“The city's most famous pit, and its Memphis-style dry-rub benchmark.”
Mike Emerson's Midtown smokehouse smokes over apple and cherry wood and serves ribs with a lacquered bark and a clean, spice-forward rub. Get there early; when the meat runs out, the doors close.
Know Before You Go
- Price
- Mid-range ($$)
- Don't miss
- Memphis-Style Dry-Rub Ribs, Burnt Ends, and Pulled Pork
What to Order
Why It Stands Out
Since 2008, Pappy's has been the pit that put modern St. Louis barbecue on the national map, its Memphis-style dry-rub ribs have been ranked among the country's best and sell out most afternoons.
Quick Facts
- Address
- 3106 Olive St, St. Louis, MO 63103
- Phone
- (314) 535-4340
- Website
- www.pappyssmokehouse.com/
- Price Range
- $$
Pappy's Smokehouse: Frequently Asked Questions
What should I order at Pappy's Smokehouse?
Regulars point to Memphis-Style Dry-Rub Ribs, Burnt Ends, Pulled Pork, and Sweet Potato Fries.
Is Pappy's Smokehouse expensive?
Pappy's Smokehouse is mid-range ($$).
What kind of barbecue does Pappy's Smokehouse serve?
Pappy's Smokehouse serves St. Louis barbecue. St. Louis barbecue is its own animal, built on the pork steak, the crispy pork snoot, and the St. Louis-cut spare rib, finished with a sweet, sticky, tomato-based sauce. The tradition leans closer to grilling and long backyard smokes than to the all-day pit cooking of Texas, and it carries a deep soul-food lineage on the city's North Side.