Boston BBQ, Born and Bred: David Wade’s Quest to Rebuild Community in Union Square

Pitmaster David Wade is blending family tradition and Boston pride in a new chapter for his beloved barbecue joint.
Boston BBQ, Born and Bred: David Wade's Quest to Rebuild Community in Union Square
Photo: Courtesy of Wade BBQ on Facebook

David Wade wouldn’t call barbecue his birthright, but his customers just might.

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The Boston-born pitmaster has been slinging smoked brisket and pulled pork since childhood, and to him, there’s nothing particularly special about it—it’s simply in his blood.

“I had someone ask me, ‘What would you be doing if you weren’t doing barbecue?’ I told them, I’d be doing barbecue,” Wade says. “Because honestly, I grew up on this.”

For Wade, barbecue is more than a business; it’s a family legacy. “My father, his father, and my mother’s father—it’s our thing,” he explains. “It’s like in the old days; if you were a blacksmith or a farmer, your children were too. For us, it’s barbecue.”

At his now-closed startup, Wade BBQ, located at 5 Sanborn Court in Somerville’s Union Square, Wade introduced the local community to his take on Boston-style barbecue. He’s seen people from all walks of life—Southerners longing for a taste of home and locals alike—come together over his food. And while he appreciates Southern barbecue traditions, his approach is uniquely his own, shaped by his Boston roots.

“I was born and raised in Boston—Dorchester… That’s where this barbecue was born,” he says. “When I decided to go into this business, I was committed to the idea of not being somebody that I’m not. The barbecue I make is not from Tennessee, Texas, or any other point south. It’s truly our own. Everyone who comes through gets to feel a bit of Boston pride, just like with the Patriots, the Bruins, or the Celtics.”

Despite the location’s popularity, the restaurant was forced to shut down in April due to smoke ventilation issues in the building. Since then, Wade has been searching for a new space and is determined to stay in Union Square. He may have found a promising location, but with no lease signed yet, he’s keeping details under wraps.

The new spot will be a step up from his old takeout-only setup, offering both dine-in and takeout options, along with beer and wine. “After my unfortunate departure from my last space, I knew wherever I went next, I had to have those two things,” he says.

To help bring this new venture to life, Wade has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover the build-out and start-up costs. He’s hopeful, not just for himself, but for the community that has supported him from the beginning.

“This is truly ours, and it’s delicious. And the best part about what I do is that barbecue creates and reinforces a community.”

Cat Broughton

Cat Broughton

Cat Broughton is a creative lifestyle writer with a passion for exploring the art of storytelling. She graduated from the University of Memphis with a BA in English, where she honed her skills in crafting compelling narratives. When she's not putting pen to paper, you can usually find her perfecting her downward dog, eating vegan food, and sporting platform sandals, though usually not at the same time.
Cat Broughton

Cat Broughton

Cat Broughton is a creative lifestyle writer with a passion for exploring the art of storytelling. She graduated from the University of Memphis with a BA in English, where she honed her skills in crafting compelling narratives. When she's not putting pen to paper, you can usually find her perfecting her downward dog, eating vegan food, and sporting platform sandals, though usually not at the same time.
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