Its time once again forSouthern Livings annual list of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in the South.
Some of the trends I noted while compilinglast years listare even more pronounced in 2023.
It also seems that the Souths brisket fever is finally starting to break.
Credit: Courtesy of Prime BBQ
Some are even aspiring to stake out a new, more modern style thats unique to their particular region.
Thats one reason why, when compiling this years list, Ive tightened the screws on regionality.
That word experience is key.
Credit: Courtesy of Prime BBQ
Setting is a factor, too.
A restaurant doesnt have to beold and classic, nor does it need to be pristinely shiny and new.
Both sorts of places appear on this list.
Credit: Photo: Justin Fox
Ive had plenty such arguments with myself as I struggled to nail down the list.
There are no score sheets or empirical grading systems employed.
(His mothers recipe.)
Credit: Robert Moss
All in all, its a prime setting for some delicious barbecue.
Its a barbecue experience found only in Memphis.
Long lines of hungry barbecue fans quickly formed.
Charlie Vergos Rendezvous.Credit:Charlie Vergos Rendezvous
In 2019, he headed seventy mileseast to Houstonand opened a larger second restaurant in the Heights neighborhood.
Long lines formed there, too.
An array of hearty sides especially the creamy, cheesy tater tot casserolefinish things off with style.
Credit: Ben Sassani Photography
Hurtado brands his style Mexicue, proudly merging the flavors of his Hispanic heritage with classic Texas barbecue.
Firm, smoky ribs are painted with sweet and savory gochujang glaze.
Brisket fried rice delivers heavenly bursts of smoky beef with each bite.
Credit: Robert Moss
Bessingers and Melvins are separately-owned, and which I recommend depends on which side of town youre currently on.
It also has a notable version of the states iconic side dish,hash and rice.
No Charleston barbecue tour is complete with a visit to at least one of the Bessinger establishments.
Credit:Robert Moss
If you spy a pork steak on the specials board, order it.
The big green sign out front reads Bridges Barbecue Lodge in stylish red and yellow neon lights.
An inlaid wood ceiling and turquoise-backed booths set the vibe in the bustling dining room.
Credit:Robert Moss
The offering is classic Piedmont North Carolina, with chopped hickory-smoked pork laced in a warm tomato-laced vinegar sauce.
Those hush puppies are superb, with a tender, sweet crumb beneath a crisp golden brown crust.
Be sure to order one of Mama Bs pimento cheese sandwiches, too.
Hites in West Columbia still operates in that mode.
Grab a bag of skins if you see one (they go fast).
What hasnt changed is the food, which fuses traditional Texas barbecue with bright Mexican flavors.
Courtesy of Blood Brothers.
Each bite sparkles with cilantro, tomatillo, and lime.
Either way youre in for a genuine Midlands South Carolina treat.
How do you eat such a messy package?
Credit:Courtesy of Bessinger’s
Slowly and carefully, savoring each nibble of smoke-kissed rib meat.
Scott isnt resting on his Charleston laurels, either.
Smoked beef cheeks have a splendidly silky texture beneath a pepper-rich bark.
Credit:Jonathan Boncek
Tender barbacoa is chopped into fine juicy shreds and finished with crumbled queso fresco and jalapeno salsa.
Be sure to include a side order of the house-made kimchi.
The laid-back, retro beach vibe is essential, too.
Credit: Courtesy of Peg Leg Porker
It all adds up to an irresistible barbecue oasis just a mile from the Atlantic Ocean.
Equally of note are the restaurants splendid housemade pies.
The meringue-topped coconut cream may well be the best barbecue dessert in all of the South.
Credit: Ernest Servantes
The splendid fries are cut by hand, and Bryants original sauce is unique among Kansas City joints.
Long, curved hushpuppies and tangy red slaw are the classic accompaniments.
Dont skip the peach cobbler, either.
Credit: Randy McNeilly at McNeilly photography
Its the perfect capper to a classic Piedmont North Carolina barbecue experience.
You enter the pit room and step back a half-century or more into a haze of post oak smoke.
In the process, they sparked a Texas craft barbecue revolution.
Credit: Jennifer Hite
The other smoked meats are top-notch, too.
And, yes, there are plenty of delicious hand-made chocolates for dessert.
#14 Archibald’s BBQ
1211 Martin Luther King Jr.
Credit: Courtesy of Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ
Blvd., Northport, AL
(205) 345-6861;archibaldbbq.com
Alabama-style ribs are a category all their own.
One of the foremost practitioners of that style can be found just across the river from Tuscaloosa in Northport.
Archibalds remains a bare-bones operation, though, and those fire-kissed ribs are still the main attraction.
Credit: Peter Frank Edwards
The crowds line up for Cattleacks brisket, which has a superb texture beneath a tangy, peppery bark.
Such mom-and-pop joints once dotted the North Carolina countryside, but Gradys is one of the last few left.
(It wouldnt be a Memphis-style sandwich without slaw.)
Credit:Robert Moss
If you still have room, snag a homemade fried pie for a sweet finish.
#10 B.E.
The heart of the operation, though, is slow-cooking whole hogs over hickory coals on big cinderblock pits.
Credit:Robert Moss
Goldees stands out among a crowded field for one big reason: consistent quality.
Its a side dish borrowed from South Carolina, but with a spicy Texas twist thats all its own.
Then he headed east in 2016 and opened a Texas-style joint in the heart of downtownCharleston.
Credit:Robert Moss
Lewis Barbecue is open seven days a week and doesnt sell out before closing.
Guests dont have to wait for hours in line, either.
The thick-sliced brisket is world-class, with rich marbling and a flawlessly smoky bark.
Credit: Robert Moss
(Or, dip, as the locals call it.)
Just take one bite of barbecue and youll know.
Theres a minimalist purity to the rest of Skylights pig tray, too.
Credit: Patrick McGough
Its as fundamental as North Carolina barbecue gets.
Its the quintessential Pee Dee South Carolina barbecue experience and a must-visit entry on your Southern barbecue bucket list.
The setting is more barebones, too, and thats a virtue.
Credit:Denny Culbert
Just dont plan to visit when the Crimson Tide are playing a home football game.
It gets a tad busy then.
No brisket, ribs, or even chicken can be found on the smoke-blackened menu board.
Credit: Courtesy of LeRoy and Lewis
It was worth every minute, though, for the barbecue experience is like none other in the South.
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Credit:Will Milne/Goldee’s Barbecue
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