
Which U.S. cities are cooking up the best BBQ scenes?
To find out, LawnStarter looked at 13 metrics across nearly 500 of the biggest U.S. cities to rank 2025’s Best BBQ Cities in America.
Update your barbecue bucket list with help from our ranking and local tips below. To learn how we ranked the cities, see our methodology.
Contents
- Top 5 BBQ Cities in America
- City Rankings
- Key Insights
- Meaty Mentions
- Ask the Experts
- BBQ By the Numbers and Fun Facts
- Behind the Ranking
- Cue an Outdoor Kitchen Upgrade
Top 5 BBQ Cities in America
Check out the slideshow below for highlights on each of our top 5 BBQ cities.
BBQ City Rankings
See how each city fared in our ranking:
Key Insights
Reigning BBQ cities like Kansas City, Missouri (No. 1), Houston (No. 3), St. Louis (No. 4), and Austin, Texas (No. 5), sear the top of our list, alongside unexpected standout, Los Angeles (No. 2).
Los Angeles cooks up the best access to BBQ establishments and the 2nd highest number of top-rated BBQ spots, behind Austin. To some, it might seem like BBQ is suddenly trending in LA. However, the tradition has a rich history in the region, influenced by access to cattle and a fusion of multiple culinary cultures.
Regional Standouts
- North Carolina offers two different takes on a vinegar-style sauce. Charlotte (No. 54), Asheville (No. 59), and Raleigh (No. 61) offer the best access to North Carolina ‘cue.
- Their neighbor, South Carolina, offers a mustard-based sauce, with Charleston (No. 53) and Columbia (No. 72) standing out in the top 100.
- Fans of Alabama-style white sauce BBQ can get their fix in Birmingham (No. 71), Mobile (No. 85), and Huntsville (No. 87).
Meaty Mentions
Of the 50 most populous U.S. cities, the following claim among the best average consumer ratings across all BBQ establishments:
- Portland, Oregon (No. 16) | 4.3 stars
- Wichita, Kansas (No. 35) | 4.3 stars
- Fresno, California (No. 84) | 4.3 stars
- Austin, Texas (No. 5) | 4.2 stars
- Nashville, Tennessee (No. 9) | 4.2 stars
- Los Angeles (No. 2) | 4.2 stars
- Miami (No. 29) | 4.2 stars
- Tulsa, Oklahoma (No. 48) | 4.2 stars
Offbeat Cities With BBQ Hot Spots
- Duluth, Minnesota (No. 37) | OMC Smokehouse
- Des Moines, Iowa (No. 38) | Smokey D’s BBQ
- Rapid City, South Dakota (No. 45) | J.R.’s Rhodehouse BBQ Pit | Holy Sm(oaks) Craft BBQ
- Syracuse, New York (No. 46) | Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
- Homestead, Florida (No. 56) | Shiver’s BBQ
- Fort Myers, Florida (No. 66) | JonesEZ BBQ | Big Nick’s Barbecue
- Rochester, New York (No. 75) | Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
- Fresno, California (No. 84) | Westwoods BBQ & Spice Co. | MEGA Texas Barbeque (earned a Texas Monthly shoutout)
- Missoula, Montana (No. 88): The Notorious P.I.G.
Metric Highlights
Ask the Experts
We turned to a panel of culinary experts and BBQ masters to learn more about the art of smoking meat. Chew through their insights below.
- 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.
BBQ By the Numbers and Fun Facts

Infographic by: Juan Rodriguez
More 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.
Research by: Sarah Bahr
Methodology
First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the Best BBQ Cities in America. We then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance and grouped those factors into 4 categories: Consumer Satisfaction, Access, Competition Awards, and Elite BBQ Memberships. The categories, factors, and their weights are listed in the table below.
For each of the 500 biggest U.S. cities, we then gathered data on each factor from the sources listed below the table. We eliminated 24 cities lacking sufficient data in a single category, resulting in a final sample size of 476 cities.
Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each city to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A city’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Best” (No. 1) and the lowest “Worst” (No. 476).
Notes:
The “Number of BBQ Establishments” and “Number of Top-Rated BBQ Establishments” includes both BBQ vendors and smokehouses.
The “Worst” among individual factors may not be No. 476 due to ties.
Sources: American Royal, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Jack Daniel’s, Kansas City Barbeque Society, The Lynchburg Times, Memphis in May, National Barbecue & Grilling Association, TripAdvisor, and Yelp
Cue an Outdoor Kitchen Upgrade
Show your smoker some special treatment and sauce up your outdoor space with some upgrades to accommodate your BBQ obsession.
- Design the perfect outdoor kitchen for prepping the meat and whipping up drool-worthy sides.
- Design a unique patio space with outdoor tile and edible landscaping.
- Put up some landscape lighting around your outdoor cooking space.
- Install an outdoor fireplace to cozy up to during chilly BBQ-prepping mornings.
- Create a barbecue-inspired DIY kitchen cart.
- Learn how to protect your lawn during outdoor events to avoid grass damage.
Hire a local LawnStarter crew to get your lawn and landscape ready for entertaining while you perfect your meat smoking techniques ahead of July 4th.
Media Resources
Quotes From LawnStarter Editor-In-Chief Jeff Herman
- Texas represents with 9 cities in the top 100. Locals know some of the best Texas BBQ is also found in the quaint towns a short drive from the city — like Snow’s BBQ — where folks travel from across the country (and world) to wait in line sometimes for hours for a tray full of meat.
- Georgia cities Atlanta (No. 23) and Savannah (No. 26) land among the top 50 with great access to top-rated (4.5+ star) barbecue spots.
- In a world where iconic BBQ can be shipped right to your door, BBQ competitions offer the most ephemeral tasting experience. The following cities are where a neighbor’s BBQ game might blow your socks off:
- Kansas City, Missouri (No. 1), ranks with the most National Barbecue & Grilling Association (NBBQA) Award-Winning Cooking Teams in past 5 years, the most top cooking teams in the past 3 World Series of Barbecue Open Contests, and ties for No. 1 in top cooking teams at the past 3 World Series of Barbecue Invitational Contests.
- Houston (No. 3) may have a home advantage with the highest number of top cooking teams at the past 3 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contests and No. 2 in Memphis in May World Championship winners over the past 3 years.
- Minneapolis (No. 27) ties for the most top-scoring cooking teams in the past 3 World Series of Barbecue Invitational Contests.
- Lee’s Summit, Missouri (No. 31), ties for 1st for the most top-rated teams at the past 3 World Series of Barbecue Invitational Contests.
- Scottsdale, Arizona (No. 38), claims the 2nd-most NBBQA Award-Winning Cooking Teams in the past 5 years.
- High-resolution image of infographic
- High-resolution images of cities
- 2024’s Best BBQ Cities in America ranking results
- 2023’s Best BBQ Cities in America ranking results
- 2022’s Best BBQ Cities in America ranking results
- 2021’s Best BBQ Cities in America ranking results
Main Photo Credit: Luis Santoyo / Unsplash / Unsplash License
