Meat & Greet
Smoke, Salt, & Pepper are the secret ingredients at the new barbecue joint in Dover-foxcroft
By Joanna O’Leary
At Belly of the Beast BBQ in Dover-Foxcroft, smoke gets in your eyes — in a good way. On any given day, pitmaster and owner Nathan Emerson has multiple smokers going outside to fulfill his restaurant’s mission: “To get you the absolute highest quality BBQ as quickly as possible!”
Given that the unofficial golden rule of barbecue is ‘low and slow,’ this statement is initially a bit jarring, but Emerson’s promise refers to his dedication to serving customers fresh, hot Central Texas-style fare in a timely fashion.
To do so, Emerson has dedicated years of his life to studying the minutiae of quality barbecue, the execution of which on a daily basis requires hours of fastidious preparation.
“I’m a huge barbecue nerd,” Emerson said. “My goal is to introduce people in the area to a barbecue style that doesn’t include everything being sauced but mainly uses smoke and salt and pepper to provide the flavor.”
Diners will tell you Emerson has achieved his goal. The menu rotates regularly, but on any given day patrons can choose between quarter, half, and full pound portions of juicy cuts including sliced brisket, boneless pork ribs, turkey, and pulled pork and chicken.
For an additional two bucks, any of the aforementioned can be made into a sandwich, however, we suggest you fulfill your RDCA (Recommended Daily Carbohydrate Allotment — it’s a technical term) by rounding out your plate with some of their unctuous coleslaw or honey cornbread. Pro tip: if a vegetarian happens to be in your party, they can easily make a meal of the aforementioned, especially when paired with the restaurant’s zesty ranch coleslaw and hearty Mexican corn salad. And, if there’s still room in your belly after all that beast, end the meal on a sweet note in the form of a carrot cake whoopie pie or cornbread cookie with honey buttercream.
But that’s just a taste of what Belly of the Beast has right now. Emerson has big plans for expanding his offerings — word on the street is that pork belly cinnamon rolls and a “build your own baked potato” may be coming soon.
Word to the wise: Belly of the Beast is officially open until 8 p.m., but they regularly sell out completely by late afternoon. Check the official Facebook page for updates or call ahead to prevent going home empty-handed.
Originally published in the Summer 2025 issue of Bangor Metro magazine.
