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| Atlanta's Best of Barbecue by Virginia Willis There’s a fantastic story in Southern food expert John T. Edge’s book “Southern Belly: The Ultimate Food Lover’s Companion to the South” that conveys the absolute seriousness of barbecue south of the Mason Dixon line. Edge tells of meeting a lifelong BBQ pit master in rural Tennessee. The pit master told Edge: “You know, I got a call from this place in New York called Virgil’s. They wanted me to come up there to teach them how to do whole hog barbecue – wanted to pay me $10,000. Three months! They must be crazy. You can’t learn how to do this in three months!” Completely unmoved by the large sum of money, the pit master instead was disturbed by the fact that someone would have the audacity to think the art of barbeque could be learned in three months. Barbecue is a solemn and serious business. There is perhaps nothing in the realm of Southern food that stirs deeper emotions. The sight of a perfectly smoked, sauced and seasoned slab of ribs is practically grail-like. It is veritably a religion in the South. Pork or beef? For pork, is it whole hog or shoulder-only? Pulled, chopped or sliced? Each and every porcine sect has firm, fervent believers. (Largely, barbeque in Georgia is traditionally pork. And we eat every bit of the pig but the squeal). True believers really get stirred-up when the subject of pit-cooking is approached. Unfortunately, this method of preparation is found less and less as modern “improvements” are made. As far as sauces go? It’s almost like Baptists and Methodists arguing about sprinkling or submersing for the not-yet-saved. Vinegar, tomato and mustard-based sauces all have their ardent and very vocal supporters. The Atlanta barbecue scene has a little of everything. The variety includes Georgia, Carolina, Texas, Kansas City-style and even Korean barbecue. So regardless of which barbecue joint you choose to break bread, there is something for everyone. When mentioning this article to students, friends and colleagues, they all vehemently proclaimed where to find “The Best” barbecue in Atlanta – and they were most often different from one another and frankly, at odds with some of these listed here. The greater Atlanta area is blessed to be home to over 100 BBQ joints. Here are just a few of the favorites. Anderson's Old-Fashion Bar-B-Q 65 Willis Mill Rd. (Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) Atlanta, GA 30311 (404) 696-8144 Hours open: Wed – Sat Lunch and dinner Accepted payment: No credit cards Lots of napkins set the mood, and it’s hard to beat sticky fingers for fulfillment! Anderson’s is one of the city’s older barbecue joints, serving for over 30 years. Heaping mounds of pulled pork served with soft white bread are legendary. Douse the tender meat with homemade barbecue sauce. Rib tips are tender and smoky. And keep in mind it’s the place to go when you have a hankering for a pig ear sandwich. Southern side dishes include cornbread, field peas, macaroni and cheese, and sweet potato soufflé. Daddy D'z 264 Memorial Dr. SE Atlanta, GA 30312-2139 (404) 222-0206 Hours open: Mon-Fri 11a.m. - 10: 30 p.m. Sat 11:30 a.m. - 1 a.m. Sun 12 p.m - 9: 30 p.m. Accepted payment: Credit cards accepted Recognized by USA Today, Rolling Stone and The New York Times, Daddy D'z on Memorial Drive features excellent ribs and ‘Que wraps - BBQ pork wrapped in bite-sized dough then fried! Further proof that Southerners will indeed fry absolutely anything. Hungry Braves fans stop off on the way to Turner Field to sample this renowned barbecue. Side dishes include green beans, corn on the cob, potato wedges, baked beans and coleslaw – and a heaping helping of live blues on the weekend. Dean's Barbecue 9480 S. Main St. Jonesboro, GA 30236 (770) 471-0138 Hours open: Tues – Sat Lunch and dinner Accepted payment: No credit cards Located on Main Street about a mile south of downtown Jonesboro, Dean's has been in business since 1947 and represents over a half-century of tradition and practice. The pork is smoked over low heat and a wood fire for 15 hours, resulting in barbecue the old-fashioned way. Try the chopped pork mixed with tangy barbecue sauce with a nice vinegar bite and make sure you ask for a little outside meat to really taste the smoky flavor. The smoky sweet Brunswick stew – a simple blend of meat, tomatoes and corn – is a local favorite. Dusty's 1815 Briarcliff Rd. Atlanta, GA 30329 (404) 320-6264 Hours open: Sun -Thurs 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Fri - Sat 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Accepted payment: Credit cards accepted Dusty’s is the city’s principal purveyor of North Carolina-style barbecue. But since it’s near Emory, customers are more likely to be liberal academics than Bible belt brothers of Jesse Helms. Try the chopped pork sandwich with the pungent vinegar and pepper sauce, or if you like fire and brimstone-style condiments, order the "sizzlin’ hot" sauce. Dusty’s offers pulled pork, baby back ribs, barbecue chicken and even pulled beef barbecue. Side dishes include homemade thick potato chips, hush puppies, baked beans, chilled black bean salad and Brunswick stew. Fat Matt's Rib Shack 1811 Piedmont Rd. NE Atlanta, GA 30324 (404) 607-1622 Hours open: Mon - Thur 10:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. Fri - Sat 11:30 a.m. – Midnight Sun 2 - 11:30 p.m. Accepted payment: No checks or credit cards Fat Matt’s has the look and feel of a BBQ joint way outside the perimeter and not smack dab in the middle of midtown Atlanta. The ribs are served country style with a couple of pieces of white loaf bread. They’re moist but not too fatty and wonderfully bittersweet with smoky bits of brown goodness. The chopped pork sandwich is served on a hamburger bun and mixed with thick, tomato-based sauce. The sweet sauce has a nice, gentle heat from a judicious amount of red pepper flakes. The slightly chunky Brunswick stew is sweet and rich with the taste of corn and tomato. Stop by and have a slab of ribs with an ice cold-glass of sweet tea. One Star Barbecue 25 Irby Ave NW Atlanta, GA 30305-1807 (404) 233-7644 Hours open: Thur - Sat 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Sun - Wed 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Accepted payment: Credit Cards accepted Thanks to One Star, formerly known as Rib Ranch, you can get decent barbecue even in Buckhead. One Star offers Texas-style barbecue, and since it’s all about Texas, it’s all about beef. The beef ribs are well smoked and lightly sauced. Side dishes include Brunswick stew, chili and tasty jalapeño cornbread. They also serve barbecue turkey sandwiches! The interesting display of Texas kitsch - license plates, dollar bills, saddles, trophies, good barbeque and an inviting porch make this a tempting place to stop by for a cold brew or meal. Slopes BBQ 10360 Alpharetta Street Roswell, Georgia 30075 (770) 518-7000 Hours open: Mon - Sat Lunch and dinner Accepted payment: Credit cards accepted Slope’s Brunswick stew is a mixture of barbecue pork and chicken cooked with onions, corn and tomatoes. It is a little thin, but the flavor is tasty. The chopped pork sandwich is served dry on a plain hamburger bun with sauce on the side, and you can have it Carolina style if you like with slaw on top. The mild is a sweet blend, and the hot is a peppery brew. They have quite decent ribs – a little fatty but good. Delicious sweet tea washes down easy with side dishes including greens, french fries and potato salad. |
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| from top: Barbecue from One Star. |
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