This Gas-Station-Hidden Smokehouse Might Be Virginia’s Best-Kept BBQ Secret
Tucked away in Virginia Beach, there’s a place where filling up your tank can lead to filling up your belly with some of the best barbecue you’ve ever tasted.
Malbon Brothers Corner Mart BBQ & Catering doesn’t look like much from the outside, just a regular convenience store with gas pumps, but locals have known for decades that this unassuming spot serves up smoky, mouthwatering meats that rival any fancy restaurant.
What started as a family business in the 1950s has grown into a beloved neighborhood treasure that proves you don’t need a fancy storefront to serve incredible food.
A Family-Run Smokehouse
Malbon Brothers isn’t some corporate chain pumping out cookie-cutter food. For generations, this spot has been lovingly operated by the same family, passing down recipes and techniques like precious heirlooms. You can taste the difference that comes from people who actually care about every plate they serve.
Walking through the door feels like visiting relatives who happen to make incredible barbecue. The staff knows regulars by name, remembers their usual orders, and treats newcomers like old friends. Family pride shows in every tender bite of meat and every friendly smile behind the counter.
Serving Coastal Virginia Since The 1950s
Before your parents were born—maybe even before your grandparents tied the knot—Malbon Brothers was already slinging barbecue to hungry Virginians. Seven decades of business means they’ve perfected their craft through thousands of satisfied customers and countless hours tending the smoker.
Surviving that long in the restaurant business isn’t luck; it’s proof of quality. While flashy new spots open and close every year, this humble gas station eatery keeps drawing crowds generation after generation. Old-timers bring their grandkids, creating food memories that span entire family trees.
Locals Know It As “The Piggy Store”
Forget the official name—if you want directions from a Virginia Beach local, just ask for “The Piggy Store.” That’s the affectionate nickname residents have used for years, and it tells you everything about what matters here: the pork.
Nicknames like this don’t come from marketing campaigns or fancy branding. They’re earned through community love and word-of-mouth praise. When people create their own name for your business, you know you’ve become part of the neighborhood’s heart and identity, not just another place to grab lunch.
Award-Winning BBQ In The Most Unexpected Location
Judges at barbecue competitions expect fancy smokehouses with custom pits and celebrity chefs. Instead, they’ve repeatedly crowned a gas station convenience store as champion, proving that great food doesn’t need pretentious packaging.
Those trophies and certificates hanging on the walls aren’t just decoration—they’re battle scars from competitions where Malbon Brothers smoked the competition (pun absolutely intended). Critics and experts have tasted barbecue from coast to coast, yet they keep coming back to this unassuming Virginia Beach corner store for another plate.
Smoked Meats, Pulled Pork, And Brisket Done The Old-Fashioned Way
No shortcuts, no microwaves, no fancy gadgets that promise quick results. Malbon Brothers follows the ancient barbecue commandment: low and slow wins the race. Their meats spend hours in the smoker, absorbing woodsy flavors while fat renders into buttery tenderness.
Pulled pork falls apart at the gentlest fork touch, brisket melts on your tongue, and that gorgeous pink smoke ring proves these folks know their craft. Old-fashioned methods take patience and skill, but one bite explains why some traditions should never change, even in our fast-food world.
From Gas Pumps To Great BBQ: A Convenience Store With A Legit Pit
Most convenience stores offer sad hot dogs spinning under heat lamps and questionable sandwiches wrapped in plastic. Malbon Brothers said “nah” to that sad script and installed a legitimate barbecue pit instead, creating the ultimate multitasking stop.
Fill your tank, grab some milk, and walk out with competition-quality brisket—all in one convenient location. The juxtaposition seems bizarre until you experience it firsthand. Then it just makes perfect sense: why shouldn’t excellent food exist wherever hungry people gather, even at gas stations?
A True Neighborhood Hangout For Early Birds And Late-Night Diners
Whether you need breakfast before dawn or dinner after dark, Malbon Brothers keeps the smoker running and the doors open. Construction workers grab morning plates before job sites open, while night-shift nurses stop by after long hospital hours for comfort food that feels like a warm hug.
Great neighborhood spots become community living rooms where strangers become friends over shared tables and passed hot sauce bottles. The flexible hours mean everyone gets included in the barbecue love, regardless of their schedule or lifestyle.
Where Retro Roadside Culture Meets Modern Coastal Flavor
Malbon Brothers perfectly captures that nostalgic roadside Americana vibe—the kind you see in old photographs of cross-country road trips. Yet they’ve stayed relevant by embracing Virginia Beach’s evolving coastal culture and diverse tastes.
Classic barbecue techniques meet contemporary flavor expectations here. The setting might feel retro, but the food stays fresh and exciting, appealing to both longtime locals who remember the early days and newcomers discovering this hidden treasure for the first time. Past and present shake hands over smoky, delicious plates.