The Scene

Memphis BBQ is the great contrarian of American smoke culture. While Kansas City piles on the sauce and Texas refuses it entirely, Memphis offers a choice — and the right answer is dry. The dry rub rib, coated in a paprika-heavy spice blend and smoked over hickory until the bark crackles, is one of the most technically demanding BBQ preparations in the country. Memphis also gave us chopped pork, BBQ spaghetti, and the whole hog tradition that connects it to the Carolinas. The city's BBQ joints are unpretentious, often cash-only, and frequently housed in buildings that look like they've been smoking meat since before you were born.

Must-Order Dishes

Best Neighborhoods for BBQ

Top Restaurants