10 Great Places Around The U.S. To Eat Pig Tails, Which Is The New Pork Belly
First came bacon. Then the belly. But the latest pork product to capture chefs' hearts and minds is, in fact, the last. Pig tails are cropping up on charcuterie boards, bar menus and even entrée lists across the country. From Richard Sandoval's savory take at New York's Raymi to the buffalo-style bar snack by Animal's noted carnivores in LA, America's top kitchens have fallen head over heels for the hindquarter. Here are 10 favorites. Welcome to New Pork City. We think you're going to like it here.
1. New York, NY: Raymi
Richard Sandoval's sleek Peruvian spot in Manhattan's Chelsea district is not afraid to go whole hog. Its weekly "Pigs N Tails" happy hour combines Pisco cocktails with four specialty pork dishes, including ribs, chicaharones, crispy ears and heart-breakingly tender tails in a lime and soy marinade. 43 West 24th St., New York, NY. 212-929-1200
2. Phoenix, AZ: Salty Sow
This swine-centric Austin favorite recently made its debut in Arizona, where chef Harold Marmulstein serves the tails seared and simmered as an elegant entrée over mascarpone-laced polenta and an arugula and prosciutto salad. Because nothing goes better with pork than more pork. 4801 East Cactus Road, Phoenix, AZ. 602-795-9463
3. Los Angeles, CA: Animal
It's no surprise that this trailblazing temple to protein gives pig tails their due. Alongside popular menu items like fried pig ears and curried veal brains, chefs Shook and Dotolo's clever take on the tail includes a buffalo-style glaze plus celery spears and house-made blue cheese sauce for dipping. 435 N. Fairfax Ave., 323-782-9225
4. Waikoloa, HI: The Three Fat Pigs and The Thirsty Wolf
Twenty-four-year-old Food Network Star finalist Ippy Aiona just opened this new addition to Waikoloa Beach's tony Kings' Shops, which is being touted as Hawaii's first gastropub. The bi-level space includes a craft beer–centric bar, The Thirsty Wolf, as well as The Three Pigs restaurant, where Aiona elevates humble pig tails with a pickled watermelon rind and Worcestershire-lemon foam. 250 Waikoloa Beach Drive, #B10, Waikoloa, HI. 808-339-7145
5. Rumson, NJ: David Burke's Fromagerie
David Burke's empire extends to this 40-year-old restaurant an hour outside of Manhattan, where he cut his teeth as a young cook. Now, as owner, Burke's menu couples classics like onion soup with more inventive dishes like a salad featuring pickled pig tails, fava beans and shaved Jerusalem artichokes. 26 Ridge Road, Rumson, NJ. 732-842-8088
6. Philadelphia, PA: Alla Spina
Craving pork, but not sure you're hungry enough for Marc Vetri's $75, whole roasted pig's head? Grab a seat at the bar, one of Alla Spina's stellar craft brews and a round of pig tails, served here as a snack both brined and fried in fennel agrodolce and topped with an elegant dusting of fennel fronds. 1410 Mt. Vernon Street, Philadelphia, PA. 215-600-0017
7. Chicago, IL: The Purple Pig
The Windy City's beloved pork palace on Magnificent Mile serves the tails "a la plancha." They are braised in balsamic until tender, then topped with grated egg and parsley in a delightfully carnivorous version of leeks mimosa. 500 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL. 312-464-1744
8. Orlando, FL: K Restaurant
New York ex-pat Kevin Fonzo's K Restaurant, which garnered a James Beard nod in 2010, serves a plethora of pig tails. The appetizer list includes four preparations, including a riff on Chinese-American takeout favorite General Tso's. The tails can also be requested as part of a special, swine-centric butcher's block also featuring crispy pig ears and pickled tongues. 1710 Edgwater Drive, Orlando, FL. 407-872-2332
9. Cambridge, MA: Craigie on Main
Seasonal scion Tony Maws has been doing right by the tail since 2009, when his crispy pig tail appetizer was named one of Food & Wine's favorite dishes of the year. Available by its lonesome or as part of a three-course tasting menu, Craigie's crispy version is served with pickled peanuts, nuoc cham and cilantro. 853 Main Street, Cambridge, MA. 617-497-5511
10. Austin, TX: Barley Swine
With just four tables, we can't promise you'll get a seat at this rabidly popular East Austin joint from Odd Duck's Bryce Gilmore. But if you do, nab an order of Gilmore's crispy fried pig tails and pickles, and wash it down with one of the great local beers on draft, like Austin's own Live Oak Doppleback. You'll thank us later. 2024 South Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX. 512-394-8150
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