Chefs’ Recs, Recommendations, BBQ, Bar-B-Que, Barbecue, Where to eat BBQ, South, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, Brooklyn, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Michigan, Chris Lilly, Harold Dieterle, Rodney Scott, King Phojanakong, The Lee Bros, The Lee Brothers, James McDuffee, Sean Brock, Allan Benton, Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams, Zak Pelaccio, Rene Ortiz
Dinosaur
Recommended By:
- Pitmaster Rodney Scott (Scott’s Bar-B-Que, SC)
“Love Dinosaur, the atmosphere, the sauce, it is real, real good.”
Harlem
700 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027
T: 212.694.1777
Northeast
- New York
B & C Barbecue
Recommended By:
- Chef King Phojanakong (Kuma Inn, Umi Nom, NYC)
“Where else can you pick up a few antiques in the front and have some amazing BBQ in the back? Had a great meal with family and friends.”
Wichita
355 North Washington Street, Wichita, KS 67202
T: 316.263.8815
Note: Only open Mon-Sat: 11 am - 2 pm
Smokin' BBQ Places Chefs Love
May 24, 2011
Barbecue - it’s a noun, a verb and in many parts of the country, a very serious religion.
We rounded up a list of 20 smokin’ barbecue joints, some so off the beaten track, you’ll need to fire up the GPS to find them, others just a taxi or subway card will get you there. All of the recommendations come from chefs, pit masters, pickle makers and two of the best known ambassadors for Southern cooking, The Lee Bros.
Fette Sau
Recommended By:
- Chef James McDuffee (Joseph Leonard, NYC)
“For pork BBQ, tasty!”
Williamsburg / Brooklyn
354 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211
T: 718.963.3404
17th Street Barbecue
Recommended By:
- Pitmaster Chris Lilly (Big Bob Gibson, AL)
- Pitmaster Rodney Scott (Scott’s Bar-B-Que, SC)
“Mike Mills’ classic BBQ style has been an inspiration. The dry rub he uses on his ribs was the inspiration for me to develop my own rub and seasoning blend.” - Pit Master Chris Lilly
“With Mike Mills, there is nothing else to talk about except ‘how are you? Where are the ribs?” - Pit Master Rodney Scott
Murphysboro
17th Street, Murphysboro, IL 62966
T: 618.684.3722
Big Bob Gibson
Recommended By:
- The winner of the 2011 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Contest, pitmaster Chris Lilly, recommends his own restaurant.
“Order the whole chicken with the white barbecue sauce.”
Decatur
(1) 1715 6th Avenue, SE, Decatur, AL 35601
T: 256.350.6969
(2) 2520 Danville Road, SW, Decatur, AL 35603
T: 256.350.0404
Slow’s BBQ
Recommended By:
- Bob and Joe McClure (McClure’s Pickles)
“Worth the 2 hour wait in line for a seat.”
Corktown
2138 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48216
T: 313.962.9828
Northeast / New York - NYC
Midwest / Great Lakes - Illinois
Poole’s Bar-B-Q
Recommended By:
- Chef Harold Dieterle (Kin Shop & Perilla, NYC)
“Probably the best barbecue I’ve ever eaten. You pay like $5 or $10 and you get a pig and you write your name on the pig. So there is a huge mound outside of the restaurant with different people’s pigs. Not live pigs! Something you push into the ground like a stand.”
East Ellijay
164 Craig Street, East Ellijay, GA 30540
T: 706.635.4100
Moonlight Bar-B-Q Inn
Recommended By:
- The Lee Bros. (Cookbook Authors)
“For Kentucky burgoo and mutton barbecue.”
Owensboro
2840 West Parrish Avenue, Owensboro, KY 42301
T: 800.322.8989 / 270.684.8143
Northeast / New York - NYC
Midwest / Great Lakes - Kansas
Midwest / Great Lakes - Michigan
South - Alabama
South - Georgia
South - Kentucky
The Shed Barbeque
Recommended By:
- Pitmaster Chris Lilly (Big Bob Gibson, AL)
“If I’m going through Southern Mississippi, I would hit The Shed. They have a spicy orange sauce that they put on their chicken that I really like.”
Ocean Springs
7501 Hwy 57,Ocean Springs, MS 39565
T: 228.875.9590
South - Mississippi
Lexington Barbecue
Recommended By:
- Pitmaster Chris Lilly (Big Bob Gibson, AL)
“Order either the pulled pork or the whole hog and you want to pay close attention to the different styles of sauces that they use - like the traditional North Carolina sauce.”
Lexington
10 US Hwy 29 70 South, Lexington, NC 27295
T: 336.249.9814
South - North Carolina
Blackjack BBQ
Recommended By:
- Pitmaster Rodney Scott (Scott’s Bar-B-Que, SC)
“I like the sweetness in his sauce.”
Charleston
1750 Signal Point Road, Charleston, SC 29412
T: 843.762.9200
South - South Carolina
Po Pigs Bo-B-Q
Recommended By:
- The Lee Bros. (Cookbook Authors)
“It's attached to the only gas station on the main road (Hwy 174). Open Wednesday thru Saturday. Bobo grew up in Orangeburg, SC and has all the classics on the line there, pork barbecue, fried chicken, amazing veggie (but not vegetarian) dishes. Beer and iced tea.”
Edisto Island
2410 Route 174, Edisto Island, SC 29438
T: 843.869.9003
South - South Carolina
Dead End BBQ
Recommended By:
- Pitmaster Chris Lilly (Big Bob Gibson, AL)
“They’ve got great pulled pork and barbecue nachos that are out of this world.”
Knoxville
3621 Sutherland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37919
T: 865.212.5655
South - Tennessee
The Germantown Commissary
Recommended By:
- Pitmaster Chris Lilly (Big Bob Gibson, AL)
“They do very simply smoked food, but it’s always cooked to perfection. Get any of their smoked meats, the ribs or chicken would be great there.”
Memphis
2290 Germantown Road, Germantown, TN 38138
T: 901.754.5540
South - Tennessee
Ridgewood Barbecue
Recommended By:
- Allan Benton (Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams)
“Fabulous barbecue. It’s between Bristol and Johnson City. They have a cult following and it’s always busy. Some of the waitresses who work there are stereotypes, these gals have been there, some of them for 40 years, and look like they’ve eaten that stuff way too many times!”
Bluff City
900 Elizabethtown Highway, Bluff City, TN 37620
T: 423.538.7543
South - Tennessee
Salt Lick Bar-B-Que
Recommended By:
- Pitmaster Chris Lilly (Big Bob Gibson, AL)
“For beef brisket.”
Austin
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
3600 Presidential Blvd, Austin, TX 78719
Driftwood
18300 FM 1826, Driftwood, TX 78619
T: 512.858.4959
Round Rock
3350 East Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock, TX 78665
T: 512.386.1044
South - Texas
Sam’s BBQ
Recommended By:
- Chef Zak Pelaccio (Fatty ‘Cue, Fatty Crab, NY)
“For mutton… best tasting fat there is.”
East Austin
2000 E 12th Street, Austin, TX 78702
T: 512.478.0378
South - Texas
Snow’s BBQ
Recommended By:
- Chef Rene Ortiz (La Condesa, TX)
“For brisket.”
East Austin
516 Main Street, Lexington, TX 78947
T: 979.773.4640
South - Texas
Kreuz Market
Recommended By:
- The Lee Bros. (Cookbook Authors)
- Pit Master Chris Lilly (Big Bob Gibson, AL)
“Get their jalapeno sausage.” - Pit Master Chris Lilly (Big Bob Gibson’s, AL)
“For Texas-Style BBQ.” - Cookbook authors The Lee Bros.
Lockhart
619 N. Colorado Street, Lockhart, TX 78644
T: 512.398.2361
South - Texas
Scott’s Bar-B-Que
Recommended By:
- Chef Sean Brock (Husk, McCrady’s, SC)
“Hands down my most favorite place to eat in the entire world and obviously the South. This shit will blow your mind. I’m so jealous of what he does. He is a force to be reckoned with.”
Hemingway
2734 Hemingway Highway, Hemingway, SC 29554
T: 843.558.0134
South - South Carolina
