There are cities that cook barbecue, and there are barbecue cities.
The difference is, the latter will make you produce “meat sweat” after eating a ridiculous amount of ’cue. So which are the Best BBQ Cities in America?
To separate the top sirloin from the chuck roast of barbecue scenes, LawnStarter ranked 199 of the biggest U.S. cities based on 14 hallmarks of a true ’cue hub.
What are the key ingredients of the best BBQ city? Award-winning barbecue restaurants and chefs, experience hosting a “master-level” competition, multiple barbecue festivals, and high fan ratings, among others.
See which barbecue cities smoked the competition in our ranking below, followed by some highlights, lowlights, meaty insights from BBQ experts, and a fun look at BBQ By the Numbers.
Once you’ve learned all about barbecue, you can really light up (your grill) this Fourth of July.
Table of Contents
- City Rankings
- Highlights and Lowlights
- Ask the Experts
- Methodology
- BBQ By the Numbers and Fun Facts
- Red, White, and BBQ
City Rankings
See how each city fared in our ranking:
OVERALL RANK | City | Overall Score | Access | Quality | Events |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kansas City, MO | 60.14 | 83 | 1 | 3 |
2 | Chicago, IL | 46.46 | 32 | 6 | 1 |
3 | Houston, TX | 37.51 | 38 | 5 | 4 |
4 | Cincinnati, OH | 35.88 | 5 | 11 | 5 |
5 | Memphis, TN | 34.08 | 65 | 40 | 1 |
6 | Louisville, KY | 31.47 | 6 | 18 | 10 |
7 | St. Louis, MO | 29.86 | 78 | 2 | 59 |
8 | New York, NY | 29.22 | 16 | 24 | 9 |
9 | Minneapolis, MN | 28.61 | 36 | 3 | 59 |
10 | Overland Park, KS | 27.26 | 137 | 10 | 16 |
11 | Washington, DC | 27.07 | 9 | 52 | 5 |
12 | Richmond, VA | 26.47 | 91 | 4 | 59 |
13 | Denver, CO | 25.33 | 48 | 23 | 16 |
14 | Los Angeles, CA | 25.30 | 1 | 26 | 42 |
15 | Omaha, NE | 25.22 | 196 | 13 | 16 |
16 | Atlanta, GA | 25.08 | 164 | 17 | 11 |
17 | Grand Rapids, MI | 24.64 | 105 | 19 | 16 |
18 | Austin, TX | 23.04 | 11 | 16 | 40 |
19 | Elk Grove, CA | 23.03 | 26 | 46 | 16 |
20 | Raleigh, NC | 22.87 | 87 | 8 | 59 |
21 | Tulsa, OK | 22.63 | 141 | 7 | 59 |
22 | Charlotte, NC | 22.44 | 80 | 36 | 11 |
23 | Buffalo, NY | 22.04 | 22 | 82 | 11 |
24 | Little Rock, AR | 21.73 | 90 | 34 | 16 |
25 | Lubbock, TX | 21.57 | 33 | 12 | 42 |
26 | Nashville, TN | 21.33 | 25 | 14 | 42 |
27 | Philadelphia, PA | 21.02 | 29 | 80 | 16 |
28 | Baltimore, MD | 21.01 | 59 | 59 | 16 |
29 | Dallas, TX | 20.97 | 121 | 9 | 42 |
30 | Indianapolis, IN | 20.92 | 18 | 91 | 16 |
31 | San Francisco, CA | 20.41 | 45 | 131 | 5 |
32 | Lincoln, NE | 19.08 | 175 | 69 | 11 |
33 | Augusta, GA | 18.80 | 72 | 86 | 16 |
34 | Jackson, MS | 18.64 | 53 | 95 | 16 |
35 | Honolulu, HI | 18.60 | 2 | 94 | 59 |
36 | Boston, MA | 18.49 | 157 | 74 | 16 |
37 | Torrance, CA | 18.39 | 3 | 56 | 59 |
38 | Orlando, FL | 18.28 | 37 | 21 | 59 |
39 | Olathe, KS | 18.03 | 103 | 15 | 59 |
40 | Boise, ID | 17.85 | 55 | 108 | 16 |
41 | Oakland, CA | 17.68 | 7 | 41 | 59 |
42 | Greensboro, NC | 17.44 | 81 | 98 | 16 |
43 | Winston-Salem, NC | 16.77 | 173 | 167 | 5 |
44 | Corona, CA | 16.76 | 62 | 144 | 16 |
45 | St. Petersburg, FL | 16.57 | 12 | 39 | 59 |
46 | Birmingham, AL | 16.43 | 114 | 117 | 16 |
47 | Orange, CA | 16.37 | 17 | 38 | 59 |
48 | Glendale, CA | 16.31 | 8 | 53 | 59 |
49 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 16.18 | 10 | 49 | 59 |
50 | Fort Collins, CO | 16.14 | 119 | 127 | 16 |
51 | Springfield, MO | 15.50 | 42 | 28 | 59 |
52 | Des Moines, IA | 15.43 | 182 | 20 | 59 |
53 | Detroit, MI | 15.39 | 145 | 140 | 16 |
54 | Oklahoma City, OK | 15.29 | 144 | 22 | 59 |
55 | Jacksonville, FL | 15.22 | 20 | 53 | 59 |
56 | Long Beach, CA | 15.15 | 41 | 33 | 59 |
57 | Fullerton, CA | 15.12 | 24 | 47 | 59 |
58 | Newark, NJ | 15.09 | 21 | 50 | 59 |
59 | Sacramento, CA | 15.08 | 74 | 27 | 59 |
60 | Aurora, CO | 15.06 | 165 | 142 | 16 |
60 | San Antonio, TX | 15.06 | 101 | 25 | 59 |
62 | McAllen, TX | 15.00 | 49 | 31 | 59 |
63 | Baton Rouge, LA | 14.85 | 19 | 62 | 59 |
64 | Salem, OR | 14.84 | 58 | 29 | 59 |
65 | Columbus, OH | 14.76 | 155 | 175 | 11 |
66 | Enterprise, NV | 14.68 | 54 | 32 | 59 |
67 | Jersey City, NJ | 14.55 | 23 | 76 | 42 |
68 | Huntsville, AL | 14.30 | 123 | 179 | 16 |
69 | Rochester, NY | 14.16 | 84 | 37 | 42 |
70 | Paradise, NV | 14.12 | 4 | 132 | 59 |
71 | Colorado Springs, CO | 14.04 | 153 | 176 | 16 |
72 | Tempe, AZ | 13.95 | 31 | 65 | 59 |
73 | Santa Clarita, CA | 13.86 | 50 | 44 | 59 |
74 | Bridgeport, CT | 13.85 | 115 | 191 | 16 |
75 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 13.74 | 28 | 72 | 59 |
76 | Tallahassee, FL | 13.64 | 14 | 84 | 59 |
77 | Henderson, NV | 13.62 | 143 | 186 | 16 |
78 | Midland, TX | 13.60 | 47 | 57 | 59 |
79 | Salt Lake City, UT | 13.45 | 104 | 42 | 42 |
80 | Durham, NC | 13.32 | 82 | 48 | 42 |
80 | Killeen, TX | 13.32 | 75 | 43 | 59 |
82 | Corpus Christi, TX | 13.18 | 149 | 30 | 59 |
83 | Arlington, VA | 12.96 | 67 | 53 | 59 |
84 | Anaheim, CA | 12.93 | 68 | 50 | 59 |
85 | Fayetteville, NC | 12.82 | 56 | 64 | 59 |
86 | Cleveland, OH | 12.76 | 30 | 81 | 59 |
87 | Seattle, WA | 12.63 | 97 | 45 | 59 |
88 | Norfolk, VA | 12.59 | 111 | 77 | 39 |
89 | Fort Worth, TX | 12.47 | 57 | 67 | 59 |
90 | Savannah, GA | 12.46 | 52 | 73 | 59 |
91 | Providence, RI | 12.43 | 159 | 35 | 59 |
92 | Irvine, CA | 12.15 | 86 | 60 | 59 |
93 | Shreveport, LA | 12.09 | 60 | 75 | 59 |
94 | Arlington, TX | 11.92 | 93 | 61 | 59 |
95 | Pasadena, CA | 11.91 | 46 | 83 | 59 |
96 | Garden Grove, CA | 11.83 | 13 | 121 | 59 |
97 | Las Vegas, NV | 11.71 | 15 | 166 | 40 |
98 | Portland, OR | 11.63 | 44 | 85 | 59 |
99 | Santa Ana, CA | 11.52 | 89 | 71 | 59 |
100 | Pittsburgh, PA | 11.38 | 100 | 68 | 59 |
101 | Laredo, TX | 11.11 | 124 | 66 | 59 |
102 | Reno, NV | 10.97 | 174 | 70 | 42 |
103 | Sunnyvale, CA | 10.73 | 34 | 114 | 59 |
104 | Miami, FL | 10.55 | 76 | 88 | 59 |
105 | Scottsdale, AZ | 10.51 | 191 | 63 | 59 |
106 | Mesa, AZ | 10.49 | 199 | 58 | 59 |
107 | Stockton, CA | 10.29 | 40 | 113 | 59 |
108 | Chattanooga, TN | 10.01 | 43 | 119 | 59 |
109 | Lexington, KY | 9.98 | 88 | 90 | 59 |
110 | Ontario, CA | 9.89 | 39 | 130 | 59 |
111 | Milwaukee, WI | 9.79 | 156 | 78 | 59 |
112 | Chesapeake, VA | 9.60 | 63 | 105 | 59 |
113 | San Jose, CA | 9.50 | 170 | 79 | 59 |
113 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 9.50 | 129 | 87 | 59 |
115 | Dayton, OH | 9.40 | 134 | 89 | 59 |
116 | Mesquite, TX | 9.30 | 35 | 159 | 59 |
117 | Albuquerque, NM | 9.13 | 135 | 92 | 59 |
117 | North Las Vegas, NV | 9.13 | 64 | 128 | 59 |
119 | Irving, TX | 9.11 | 73 | 118 | 59 |
120 | Santa Rosa, CA | 9.04 | 138 | 93 | 59 |
121 | Joliet, IL | 8.84 | 109 | 99 | 59 |
122 | Murfreesboro, TN | 8.83 | 95 | 106 | 59 |
123 | Tampa, FL | 8.79 | 70 | 149 | 42 |
124 | Frisco, TX | 8.75 | 77 | 129 | 59 |
125 | Pomona, CA | 8.73 | 61 | 143 | 59 |
126 | New Orleans, LA | 8.68 | 71 | 152 | 42 |
127 | Cary, NC | 8.62 | 178 | 97 | 42 |
128 | Salinas, CA | 8.59 | 106 | 107 | 59 |
129 | Spring Valley, NV | 8.58 | 69 | 137 | 59 |
130 | Hollywood, FL | 8.42 | 27 | 192 | 59 |
131 | Escondido, CA | 8.39 | 128 | 100 | 59 |
132 | Sioux Falls, SD | 8.31 | 136 | 100 | 59 |
133 | Bellevue, WA | 8.27 | 107 | 125 | 59 |
134 | Naperville, IL | 8.26 | 102 | 148 | 42 |
135 | Metairie, LA | 8.23 | 122 | 115 | 59 |
136 | Oceanside, CA | 8.22 | 139 | 104 | 59 |
136 | Spokane, WA | 8.22 | 126 | 110 | 59 |
138 | Worcester, MA | 8.19 | 160 | 96 | 59 |
139 | Mobile, AL | 8.18 | 79 | 145 | 59 |
140 | McKinney, TX | 8.10 | 118 | 124 | 59 |
141 | Hayward, CA | 8.06 | 92 | 140 | 59 |
142 | Oxnard, CA | 8.04 | 120 | 126 | 59 |
143 | Wichita, KS | 8.02 | 127 | 120 | 59 |
144 | Knoxville, TN | 8.00 | 133 | 116 | 59 |
145 | Alexandria, VA | 7.89 | 168 | 100 | 59 |
145 | Sunrise Manor, NV | 7.89 | 130 | 122 | 59 |
147 | St. Paul, MN | 7.86 | 169 | 100 | 59 |
148 | Syracuse, NY | 7.83 | 66 | 165 | 59 |
149 | Clarksville, TN | 7.82 | 166 | 132 | 42 |
150 | Fremont, CA | 7.81 | 94 | 147 | 59 |
151 | Bakersfield, CA | 7.75 | 113 | 137 | 59 |
152 | Glendale, AZ | 7.65 | 117 | 137 | 59 |
153 | Virginia Beach, VA | 7.53 | 181 | 108 | 59 |
154 | Lancaster, CA | 7.50 | 99 | 150 | 59 |
155 | Plano, TX | 7.49 | 161 | 122 | 59 |
156 | Fresno, CA | 7.47 | 142 | 135 | 59 |
157 | Palmdale, CA | 7.45 | 186 | 110 | 59 |
158 | Tucson, AZ | 7.44 | 140 | 136 | 59 |
159 | Huntington Beach, CA | 7.39 | 147 | 156 | 42 |
160 | Moreno Valley, CA | 7.29 | 51 | 186 | 59 |
160 | San Diego, CA | 7.29 | 192 | 112 | 59 |
162 | Riverside, CA | 7.27 | 96 | 161 | 59 |
163 | Peoria, AZ | 7.16 | 163 | 134 | 59 |
164 | Montgomery, AL | 7.10 | 146 | 146 | 59 |
165 | Miramar, FL | 7.07 | 98 | 167 | 59 |
166 | Grand Prairie, TX | 7.04 | 112 | 161 | 59 |
167 | Eugene, OR | 6.90 | 108 | 167 | 59 |
168 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 6.87 | 110 | 167 | 59 |
169 | Tacoma, WA | 6.62 | 125 | 167 | 59 |
170 | Thornton, CO | 6.56 | 150 | 163 | 59 |
171 | Pasadena, TX | 6.51 | 152 | 157 | 59 |
172 | Brownsville, TX | 6.41 | 85 | 185 | 59 |
172 | Modesto, CA | 6.41 | 116 | 177 | 59 |
174 | San Bernardino, CA | 6.34 | 183 | 150 | 59 |
175 | Phoenix, AZ | 6.30 | 162 | 160 | 59 |
176 | Chandler, AZ | 6.29 | 176 | 153 | 59 |
177 | Chula Vista, CA | 6.26 | 179 | 153 | 59 |
178 | Toledo, OH | 6.24 | 180 | 153 | 59 |
179 | Gilbert, AZ | 6.19 | 172 | 157 | 59 |
180 | Hialeah, FL | 6.01 | 148 | 178 | 59 |
181 | Springfield, MA | 5.85 | 185 | 167 | 59 |
182 | Newport News, VA | 5.80 | 194 | 164 | 59 |
183 | Madison, WI | 5.69 | 184 | 184 | 42 |
184 | Cape Coral, FL | 5.66 | 188 | 174 | 59 |
185 | Fontana, CA | 5.65 | 195 | 167 | 59 |
186 | Paterson, NJ | 5.64 | 151 | 181 | 59 |
187 | Fort Wayne, IN | 5.55 | 158 | 180 | 59 |
188 | Macon, GA | 5.39 | 131 | 193 | 59 |
189 | Yonkers, NY | 5.21 | 171 | 183 | 59 |
190 | Lakewood, CO | 5.14 | 167 | 186 | 59 |
191 | Vancouver, WA | 5.09 | 187 | 181 | 59 |
192 | Rockford, IL | 4.83 | 190 | 186 | 59 |
193 | El Paso, TX | 4.58 | 197 | 190 | 59 |
194 | Garland, TX | 4.49 | 154 | 196 | 59 |
195 | Anchorage, AK | 4.22 | 193 | 194 | 59 |
196 | Columbus, GA | 4.14 | 189 | 195 | 59 |
197 | Amarillo, TX | 3.91 | 132 | 197 | 59 |
198 | Akron, OH | 3.83 | 177 | 198 | 42 |
199 | Aurora, IL | 0.05 | 198 | 199 | 59 |
Highlights and Lowlights
Kansas City: The BBQ Capital of America
Sorry, Memphis. Kansas City tops our list of the Best BBQ Cities. With far more winners in the World Series of Barbecue contests and the second-highest number of national excellence awards, the Heart of America is a powerhouse for quality brisket and burnt ends.
But every leader has an Achilles heel and KC’s ironically is access to BBQ restaurants, finishing at No. 108. Fortunately, iconic names — Gates, Jack Stack, Joe’s KC, and Arthur Bryant — more than make up for the lack of BBQ spots. Quality over quantity appears to be this city’s barbecue philosophy.
Mouthwatering Midwest
Beyond Kansas City, seven more Midwestern cities place in our top 10. Clearly, the Midwest is best for premier steaks, strips, and stacks.
Chicago comes in second by jointly claiming the top spot in the Events category (an honor it shares with No. 5 Memphis, another iconic barbecue city). Seventh-place St. Louis holds the second-highest score in the Quality category, followed closely by Minneapolis, which lands in ninth. Cincinnati is No. 4.
If you’re looking for a foodie vacation, fly to the Midwest and start eating your way across the region. (Barbecue road trips are a real thing. Make sure to bring plenty of Wet-Naps.)
Nibbling in North Carolina
North Carolina makes a mediocre showing despite making up one of the four pillars of American barbecue styles — KC, Memphis, Texas, and Carolina. Raleigh finishes at No. 20, but other Tar Heel cities land farther down the list. (South Carolina has its own related but distinct style, but none of its cities was large enough to be measured in our ranking.)
Why didn’t North Carolina’s signature sauce rank higher? Maybe it’s because North Carolina ’cue culture is spread out in the state rather than concentrated in one area like Kansas City or Memphis. (Texas, too, was a mixed bag in our ranking.)
North Carolina, while not the best ranked, is still a destination for those who prefer a hint of tang and a kick of vinegar. (Just don’t get caught up in the East vs. West debate.)
Ask The Experts
Why is BBQ our favorite grilled, smoked, rubbed, and/or sauced food, much like baseball is America’s favorite pastime? Let’s cue the experts, for answers about our love of barbecue and BBQ cities.
- What makes a true barbecue city for aficionados?
- Which non-iconic BBQ cities, if any, can fans expect to emerge in the national barbecue scene in the next few years? What makes those cities stand out?
- What are some non-traditional barbecue dishes (such as BBQ tacos) that every serious fan must try?
- What are some fresh barbecue side-dish ideas to try this Fourth of July?
- Barbecue vs. barbeque: Apart from spelling, is there a difference?
- Besides visiting the top BBQ cities in the country, what’s the best way to discover one’s favorite style of ’cue?
What makes a true barbecue city for aficionados?
A city that offers fresh and local ingredients to shoppers, providing high-quality meat to customers, as well as high-quality ingredients for side dishes.
Equipment is, of course, just as important, and places where the community can gather. Barbecuing next to a community garden where you can pick some fresh veggies to put on the grill — what can be better?
Which non-iconic BBQ cities, if any, can fans expect to emerge in the national barbecue scene in the next few years? What makes those cities stand out?
The Phoenix metro area offers great variety with fresh and local ingredients putting a spin on things with unique flavor, such as prickly pear.
What are some non-traditional barbecue dishes (such as BBQ tacos) that every serious fan must try?
- Being from Germany, I would go with some German-style brats that will taste delicious if made on a charcoal grill. Simply pair it with a bun and some mustard, or go all out by adding German-style potato salad. You can find original brats at Trader Joe’s or Aldi.
- Wrap small sausages in bacon, and grill them until crisp (if you can find cheese-filled sausages, all the better).
Meatless alternatives:
- Fish packs: Fish of choice (e.g., salmon), add spices or fresh herbs to taste, top it with some butter, wrap in foil, and grill until tender.
- Tofu packs: Same as fish packs but with tofu
What are some fresh barbecue side-dish ideas to try this Fourth of July?
- Veggie packs: Cut up your favorite produce (think bell peppers, tomatoes, squash), add some spices/herbs and butter, wrap in foil, and grill until tender.
- Stuffed mushrooms: Prepare butter spread (mix well soft Irish butter, parsley, garlic, onion, pepper, salt, paprika powder, Worcestershire sauce — all to taste), remove stems from mushrooms and fill with butter, and grill until butter has melted.
- Grilled bread: Make butter spread, get a big loaf of white bread with a nice crust (think oversized baguette), cut the whole bread in slices (cut about two-thirds through, leaving the bottom of the bread intact), slather on the spread in between the slices, wrap in foil, and grill until butter has melted and bread is crisp and toasty.
Barbecue vs. barbeque: Apart from spelling, is there a difference?
As a German native, I would say no.
Besides visiting the top BBQ cities in the country, what’s the best way to discover one’s favorite style of ’cue?
Gather family and friends for a cookout, and enjoy spending time together while indulging in great food.
What makes a true barbecue city for aficionados?
Authenticity and history are key components in identifying a true barbecue city. Aficionados should look for cities and regions that have a history of great pitmasters and family-owned businesses. The best barbeque cities have plenty of independently owned barbeque restaurants.
What are some non-traditional barbecue dishes (such as BBQ tacos) that every serious fan must try?
- Barbeque breakfast hash is a great way to incorporate barbeque into every meal of the day.
- Barbeque tamales are an amazing way to combine smoked meats, masa, and your favorite sauce and cheese.
What are some fresh barbecue side-dish ideas to try this Fourth of July?
Summer vegetable salads pair perfectly with barbeque. It is easy to create salads with just about any type of vegetable or greens, and using a vinaigrette dressing, you can complement the sweet flavors that are associated with many barbeque seasonings and sauces. This is why you traditionally see coleslaw as a staple side with barbeque.
Barbecue vs. barbeque: Apart from spelling, is there a difference?
There is no difference in the cooking techniques for either version of the word “barbeque/ barbecue.” The spelling of the word is more related to the region you live in, similar to debate over “pop or soda.”
There is, however, a difference in how the word is used. Many will use the term “barbeque” as a gathering of friends for a meal that consists of various grilled items, whereas the verb meaning of “barbeque” relates to the actual cooking process of foods.
Many people use “grilling” and “barbequing” interchangeably, but that is incorrect — grilling is a fast cooking technique that uses more direct heat, and barbequing uses slow and low indirect cooking.
Besides visiting the top BBQ cities in the country, what’s the best way to discover one’s favorite style of ’cue?
A great way to discover your favorite style of barbeque without traveling is to cook barbeque yourself! Smokers are easily accessible now, and the internet is full of recipes to guide you on your barbeque adventure.
Try cooking with different woods, cuts of meats, marinades, rubs, and sauces to determine what works best for your palate. Many of the best barbeque restaurants started off with someone creating a great barbecue item at home and then turning it into a business.
What makes a true barbecue city for aficionados?
A true barbecue city has a respect for the traditions. BBQ is an old and honorable art. Serious BBQ people want pitmasters who understand what it takes to make the classics correctly; pitmasters who are willing to spend the time to do it right — there is no “hurry up” shortcut to great BBQ.
A city also needs a critical mass of people who love BBQ. I’ve seen some great barbecue joints close because the locals didn’t support it with their wallets.
Which non-iconic BBQ cities, if any, can fans expect to emerge in the national barbecue scene in the next few years? What makes those cities stand out?
It is really more regions that are coming on than individual towns. BBQ has always been associated with the South in general, the Carolinas and Texas, and few great cities like Memphis and Kansas City.
But great BBQ can be had in a lot of places now. Some great BBQ is coming out of the Midwest. Oklahoma has always had a great BBQ tradition that is just now getting recognized. The whole belt across southern Kansas, southern Missouri, northern Oklahoma, and northern Arkansas is growing great BBQ traditions.
What are some non-traditional barbecue dishes (such as BBQ tacos) that every serious fan must try?
While the classics are hard to beat, there are a few outliers to try:
- If a place has a bologna sandwich on the menu, try it. There is some great BBQ bologna in Oklahoma.
- BBQ corned beef can be really good.
- I wish there was more BBQ lamb. The place I miss the most is the late, lamented Prospect BBQ in Kansas City. They had BBQ lamb shanks and lamb riblets that I still dream about.
What are some fresh barbecue side-dish ideas to try this Fourth of July?
- Anything with dark leafy greens like collards: They pair perfectly with the smoke of real BBQ.
- Try some really sweet watermelon with feta cheese crumbles. You can never go wrong with sweet and salty.
- Hawaiian-style mac salad is always great with ribs.
Barbecue vs. barbeque: Apart from spelling, is there a difference?
It’s not the spelling; it’s the process. A steak on the grill is a treat, but it’s not BBQ. Low and slow wins the race.
Besides visiting the top BBQ cities in the country, what’s the best way to discover one’s favorite style of ’cue?
One thing the pandemic did was blow food delivery wide open. You can order BBQ from nearly anywhere. You can enjoy most of the great BBQ styles of America from the comfort of your own patio.
Methodology
We ranked 199 of the largest U.S. cities from best (No. 1) to worst (No. 199) based on their overall scores (out of 100 possible points), averaged across the weighted metrics below.
NBBQA and KCBS competition data for suburbs were included with the main city in their metro area if those suburbs were not large enough to be included in our sample.
Metric Name | Weighting | Min. Value | Max. Value | Best |
---|---|---|---|---|
Access | ||||
BBQ Restaurants per 100,000 Residents | 2 | 0.67 | 33.24 | Max. Value |
Number of Top-Rated BBQ Restaurants (Avg. Rating: Over 4.5/5 Stars) | 3 | 0 | 14 | Max. Value |
Smokehouses per 100,000 Residents | 1 | 0 | 1.57 | Max. Value |
Number of Top-Rated Smokehouses (Avg. Rating: Over 4.5/5 Stars) | 2 | 0 | 2 | Max. Value |
Quality | ||||
Number of NBBQA Excellence Award Winners (Sauce, Rub, and/or Food Categories) in Past 5 Years | 4 | 0 | 13 | Max. Value |
Number of Cooking Teams Ranking in Top 25% of Past 3 American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational Contests | 4 | 0 | 5 | Max. Value |
Number of Cooking Teams Ranking in Top 26-50% of Past 3 American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational Contests | 3 | 0 | 11 | Max. Value |
Number of Cooking Teams Ranking in Top 25% of Past 3 American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Contests | 3 | 0 | 28 | Max. Value |
Number of Cooking Teams Ranking in Top 26-50% of Past 3 American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Contests | 2 | 0 | 49 | Max. Value |
Median Consumer Rating for BBQ Restaurants | 3 | 0 | 4.4 | Max. Value |
Median Consumer Rating for Smokehouses | 2 | 0 | 5 | Max. Value |
Events | ||||
Hosts KCBS-Sanctioned National/Global Barbecue Competition (1 = Yes, 0 = No) | 4 | 0 | 1 | Max. Value |
Hosted KCBS-Sanctioned Masters Series BBQ Competition(s) in Past 3 Years (1 = Yes, 0 = No) | 3 | 0 | 1 | Max. Value |
Number of BBQ Festivals | 1 | 0 | 4 | Max. Value |
Sources: American Royal Association, Everfest, Kansas City Barbeque Society, National Barbecue and Grilling Association, and Yelp
BBQ By the Numbers and Fun Facts
More BBQ Fun Facts
- Grilling ≠ Barbecuing: Grilling requires direct heat from a flame, while barbecuing draws heat from circulating air.
- Baby Got Back: Baby-back ribs don’t come from baby pigs. They’re just shorter than spare ribs.
- Follow the BBQ Trail: North Carolina’s barbecue trail leads hungry visitors to the top ’cue across the state.
- In a Word: “Barbecue” comes from barbacoa, meaning “a framework for supporting meat over a fire.”
- There’s an App for That: You can buy a meat thermometer that lets you monitor your ’cue remotely via smartphone.
- You’ve Got Meatmail: Can’t find local barbecue that tastes like home? Many BBQ restaurants now offer overnight air delivery.
- Secret’s in the Sauce: States have perfected their own unique flavors. In North Carolina, it’s vinegar. In Alabama, it’s a mayo-based white sauce. South Carolina boasts a yellow-colored mustard sauce.
Infographic sources: Foodways in Focus, Guinness World Records, Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Kansas City Barbecue Society, National Today, Slate, and Statista
Research by: Sarah Bahr
Red, White, and BBQ
Barbecue is one of America’s most sacred culinary traditions — so renowned that chefs from all over the globe make pilgrimages to our pitmasters to share their tasty creations and ideas.
How serious is our love of ’cue? In our No. 1 BBQ city, you can sample burnt ends-flavored ice cream at local Betty Rae’s.
It’s clear Americans love tasty, messy, meaty barbecue off the grill, out of the smoker, and maybe even as a creamy concoction.
Wherever you celebrate barbecue this Fourth of July — in your backyard or at family cookouts, block parties, and festivals — savor that mouth-watering barbecue and a return to near normalcy after a year of being holed up inside.
We need some BBQ this year — fast. Save some room and have plenty of napkins nearby (or a bib).
Main Photo Credit: www.shutterstock.com