RESTON, Va. — The Reston location of Willard’s Real Pit BBQ will open its doors to customers Monday at 10:30 a.m., “come Hell or high water.”
That’s according to restaurant owner Chris Janowski, who has been working for a year to prepare the location at 11790-E Baron Cameron Ave., in the Home Depot Shopping Center. Janowski opened his first barbecue restaurants in Massachusetts in 1995 before moving to Fairfax County in 2002 and opening the flagship Willard’s in Chantilly’s Dulles Expo Center the next year.
“We have a good business going in Chantilly — we have tons of regulars,” he said. “We see some people every day for lunch or dinner.”
The restaurant’s menu includes a variety of sandwiches and ribs, along with a full assortment of specialty items and sides. There is a 30-person seating area inside, and takeout and catering orders will also be available.
Janowski said the secret to his barbecue is in the smoker, which uses hickory logs to enhance the meat’s flavor. He said while Virginia doesn’t have its own established style of barbecue, he is fond of vinegar-based sauces and it shows in the restaurant’s menu.
“Nothing too sweet. Some barbecue for me is too sweet and thick,” he said. “To me, that’s like kids’ barbecue, you know?”
There are still jobs available at the restaurant as well, Janowski said. Interested applicants should stop by for more information.
The restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Janowski said. For more information, call 703-429-1755 next week.
