small amount of food, or is everything a full plate?

Everything comes as a full plate with sides included. Portions are large, so most people have leftovers. If you are not very hungry, you can order one plate and split it, or ask if they offer a half-size option—some days they do, some days they do not.

Is the catfish farm-raised or wild-caught?

The restaurant sources fresh catfish, but the specific origin varies. Call ahead if the source matters to you, and they can tell you what they have that day.

Do they have vegetarian options?

The sides—collard greens, mac and cheese, cornbread, coleslaw—can be ordered on their own, but the restaurant is built around meat. If you are vegetarian, you can make a meal from sides, but it is not the focus of the menu.

What is the price range?

A full plate of barbecue or catfish with two sides costs less than $20 per person. Combination plates that include both barbecue and catfish cost a bit more. Prices vary slightly by meat choice and current costs, so call or check their current menu before you go.

Do they do catering or large orders?

Yes. Call ahead with the size of your group and what you want, and they can prepare food for pickup. This is especially useful if you are planning a gathering and want to avoid the wait.