![]() But if there’s something unique and compelling about the physical location, that tends to push a restaurant up a few notches. Both sorts of places appear on this list. A restaurant doesn’t have to be old and classic, nor does it need to be pristinely shiny and new. Sauces count, presentation counts, and so do the side dishes and desserts. When barbecue fans go out to eat, they’re not grading meats in a styrofoam box like judges do in regimented barbecue competitions. For a restaurant to make the cut, its barbecue has to be delicious, but that’s not all that matters. After all, this is a list of the best 50 barbecue joints in the South, not the best barbecue. But if you’re going to specialize in Texas-style brisket in Georgia or Memphis-style ribs in North Carolina, there needs to be something special to make the experience stand out. It’s certainly not required that a restaurant specialize in the style of its particular city or state in order to make the Top 50 (and many of the entrants certainly don’t). That’s one reason why, when compiling this year’s list, I’ve tightened the screws on regionality. Meet The Women Redefining Barbecue In Texas Some are even aspiring to stake out a new, more modern style that’s unique to their particular region. They’re turning to less common cuts, like beef cheeks and pork steaks, and less common meats, like lamb and fish. Yes, many new barbecue restaurateurs, regardless of where in the South they are working, still look to Texas for inspiration, often unabashedly branding their operations “Texas style.” More and more, though, ambitious pitmasters are seeking something else to differentiate themselves. It also seems that the South’s brisket fever is finally starting to break. The result is an array of vibrant new spins on regional barbecue classics and many exciting new dishes to try. Ambitious new players keep entering the market, too, and they’re incorporating more and more flavors from other culinary traditions, including those from their own families. Barbecue entrepreneurship continues to flourish, and in the past year many of the Top 50 restaurants moved into bigger and grander buildings or added additional locations. ![]() Some of the trends I noted while compiling last year’s list are even more pronounced in 2023. Here’s what I’ve concluded after all those thousands of miles and pound after pound of smoked meats: the South has a lot of really, really good barbecue, and it just gets better each year. I spent much of the past year buzzing down Interstate highways and navigating winding back roads as I revisited old favorites and checked out new contenders for the list. It’s time once again for Southern Living’s annual list of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in the South.
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