Eater visits Barbecue Bros favorite and newly named Best Restaurant in Atlanta (note, not just best barbecue restaurant).
Bryan Furman first opened B’s Cracklin’ in Savannah Georgia in 2014. Now he’s bringing his fusion barbecue to Atlanta and the locals are going crazy for it.
Sean Evans of Hot Ones fame explores NYC’s barbecue scene
Once mocked for its lack of quality smoked meats, NYC has finally become a serious contender on the national BBQ scene. But does it have the chops to appease two Texas locals? In the hopes of gaining some perspective, Sean Evans enlists the help of Barbara Dunkelman and Burnie Burns—two of the visionaries behind Austin-based production company Rooster Teeth. At Fletcher’s in Brooklyn, chef Matt Fisher is busy combining Southern cooking techniques with international flavors, creating a barbecue style that’s distinctly New York. Will the pork char siu be enough to convert Barbara and Burnie to the church of NYC BBQ? Watch an all new episode of SITW and find out.
– Newsday has a solid list of good barbecue in cities across North Carolina worth a “barbecue pilgrimage”
Although there’s fantastic barbecue found throughout the state, you don’t have to leave the state’s biggest cities for an unforgettable down-home barbecue meal. Instead, loosen your belt at any of these must-visit restaurants for a quintessential North Carolina experience.
– On their list of best Charlotte barbecue restaurants, Charlotte Agenda predictably got some feedback
– ICMYI
Months after releasing our top 50 list, our appetite for smoked meat remains insatiable. It should come as no surprise that this was one of our most read articles this year. https://t.co/r12gWTwSGv
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) December 18, 2017
– Speaking of Texas barbecue…
Texas barbecue legend John Lewis fires up the perfect, beefy brisket to Charleston, South Carolina pic.twitter.com/REWBBexkuQ
— SAVEUR (@SAVEURMAG) December 2, 2017
– Food and Wine explores the Atlanta barbecue scene including some Barbecue Bros faves
– Greenville, NC native Bob Garner began a regular column for the Greenville Daily Reflector on Sunday in which he might occasionally touch on barbecue
I love to listen as people get downright misty-eyed about food. For me, it’s about rural landscape and seasons, community sense, celebration of finished tasks and observing solemn events.
Trying something new: a year-end list for my favorite barbecue meals of the year. I used to do this for music, film, and tv but in recent years that has fallen off. Perhaps this will stoke the coals of my list-making motivation in other areas, but at the very least its worth documenting the hobby which has taken up so much of my (and my poor wife’s) free time for the past 5.5 years. Come to think of it, the timeline of this blog lines up almost perfectly with my drop off in listmaking…
In any case, hope you enjoy. This will conclude our reviews and original content for 2017, but we will be back in 2018.
–Monk
10. Swig & Swine – 4 hogs (review)
The Summerville location of Swig & Swine included a whole hog smoker (whereas their West Ashley location does not have enough space for one), following the popular trend of the past few years. The whole hog was quite good but their brisket and hash and rice wasn’t too bad either, 1990 Old Trolley Rd, Summerville, SC 29485 swigandswinebbq.com
9. Hill’s Lexington Barbecue – 4 hogs (review)
Hill’s claims to be the original “Lexington Barbecue” in name (but definitely not first to serve in that style). They may be a notch below the better places in Lexington, but they are certainly not doing the style any disservice. 4005 Patterson Ave, Winston-Salem, NC 27105
8. Barbee’s Barbecue – 4 hogs (review)
This was truly a surprise for me. I kinda-sorta knew of this place and had passed by it many times , but I had no idea it would be (as I referred to it in my review) “the platonic ideal of the NC roadside barbecue shack”. A must visit, if only to step back in time a bit. Glenn Falls St, Peachland, NC 28133
7. Bill Spoon’s Barbecue – 4 hogs (review)
In 2017, I am happy to say that I rediscovered Bill Spoon’s after a few years away. It’s about as close as we have to a barbecue institution in Charlotte (54 years and counting), and though they are an eastern NC joint and I’m a Lexington-style fanboy, I simply believe that I need to go more often. 5524 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28217 spoonsbarbecue.com
6. Rodney Scott’s BBQ – 4 hogs (review)
While my expectations of the brand new Rodney Scott’s BBQ were sky high, I must say that the whole hog didn’t quite match the perfection of Scott’s BBQ back in Hemingway. Nevertheless, taking it for what it’s worth, we should all be glad that Rodney Scott has made his pork accessible without having to drive in the middle of the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. 1011 King St, Charleston, SC 29403 rodneyscottsbbq.com
5. Bar-B-Q King – 4.5 hogs (review)
Bar-B-Q King is another NC barbecue institution, though I only discovered it in early 2017. They do seem to be a little underrated on the NC barbecue scene despite smoking over wood for the past 46 years. Hopefully this will change. 2613 E Main St, Lincolnton, NC 28092 barbqkingnc.com
4. B’s Cracklin’ Barbeque – 4.5 hogs (review)
B’s Cracklin’ Barbeque was just named best restaurant in Atlanta by Eater (note no “barbecue” modifier), and for good reason. Bryan Furman is another one of the torch bearers of whole hog barbecue, but don’t sleep on his brisket or hash and rice. 2061 Main St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318 bscracklinbbq.com
3. Jon G’s BBQ – 4.5 hogs (review)
It appears that Jon G’s has taken a well-deserved break due to the birth of Garren and his wife Kelly’s first child, but I can’t wait until they are back out there slinging some legit Texas-style brisket out of their recently-purchased food truck. Marshville, NC facebook.com/JonGsBBQ
2. Lewis Barbecue – 4.5 hogs (review)
Unlike Rudy and Speedy, I hadn’t really had a taste of true Central Texas barbecue since I sadly haven’t made it out there since the start of the blog. That recently changed earlier this year because John Lewis (formerly of La Barbecue) brought central Texas to Charleston and I tasted is sublime brisket. All hail the king, apparently. 464 N Nassau St, Charleston, SC 29403 lewisbarbecue.com
1. Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge – 5 hogs (review)
In a year where I did not have a meal at Lexington Barbecue (my ride or die) Red Bridges is going to easily take the #1 spot on this list. Sadly, it had been nearly 4 years since my last visit but rest assured, it won’t be that long before my next. After 70+ years, they’ve still got it. 2000 E Dixon Blvd, Shelby, NC 28152 bridgesbbq.com
Honorable Mentions: The Smoke Pit – Salisbury, NC (review), DAS BBQ – Atlanta, GA (review)