That unmistakable aroma of hickory smoke wafting through the air along Route 60 in Williamsburg signals you’ve arrived at Pierce’s Pitt Bar-B-Que, where Virginia’s barbecue dreams come true.

Virginia has its share of culinary treasures, but Pierce’s Pitt Bar-B-Que stands in a smoky category all its own, having transformed from humble roadside stand to barbecue institution over the past ...