MOUNT VERNON – Road Hog Willy's Real Pit Bar-B-Q is a great option for brides and grooms who are looking to create a memorable menu for their special day.
From seeing a barbecue competition on television to offering catering and then opening a restaurant, Pit Master Bill Wheeler is a big fan of feeding others premium barbecue and helping to create lasting memories with delicious meals.
For weddings, Road Hog Willy's Real Pit Bar-B-Q offers a variety of packages for parties of 25 or more, served buffet-style. Whether invitees like pork, beef or chicken, Road Hog Willy's offers multiple packages: two meats and two sides, or three meats and three sides. Appetizers, drinks and desserts are also available.
“Pork and beef are our most popular meats,” Wheeler said. “Mac and cheese and cheesy potatoes are the most popular side dishes.”
While Wheeler does offer chicken, he says that he does try to steer wedding parties toward beef and pork as their protein options and not so much toward chicken, because he says there's often quite a bit more chicken left than beef or pork at the end of the night.
Catering isn't new for Wheeler or his business. That actually started in 2003 — long before the restaurant, which opened in 2019.
"I saw barbecue on TV and said, 'I'm going to buy myself a smoker,'" Wheeler said. He bought a smoker and entered a few competitions; he had a food trailer for those. Friends started asking him to cook for them, and Wheeler had to rent a kitchen for the catering jobs. That's where the catering began, and that was the start of Road Hog Willy's Bar-B-Q Restaurant and Catering, which is located at 504-B Harcourt Road in Mount Vernon.
The beauty of Road Hog Willy's Bar-B-Q catering for weddings is that there's no setup or takedown work for clients who are looking to enjoy fantastic barbecue on a special day.
Barn weddings are popular in the Mount Vernon area, and barbecue can be a great addition to a menu that helps create the vibe. It helps too when the catering company can accentuate the décor of the event. This is something that Road Hog Willy's can do. The company has white- and natural wooden crates to complement the event décor, and Wheeler said they can also offer a s'mores bar or nacho bar as part of the menu.
Individuals interested in booking catering for a wedding can do so by calling 740-326-1408. Wheeler notes that couples can come in for free tasting sessions as they finalize the menu for their big day.
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The menu features appetizers, sandwiches, beef brisket, pork, chicken and family meals, as well as catering services. Wheeler and his team start cooking early in the morning to serve the area's residents and local businesses, offering good food at reasonable prices.
Come by Road Hog Willy's Real Pit Bar-B-Q at 504-B Harcourt Road in Mount Vernon, or visit roadhogwillysbbq.com to check out the menu and contact them for a quote on wedding day catering.
