Gwinnett Daily Post

Dillard's Bar-B-Que and Biscuits

2 Buford Highway, Suwanee

770-945-0703

-- Open since: 1998

-- Owner: Ricky Dillard

-- Location: Dillard's is located at the intersection of Buford Highway and Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road, adjacent to the Suwanee Town Center Park

-- Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Fridays, 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, noon to 7 p.m. Sundays, closed Mondays

-- Atmosphere: The restaurant is small and quaint with a long white counter with red stools, plus an extra side room filled with tables for larger parties.

While sitting at the counter, you can watch the cook prepare food on the flattop, like burgers and eggs, but the smokers are hidden.

The vibe of the eatery is very laid back. There's no one to impress when you're digging into a pulled pork sandwich or gnawing on some ribs down to the bone.

"It's casual, but you still need shoes and shirt," owner Ricky Dillard said with a laugh. "But it's very casual."

Dillard may be running a relaxed restaurant, but he is still very active in the community.

"I do lot of stuff for schools and churches within their budget," he said. "I try to help as I can."

-- Menu: Dillard's motto says it all, "Love at first bite." Dillard has been cooking for more than 30 years and learned how to make tasty, authentic barbecue from working for another restaurant before opening his own spot.

He makes everything from scratch, including all of the sides.

"I don't buy premade food. Even my own french fries are made out of fresh potatoes. I care about what I do," Dillard said.

Some of the other sides include green beans, fried okra, potato salad and macaroni and cheese.

He also makes the breakfast biscuits by hand daily, except for Sunday -- even Dillard needs to sleep in on Sundays, he said. Customers can get the biscuits filled with different pieces of meat, like ham or steak with eggs. Most cost under $3 per biscuit.

The No. 1 selling plate is the pork platter. The meat is smoked for at least five hours before it's shredded and mixed with barbecue sauce and served with two sides.

Dillard achieves a distinct smoked flavor by using logs of hickory wood. Instead of using chips, he relies on the logs because they burn longer without needing to be replaced.

-- Things you might not know: Dillard's has a drive-through for those who need to eat on the go.