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BBQ · South Carolina

Maurice's Piggy Park Menu 2026: BBQ, Sides & Carolina Gold

Full Maurice's Piggy Park menu for 2026 — every category of SC BBQ, sides, hash & rice, and classic drive-in fare at the legendary West Columbia landmark. Known as "Piggy Park," Maurice's has been slow-smoking pork and serving mustard-based Carolina Gold BBQ sauce since 1953. Below: the full menu, what to order, the history of SC Midlands BBQ, and answers to the most common questions.

Open since 1953West Columbia, SCCar-hop drive-in serviceCarolina Gold mustard BBQHash & rice tradition
Jump to full menu Cheapest items
Sample · $$

Signature items

Pork BBQ PlateSee menu
Hash and RiceSee menu
BBQ Rib PlateSee menu
Carolina Gold SauceBottled
Sweet TeaSee menu
Jump to: What to order Carolina Gold sauce Hash & rice Full menu History Related BBQ restaurants FAQ
Quick answers

What to know about Maurice's Piggy Park menu

The four most searched questions about Maurice's Piggy Park, answered at a glance.

Must-order plate
Pork BBQ Plate

Slow-smoked pork with mustard-based Carolina Gold sauce, two sides and cornbread.

Most unique item
Hash and Rice

Slow-simmered pork hash over steamed white rice — a uniquely South Carolina Midlands tradition.

Best take-home
Carolina Gold Sauce

Bottled mustard-based BBQ sauce sold in stores and online across the Southeast.

Classic drive-in
BBQ Pork Sandwich

Chopped smoked pork on a bun with Gold sauce and slaw — the quintessential car-hop order.

First-timer guide

What to order at Maurice's Piggy Park

If it's your first visit — or your first time in South Carolina — start here. These are the items that define the Piggy Park experience.

The signature

Pork BBQ Plate

Slow-smoked pulled or chopped pork with two sides and cornbread — the dish Maurice's was built on. Always comes with Carolina Gold mustard sauce on the side.

SC tradition

Hash and Rice

The dish you will not find outside the Midlands of South Carolina. Slow-simmered pork hash ladled over steamed white rice. A true regional icon.

Drive-in classic

BBQ Pork Sandwich

Chopped smoked pork on a bun, dressed with mustard Gold sauce and coleslaw. The quintessential car-hop order — best eaten in the parking stall.

The side

Hush Puppies

Deep-fried cornmeal fritters, lightly sweetened and crispy. Order a basket with any plate — they pair perfectly with the smoky pork.

Take home

Carolina Gold Sauce

Pick up a bottle (or a gift set) before you leave. Maurice's bottled Gold sauce is the most-requested souvenir from Piggy Park. Available in original, hot, and smoky.

Drink

Sweet Tea

House-brewed Southern sweet tea served in large cups — the right drink with SC BBQ. Unsweet is also available for the purists.

The sauce

Carolina Gold: South Carolina's mustard BBQ sauce

Carolina Gold is the defining sauce of South Carolina's Midlands BBQ tradition — and Maurice's is the restaurant most responsible for making it famous nationally. Unlike the tomato-and-molasses sauces of Kansas City or the dry-rub tradition of Memphis, Carolina Gold is built on yellow mustard, vinegar, brown sugar and spices. The result is tangy, slightly sweet, and bright — it cuts through the fat of slow-smoked pork in a way no other sauce does.

Maurice's Gold sauce is now sold in grocery stores across the Southeast and online in multiple varieties: Original, Hot (with cayenne heat), and Smoky (with added smoked flavors). Gift sets make the sauce the most popular take-home item from Piggy Park visits.

The sauce is South Carolina's official state BBQ sauce tradition and has been recognized by food historians, the James Beard Foundation, and Southern food writers as a genuine American regional treasure.

  • Base: Yellow mustard + apple cider vinegar
  • Sweetener: Brown sugar and honey
  • Heat: Black pepper, cayenne (hot variety)
  • Varieties: Original, Hot, Smoky
  • Available: At the restaurant + bottles to go
  • Online: mauricesbbq.com + Southeast grocers
SC tradition

Hash and rice: South Carolina's most unique BBQ side

If you've never had hash and rice, Maurice's is the right place to try it. This dish is nearly impossible to find outside South Carolina's Midlands region — and is one of the culinary reasons food travelers make the trip to West Columbia.

What is it? Hash is a slow-simmered stew made from pork — traditionally including cuts that don't go on the grill, slow-cooked down with onions, aromatics, and sometimes mustard. The result is a deeply savory, slightly thick broth ladled generously over a mound of plain steamed white rice. It is a full meal in a bowl.

The history: Hash and rice developed in the SC Midlands as a way to use the whole hog — the cuts left over after the best pork went to the smoked plates. It became a staple at community BBQ events (church fundraisers, political rallies, family reunions) across the Midlands, and evolved into a restaurant staple at places like Maurice's, where it has been served continuously since the 1950s.

Why it matters: Hash and rice is recognized by the Southern Foodways Alliance and SC food historians as a regionally distinct American dish with no real equivalent elsewhere in the country. Food travelers who seek it out call it one of the most satisfying and surprising things they've eaten in the South.

1953Piggy Park opens
SCMidlands origin
WholeHog tradition
RareOutside SC
Browse the menu

Jump to a category

All Maurice's Piggy Park menu categories with item counts.

BBQ Plates5 itemsSandwiches & Burgers5 itemsHash & Rice2 itemsSides8 itemsCarolina Gold Sauce & Bottled Products3 itemsDesserts4 itemsDrinks5 items
The full menu

Maurice's Piggy Park full menu (2026)

All categories below. Items reflect the documented Piggy Park menu as of May 2026 — confirm availability with the restaurant directly.

About pricing. Maurice's Piggy Park does not publish prices on its website. Prices are omitted from this page to avoid inaccurate information. For current pricing, contact the restaurant directly at mauricesbbq.com or visit in person at 1600 Charleston Hwy, West Columbia, SC.
History

The story of Maurice's Piggy Park

One of America's most storied regional BBQ institutions — from a 1953 drive-in to a South Carolina cultural landmark.

Maurice Bessinger opened the first Piggy Park in West Columbia, South Carolina in 1953, part of a wave of postwar drive-in restaurants that swept across the American South. What set Maurice's apart from the beginning was the sauce — a mustard-based recipe that drew on the SC Midlands' distinct BBQ tradition rather than the tomato-based sauces that would come to define BBQ in the public imagination.

By the 1970s and 1980s, Maurice's had expanded to multiple locations across South Carolina and had begun bottling and selling the Carolina Gold sauce commercially. The restaurant became a touchstone for food writers documenting the regional diversity of American BBQ — appearing in Southern Living, the New York Times, and national food publications as evidence that "BBQ" meant something entirely different depending on where you were in the country.

Today, the West Columbia location remains the flagship — still serving car-hop guests from parking stalls, still slow-smoking pork over hardwood, and still ladling hash and rice for customers who make the drive from across the state. The bottled sauce line has expanded the brand's reach nationally, but the restaurant itself remains rooted in the Midlands of South Carolina.

1953Founded
70+Years open
SCMidlands legend
GoldMustard BBQ
Common questions

Maurice's Piggy Park — frequently asked questions

Answers to the most common questions about Maurice's Piggy Park, Carolina Gold sauce, and South Carolina BBQ tradition.

What is Maurice's Piggy Park?

Maurice's Piggy Park is a legendary South Carolina BBQ drive-in restaurant located at 1600 Charleston Hwy in West Columbia, SC. Founded by Maurice Bessinger in 1953, it is widely regarded as one of the most iconic BBQ restaurants in the American South. The restaurant is especially famous for its mustard-based Carolina Gold BBQ sauce and slow-smoked pork, and is one of the few remaining drive-in restaurants in the Carolinas to still offer car-hop service.

What is Carolina Gold BBQ sauce?

Carolina Gold is a mustard-based BBQ sauce native to South Carolina's Midlands region. Maurice's version — sold under the 'Maurice's Piggy Park' label — is a tangy, sweet-heat blend of yellow mustard, vinegar, sugar and spices. It is distinct from the tomato-based sauces common in other BBQ traditions and is considered the defining sauce of South Carolina Midlands BBQ. Maurice's bottles are widely available in Southeast grocery stores and online.

Does Maurice's Piggy Park still have car-hop service?

Yes. The original West Columbia location retains its classic drive-in car-hop format — you can pull into a parking stall and have your order brought to your car. This makes it one of the few surviving true drive-in BBQ restaurants in the country. The interior dining room is also open. Confirm current hours and service formats directly with the restaurant at mauricesbbq.com.

What is hash and rice at Maurice's?

Hash and rice is a uniquely South Carolina dish — a slow-simmered stew made from pork (traditionally including organ meats) that is ladled over steamed white rice. It is a central fixture of SC Midlands BBQ tradition, and Maurice's version is considered among the most authentic. It is rarely found outside South Carolina and is one of the must-try items on the menu for first-time visitors.

Where is Maurice's Piggy Park located?

The original and flagship Maurice's Piggy Park is at 1600 Charleston Hwy, West Columbia, SC 29169. Additional locations have existed over the years; confirm current locations and hours at mauricesbbq.com or by calling the restaurant directly.

Can I buy Maurice's BBQ sauce online or in stores?

Yes. Maurice's Carolina Gold BBQ sauce is sold in bottles at grocery stores throughout the Southeast and online through the restaurant's website and third-party retailers. Varieties include Original Carolina Gold, Hot Carolina Gold, and Smoky varieties. It is also available in gift sets. Visit mauricesbbq.com for ordering details.

What type of BBQ does Maurice's Piggy Park serve?

Maurice's specializes in South Carolina Midlands-style BBQ — predominantly slow-smoked pork (whole hog and pork shoulders), served with the mustard-based Carolina Gold sauce. Unlike Memphis-style (dry rub ribs), Kansas City-style (tomato/molasses), or Texas-style (brisket), SC Midlands BBQ is defined by the mustard base and the hash-and-rice side dish. Maurice's also offers BBQ chicken, beef plates, and classic drive-in fare like burgers and hot dogs.

Is Maurice's Piggy Park good for groups or family meals?

Yes. Maurice's offers full plates with two sides and cornbread, making it easy to feed a family. The drive-in format is especially family-friendly — kids enjoy the car-hop service. The restaurant also sells bulk BBQ and sauce products that can be ordered ahead for large gatherings. Confirm catering and group-order availability directly at mauricesbbq.com.

What are the must-order items at Maurice's Piggy Park?

First-time visitors should order: (1) Pork BBQ Plate — the signature slow-smoked pork with Carolina Gold sauce; (2) Hash and Rice — the uniquely SC side that defines Midlands BBQ; (3) Hush Puppies — the house cornmeal fritters; and (4) Sweet Tea — the house-brewed Southern sweet tea. The Carolina Gold sauce bottle is the most popular take-home souvenir.

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