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Brittany Fowler
2015-08-18T17:24:00Z
Johnny Fugitt's love of barbecue goes far beyond that of your average enthusiast.
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The St. Louis native spent a year dining at365 barbecue restaurants across 48 states.
In his self-published book, "The 100 Best Barbecue Restaurants in America,"he details his journey and homes in on what he believes are the best 'cue joints in the country.
The book ranks the top 25 restaurants and then exploresthe other 75 by region.
Keep scrolling to seeFugitt's ranking of America's 25 best barbecue spots, fromLockhart, Texas, to Piedmont, South Dakota, and beyond.
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25. City Butcher and Barbecue (Springfield, Missouri)
This Texas-style barbecue joint is home to both a restaurant and charcuterie. Three out of four customers orderthe brisket,but Fuggit says City excels in its burnt ends and sausages. Arrive early, though:The restaurant is known for selling out — sometimes before 3 p.m.
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24. Heirloom Market BBQ (Atlanta)
Heirloom fuses American and Korean barbecue for a unique and memorable flavor profile. One of the chef/owners grew up eating barbecue in Southwest Texas and the other used to be a Korean pop star. The restaurant is sandwiched between a highway and an apartment building that made a cameo in"Catch Me If You Can."
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23. Smoque BBQ (Chicago)
Smoque BBQbills itself as a neighborhood place. Fugitt says Smoque, home to some of the Windy City's best Austin-style brisket, is the most recognized barbecue restaurant in Chicago.By combining different barbecue styles from around the country, Smoque serves up a flavor allits own.
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22. J.R.'s Rhodehouse BBQ Pit (Piedmont, South Dakota)
An arson fire set this Texas barbecue spotablaze, forcing the restaurant to temporarily operate as a catering business out of owner J.R.'s home.But don't cross it off your list.If you're looking for a caterer in South Dakota with tasty brisket and mac 'n cheese, you've found it.
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21. Gates Bar-B-Q (Kansas City, Missouri)
This Kansas City stalwart's secret tosuccess is its signatureGates BBQ sauce, which Fugitt describes as"black pepper-heavy [and]tomato-based." Whether you like it orginal, mild, sweet and mild, or extra hot, definitely order an extra side of sauce with your 'cue.
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20. B.T.'s Smokehouse (Sturbridge, Massachusetts)
B.T.'s started as a small-time catering business and grew to a 40-seat restaurant serving dry-rubbed meats smoked for up to 14 hours.Fugitt suggests the Reuben sandwich made with brisket, homemade slaw, Swiss cheese,toasted honey-wheat bread, and house-pickled rye sauce.
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19. The Shaved Duck (St. Louis)
Promising live music Monday through Thursday night and serving a variety of barbecue dishes, The Shaved Duckruns withthe theme "Barbecue, Folk, and Soul." With a smoking technique developed by aKC Royal-winning(think the World Series for barbecue) pitmaster, this restaurant serves Fugitt's favorite burnt ends in the country.
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18. Allen & Son Bar-B-Que (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
Owner Keith Allen opened Allen & Son Bar-B-Que when he was 17 years old. He started the business with a mere $6,000, and ithas been going strong for 44 years.Fugitt's favorite item here is thepork with slaw and hush puppies.
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17. Puckett's Grocery (Franklin, Tennessee)
Puckett's Grocery is a feel-good, Southern-hospitality kind of placewithlivecountry music. On the menu you'll findcherry-wood-smoked barbecue, homemade sides, and some upscale dishes mixed in."I learned how to make ribs when I was growing up in Memphis," owner Andy Marshall says on the restaurant's website. "We use our own special rub. Cooking teams have even won competitions with our ribs."
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16. Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que (Llano, Texas)
Former President George W. Bush declared this his favorite barbecue spot. Meats are served straight off the pit, and diners file inside to choose sides. The signature meal here is a 2-inch-thick, 1-1/2-pound pork chop with a side of bacon-jalapeno mac and cheese, gratis beans, and pecan cobbler topped with ice cream.
To learn more about Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, click here >
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15. Payne's Bar-B-Que (Memphis, Tennessee)
Fugitt describesPayne's as "the holiest of all holes-in-the-wall" beforeraving about its chopped pork sandwich with mustard slaw and "runny sauce." In fact, he says it's his favorite barbecue sandwich in the whole country.The restaurant's interiors aren't glamorous, but itsmix of charred and tender pork pieces are downright gorgeous.
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14. John Russell's Kansas City Barbeque (Overland Park, Kansas)
Owners Russell Muehlberger and Jon Niederbremer were named Grand Champions at1992'sAmerican Royal Invitational— so they know their way around a slab of beef. Fugitt suggests the restaurant's ample John Russell sandwich, which is stuffed withchopped burnt ends and sausage.
To learn more about John Russell's Kansas City Barbeque, click here >
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13. Dreamland Bar-B-Que Ribs (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
Fugitt describes Dreamland as a"bib wearin', sauce slatherin', old-school Southern joint that wouldn't pass a building safety inspection in most cities."As the legend goes, John "Big Daddy" Bishop opened the place after God came to him in a dream and told him to build a restaurant. Dreamland is known for its ribs and homemade sauce.
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12. Bogart's Smokehouse (St. Louis)
Having grown up in Memphis, Tennessee, Bogart's chef Skip Steelelives and breathes barbecue.A blowtorch helps caramelize hisapricot-glazed ribs, while a rotisserie-style Ole Hickory Pits smoker adds flavor to the beans. And in case you're wondering, those are the two things you simplymustorder at Bogart's.
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11. Black's Barbecue (Lockhart, Texas)
Established in 1932, this is the oldest single-family-owned and -operated barbecue restaurant in the state of Texas.Fugitt suggests the post oak-smokedsausages, offered in original, garlic, and jalapeño-cheddar flavors and made with a 90-to-10 ratio of beef to pork.
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10. Double J Smokehouse & Saloon (Memphis, Tennessee)
This Memphis restaurant excels at a St. Louis classic — the pork steak.Fugitt, a St. Louis native, describes the dish as"a transcendent pork experience." Other notable plates include the bourbon-glazed wet ribs and the equally mouthwatering dry ribs.
To learn more about Double J Smokehouse & Saloon, click here >
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9. Central BBQ (Memphis, Tennessee)
The barbecue here is great, but the pulled-pork barbecue nachos are next-level.Central BBQ is so popular and beloved thatthe restaurant and its owners have made appearances on shows such as"Pitmasters," "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," and "BBQ with Bobby Flay." Though he's normally a dry-rib kind of guy,Fugitt praises the wet ribs here.
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8. Skylight Inn BBQ (Ayden, North Carolina)
Locals call this place "Pete Jones' BBQ" after owner Pete Jones, who opened the spot when he was just 17. Hehas served his barbecue to former presidents and earnedan award from the James Beard Foundation. Jones' specialty is whole-hog pork, served with corn bread and slaw.
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7. Franklin Barbecue (Austin, Texas)
Franklin is one of the most notable barbecue restaurants in America — and it has the snaking line to prove it. Customersarrive early in the morning and wait hours for the brisket, ribs, and sandwiches at the restaurant, which is open only for lunch. Pitmaster Aaron Franklin even holds a James Beard award for best chef in the Southwest.
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6. Herman's Ribhouse (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
Herman Tuck opened Herman's in 1964.And though the restaurant has shuffled owners, Tuck's barbecue tradition remains alive and well. The spare ribs are a popular choice here, but "Herman's Famous Garlic Chicken"is also a favorite.
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5. 4 Rivers Smokehouse (Orlando, Florida)
This family-owned smokehouse has quite the backstory. Owner John Rivers fell in love with brisket (and his wife) in Texas, and he ultimately decided to travel around the country to create the perfect brisket recipe. So there's really no question of what to order here.
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4. The Granary 'Cue & Brew (San Antonio, Texas)
The interesting thing about this restaurant is that its lunch service is dedicated to traditional Texas barbecue (served "market-style")andits dinner menu brings more innovativefare. For instance, the dinner menu's beef clod(or beef shoulder) isserved withcoffee quinoa crunch and pickled celery surrounded by a tomato-caramel sauce. Fugitt compares The Granary's cornbread to angel-food cake, which sounds pretty heavenly.
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3. Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que (Kansas City, Kansas)
Formerly known as Oklahoma Joe's, this former gas stationhaswon a slew of awards and honors. Anthony Bourdain named it one of his "13 Places to Eat Before You Die." Try the ribs or one of the sandwiches, specifically theZ-Man sandwich, stuffed with slow-smoked brisket, smoked provolone, and crispy onion rings.
To learn more about Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, click here >
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2. Hometown Bar-B-Que (Brooklyn, New York)
Owner and Pitmaster Billy Durney spent nearly 20 years in celebrity security and private protection before turninghis barbecue hobby into a business. He traveled around the countryto hone his smoky craft and opened Hometown in 2013.The restaurantspecializes in pit-smoked meatsand makes everything (except the locally sourced pickles) in-house. Fugitt suggests the brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, and beans.
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1. Kerlin BBQ (Austin, Texas)
Operating out of a permanently parked trailer, Kerlin is a husband-and-wife operation with someinteresting techniques.AsFugitt notes, most briskets are smoked at between 225 and 250 degrees Fahrenheit for six to 20 hours. Kerlin smokes its brisket at 400 degrees for 12 hours. The result?Athick black crust encasing tender, succulent meat. Therestaurantalso serves free beer.
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