Eat Beat first reported in September that the People’s Pig, perhaps the city’s premier barbecue joint, would open an East Burnside location. Originally slated for an October launch, the doors are finally open. The old, run-down Subway space at 3004 E Burnside, positioned between Laurelhurst Market and 28^th Avenue’s restaurant row, got a major facelift from owners Cliff Allen (pit master) and marketing mastermind Noah Cable (formerly of Bunk). The 40-seat branch feels a lot like the N Williams location, with an 8-seat turquoise and red bar, sweet diner-chrome accents, and a pressed tin ceiling. 

For the first few weeks, Allen is sticking to his standby meats and sandwiches. That’s smoked, fried chicken, bark-crusted ribs, and impossibly tender, pink-ringed brisket. The smoky, bourbon-heavy cocktail menu remains the same, with a few additions, like the French Revolution, a play on the French 75, with gin, sparkling wine, blood orange, and Campari. There’s also a new happy hour snack menu ($3–6) to help sop up the booze, with things like charred onion dip with crudité, pimento cheese, and a trio of tea sandwiches: country ham + butter, egg salad + lemon mayo, and jalapeno jelly + cream cheese.

The Pig plans to have its full menu up by January 27. It promises the Pig’s old food cart favorites, like the Cubano, a Cattail Creek smoked lamb sandwich with fennel aioli, and the famed porchetta sandwich. There’s also a special collaboration Smoked Altbier with Rosenstadt Brewing planned for the menu-release day, starring Beechwood-smoked malt. Get excited.