An Upstate restaurant has been recognized on a national scale.
Bobby’s BBQ, which opened on the edge of downtown Fountain Inn in 2018, was named South Carolina’s most charming small-town restaurant by Food Network.
“While many barbecue joints are run by a pitmaster with decades of experience, Bobby’s is special because its owner, “Tay” Nelson, is self-taught; he mastered the art of barbecue simply by watching YouTube videos,” Food Network writer Ni’Kesia Pannell wrote. “And while that may make one shy away from ordering up a slab, rest assured that Bobby’s is now one of the best barbecue spots in the state.”
Owner Octavius "Tay" Nelson didn’t even know his restaurant was in the running for such an accolade, he admitted. His wife, Sarah, had to call and let him know she’d seen a post.
“It is humbling and means the world to us,” Nelson said.
And yet, Nelson said, the recognition doesn’t change anything except the drive to work harder. And he has big plans. More immediately, Nelson has started doing whole hog barbecue with hash and rice on the first Saturday of each month, honoring a longstanding South Carolina tradition.
He is also focused on growing sales of his proprietary spice blends and sauces. Down the road, he would love to open another restaurant and perhaps be on television.
But everything is a process, he said. Nelson knows this well. His restaurant was the culmination of a decade of dreaming and working towards a goal.
Bobby’s BBQ is named in honor of Nelson’s father, Bobby Sr., and brother, Bobby Jr.
Growing up, Nelson’s father owned a restaurant and the younger Nelson learned the business at his father's side, but swore he’d never work in one.
But after Bobby Sr. passed away in 2008 and Bobby Jr. died in 2009, Nelson changed his mindset. He saw food as a way to connect with the people he loved and his community.
He had been playing with his father’s seasoning blend and developed a proprietary recipe that is perfect on pretty much anything.
At the same time, Nelson had gotten very interested in barbecue, particularly the central Texas style of cooking brisket in wood-burning smokers. He began experimenting, learning from YouTube videos and watching pitmasters like Aaron Franklin.
The learning, the passion and the family history culminated in the opening of Bobby’s BBQ in October 2018.
Moving forward, Nelson will continue his monthly first Saturday whole hog barbecues, and plans to continue to perfect his craft. He’s even toying with some new menu ideas.
“You are always learning,” he said. “You never get to the point where you know it all. If you do then you’re not going to grow anymore.”
See Food Network’s full list of top small-town restaurants here. And check out more about Bobby’s BBQ here. The next whole hog roast will be March 1 at the restaurant, 1301 N. Main St., Fountain Inn.