Located in a quaint roadside shack, The Hen & The Hog in Pompano Beach offers top-quality southern comfort food without the top-quality price.
The restaurant boasts an impressive variety of foods such as flatbreads, sandwiches, platters of smoked meats, pulled pork, and an all-day breakfast menu.
The rustic atmosphere is enhanced by tables made from reclaimed wood and even a long live-edge wooden table. Vintage Edison light bulbs are in every wall sconce and ceiling fixture. Kitschy signs adorn the room, including one that proclaims, “Don’t Go Bacon My Heart.” The servers are all professional, yet friendly, and are quick to offer refills on soft drinks and the best cup of coffee I’ve had here in South Florida.
The majority of the menu is breakfast fare (offered all day) with the remainder taken up by sandwiches, platters, and even a selection of salads. And, unusual for a place with fare like this, a good selection of vegetarian dishes, including plant-based breakfast sausage patties.
The breakfast menu includes categories such as classic egg and meat combos, omelets, as well as bowls (shrimp and grits, fruit salad, and about four varieties of oatmeal), and breakfast sandwiches, all of which offer some unusual variations on the theme. Benedict variations circle the globe with an Irish version (corned beef hash), Rancheros (refried beans), and a Caprese among the offerings.
Pancakes come plain or adorned with dulce de leche, cannoli filling, apple compote, banana nut, strawberry cheesecake, and one called “The Works” which is basically a turtle candy disguised as a pancake. Waffles are just as creative, with the waffle slider BLT capping the prize for the most unusual menu item.
On a recent visit, with our friends Jeff and Eva, I ordered the “Pig’s Pen” and was rewarded with a three-egg omelet stuffed with chunks of ham, bacon, pulled pork, onions, peppers, and cheese. It was served with a choice of oatmeal, grits, or excellent home fries. Oddly enough, it does not come with any sort of bread. I ordered a biscuit, and it was the only disappointing item on the menu. The tiny circle of dough was sad. It looked (and tasted) as if it was pre-packaged and was served cold.
We enjoyed our first foray there so much that later in the week, we stopped by for lunch with our friends Steve and Chuck. The lunch menu is just as vast, with a dozen or so sandwiches, nearly as many burgers, salads, flatbreads, and platters from which to choose. There is also a section with a combo choice of soup or salad with half a sandwich. My friend Steve opted for this, and he was surprised to get a full-sized Reuben sandwich accompanying his velvety sweet potato soup. Chuck elected for my first choice, The Hen and The Hog platter, which combines pulled pork and country off-the-bone ham, accompanied by a choice of two sides. I went with my second choice (and a healthier option), the pecan-crusted chicken salad. The enormous bowl of mixed greens arrived blanketed by a perfectly prepared chicken breast filet crusted with pecans. The house balsamic vinaigrette added just the right piquant note needed to offset the naturally sweet pecans. Pecans were also featured in my husband’s sandwich; a toasted brie and honey combination served on crusty multigrain bread.
We’ll be timing our next visit to check out the dinner menu, which leans heavily on barbecue and smoked meats.
The Hen & the Hog
3003 N Federal, Pompano Beach
954-366-1572
Market Fresh
With the holidays upon us, there’s a focus on preparing our holiday favorites. Nothing improves a dish like fresh-from-the-farm produce. Check out these local farmers’ markets.
Yellow Green
1940 N. 30th Road, Hollywood
9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
Delray Beach Green Market
51 N. Swinton Ave.
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays
Las Olas Oceanside Park Farmers’, Antique and Artisan Market
Las Olas Oceanside Park, 3000 E. Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays.
Facebook.com/oceansideparkmarket
Green Market Pompano Beach
50 W. Atlantic Blvd.
9 a.m.-2 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturday of each month.
PompanoBeachArts.org/programs/green-market-pompano-beach
Plantation Farmers Market
12050 W. Sunrise Blvd.
Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Plantation.org/government/go-green/farmers-market
Tamarac Community Farmers Market
7825 Southgate Blvd.
Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Tamarac.org/231/Special-Events
Rick Karlin is SFGN’s food editor. Visit SFGN.com/Food to read his previous reviews. Have a culinary tip to share? Email Rick at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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