Willingham's World Champion BBQ and Grill - Memphis style Rubbed Barbeque Newburgh, Indiana, IN, Warrick, 47630

Willingham's
World Champion BBQ and Grill

8309 Bell Oaks Plaza
Newburgh, Indiana 47630
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Willingham's World Champion Memphis Style Barbecue

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Phone: (812) 853-7427 or (812) 853-RIBS
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for exciting Willingham's fixins.

Hours: Sunday-Thursday: 10:30am - 9pm
Friday and Saturday: 10:30am - 10pm
Serving lunch and dinner daily

Specials and Announcements:

Please check back soon for special offerings!!

Welcome to Willingham's

Willingham's World Champion BBQ and Grill is proud to exclusively feature John Willingham's award winning BBQ prepared in John's patented BBQ turbo cooker. Our quick service restaurant features family dining, carryout, banquet facilities (up to 75 people) and catering.

Indulge your family by selecting from:

Ribs
Pulled Pork
Smoked Dixie Chicken
Grilled Holy Burgers

-OR-

Grilled Chicken Breast
Pulled Chicken
Smoked Turkey
Grilled Steaks
Grilled Porkchops

And complete your meal with:

Sweet-N-Sassy Baked Beans
Potato Salad (3 varieties)
Cole Slaw
French Fries
Onion Rings
Baked potatoes with loads of meaty topping options

Bring the kids and let them select from a menu that includes all their favorites and is very reasonably priced.

Why Willingham's?

For BBQ aficionados, John Willingham's BBQ sauces, rubs, and glazes are simply the BEST IN THE WORLD. His patented cooker is the only one featured in the Smithsonian Institute. Do you have a preference for Memphis-style, or North Carolina-style, or Kansas City-style BBQ? John Willingham has captured the top awards in all of these competitions year after year. Ken and Kim Ellsperman have spent years securing the rights to bring these to the Evansville area, and Willingham's World Champion BBQ and Grill in Newburgh's Bell Oaks Plaza is the only place you can get it! We will exceed all expectations of superior dining!

Fulfilling a Dream

When I was a little boy growing up, my father, the late Bob Ellsperman, would barbecue ribs and other meats at his river camp. I used to stand for hours watching and admiring his work of art. He would labor over the hot coals that were made from burning hickory pieces. Then he would cook the meats real slow over those hot coals until the barbecue meat was exactly the way he wanted. The tenderness, flavor and taste had to be just so-so before he would serve his barbecue. I must say, everyone enjoyed this wonderful treat and always wanted to know when the next time would be to meat and eat.

For the past 15 years I've had a strong desire to open a barbecue restaurant. I owe that to my father for planting that seed.

Once I became serious about opening a barbecue restaurant, I started searching for what I felt would be the best barbecue method that could be used. I read a book written by John Willingham-"World Champion Barbecue." I contacted Mr. Willingham and visited him in Memphis, Tennessee. I immediately fell in love with Willingham's barbeque products and the method of cooking the meats. The method of cooking was totally different than what most barbecue restaurants use today and the end result is a tender, juicy, delicious product. Mr. Willingham has won many cook-offs across the country and included competition of the best of the best. I am very proud to be able to fulfill a dream that was instilled in me by my father at a young age. I am sure he would be very proud of me today. I also want to thank my wife, Kim, and family for standing by me to help make this dream come true.

-Ken Ellsperman

Information We Would Like to Share

The Barbecue Recipes that we use in our restaurant have won a national cook-off contest in Memphis, Tennessee.
Willingham's Barbecue has been recognized on national TV shows.
None of our products are cooked over gas like so many barbecues are today. We use a special designed cooker whereby we smoke the meats directly over the heat generated by smoldering wood that is fed into the cooker and creates a slow burning heat process to produce the tenderness and smoke flavor that permeates all our meats.
We have a private party room available to accommodate up to 75 people for meetings- mornings, afternoons or evenings.
We do catering.
We have carry out service.
You can call your order in and we will have it on the table when you arrive.
(Order must be in by 10 am.)
We have special fund raising programs available.