Bites Nearby: Pit Stop BBQ and Deli in Livermore

Tim Fagundes, the owner of the Pit Stop BBQ and Deli in Livermore, hit the nail on the head when he told me, "This is nothing fancy, just good food." I couldn't agree with him more. 

This restaurant is tiny and simple in appearance, but the food will keep you coming back. 

Fagundes said that the inspiration for The Pit Stop BBQ and Deli was two-fold. First, being a fourth-generation Livermore native, he was aware that there wasn't a good, homemade barbecue restaurant in town. He also knew of the deli that had been in that area of town for quite some time but had closed and was sorely missed. 

Fagundes' passion for cooking dates back to lessons he learned from his grandmother. After working in Silicon Valley for 25 years, he was ready for a change and the Pit Stop came to fruition four years ago. 

If you are wondering why the deli and BBQ is called Pit Stop it's because Fagundes his daughter, Ashley, share a passion for racing. Ashley has been racing since she was 5-years-old and is a 5 time champion in quarter midgets and has now graduated to a sprint car. 

The Fagundes family said they love for customers to come by for a "pit stop" at their restaurant.

The first thing that is unique about this deli is that it uses Boars Head lunch meat, which is pretty much unheard of on the West Coast, but prominent on the East Coast. Whether it's corned beef, mortadella, turkey, black forest ham, pastrami or hard salami, there is a delicious deli sandwich waiting for you at the Pit Stop. 

But I can honestly say that I would never touch a deli sandwich there. For me, it is all about the barbecue. I always get the ribs. They are tender and tasty. On a recent visit I got a meat barbecue plate with corn bread. I ordered mine with the delicious creamy cole slaw for $10.95. 

My companion got the Sling Shot, which is a tri-tip on a sourdough roll for $7.95. This sandwich comes with au jus that is almost good enough to drink right out of the dish. Am I the only one who has thoughts like this? 

Almost everything this restaurant offers is done on site, from butchering the meat to making the rubs and sauces. 

You can get plates with tri-tip, ribs, hot links or pulled pork that range from $10.95-$16.95. These come with a side of potato salad, cole slaw, chili, pasta or macaroni salad along with corn bread. 

Speaking of corn bread, the Pit Stop version is unbelievable — moist with little bursts of extra flavor in every bite. I just can't keep myself from smearing the huge piece with honey-butter and eating it all. 

Fagundes explained that his cornbread has become a phenomenon that even he can't explain. It is shipped all over the world, including Europe and Asia. 

At the Pit Stop you can get meat a la carte. A full tri-tip or full rack of ribs goes for $21.95. You also can buy a barbecue family dinner with the tri-tip or ribs, two sides, chili and four pieces of cornbread for $32.95-$35.95. On the lighter side, you can find three salad selections for about $7.  Kids' meals at the Pit Stop cost $5.95. 

Pit Stop BBQ and Deli, 4084 East Ave., Livermore. 925-245-9975, Open Tuesday - Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.