New BBQ Spot Opening in Sugar Hill This Summer

A new barbecue joint is firing up its pits in Sugar Hill this summer, rooted in family tradition and farm-to-table practices. August Swine BBQ is the vision of owner Merritt Christian, who spoke with Business Debut about the story behind the restaurant and the food it will serve.

Christian, a Heritage pig farmer for the past seven years, shared that the pork used at August Swine BBQ will come from his own pasture-raised Heritage Berkshire pigs. These pigs are raised in open fields and finished on a roasted-peanut diet, creating a premium quality meat that will be the cornerstone of the restaurant’s offerings.

The name “August Swine BBQ” is a tribute to Christian’s grandfather, “Big Daddy,” who grew up the son of share croppers Calhoun County, Georgia in the early 1900's. Orphaned at a young age, he lived in the wilderness with his younger brothers and began trapping and barbecuing wild hogs for local landowners. Each year, when barbecue season began in August, customers would ask, “Hey Willy, how’s that August swine coming?”—a phrase that stuck and became the inspiration for the restaurant.

The restaurant will be located at 1150 Temple Dr, Sugar Hill, GA 30518 and is expected to open in late May or early June. It will be a walk-up spot offering southern-style barbecue pork and chicken, along with traditional sides drawn from Christian’s family recipes. The menu will also feature caricatures and quotes from his grandfather and uncles, celebrating the legacy behind the brand.

Expect a true taste of Southern history and heritage when August Swine BBQ opens later this summer in Sugar Hill.