The moment you pull into the parking lot of Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano, your senses are hijacked by an intoxicating cloud of oak smoke that triggers an almost Pavlovian response.
This unassuming spot, tucked away in Orange County’s historic mission town, has barbecue enthusiasts making pilgrimages from as far as San Francisco and San Diego for what might be the most transcendent pulled pork experience west of the Mississippi.
Don’t let the modest exterior fool you.
Behind that simple stucco façade and terracotta roof lies a temple of smoke and fire where barbecue magic happens daily…