MARION, Ohio (WCMH) — Ray Ray’s Hog Pit, a fleet of barbecue eateries featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” is expanding with their first full-service restaurant in central Ohio.

Named “Ray Ray’s Ohio Style,” the new brick-and-mortar location is opening inside a historic building at 138 S. Main St. in Marion. While Ray Ray’s is known for food trucks and walk-up eateries, the Marion restaurant will mark the brand’s first foray into full-service dining.

Ray Ray’s site boasts the upcoming restaurant as a “brand new concept” with an expanded menu, including beef brisket, pulled pork and rib entrees with two sides, like baked beans and mac and cheese. Sandwiches and burgers with pub fries, wings, salads, appetizers and dessert round out the offerings.

The barbecue fleet is currently home to six central Ohio eateries, like the food truck parked outside Aardvark Wine & Beer in Linworth. The brand also operates a food truck at Ace of Cups in Clintonville, a walk-up window at Land-Grant Brewing in Franklinton, a drive-thru in Westerville, and a casual dine-in and pick-up location in Granville.

Ray Ray’s Reload, one of the brand’s renovated food trucks, was parked outside The Bottle Shop in Victorian Village for most of 2024 before moving in November to Hoof Hearted Brewery in the Short North.

Chef and Ray Ray’s owner James Anderson was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” in 2017, praised for his “succulent smoked offerings” at the “one-of-a-kind” barbecue truck. During the episode, Guy Fieri tried Ray Ray’s Mangalitsa Brat Burger and St. Louis Spare Ribs.

While the brand has yet to announce an opening date for the Marion restaurant, the location is now hiring.