Southern Living this week released their annual list of The South's Top 50 Barbecue Joints and the Charleston area had five restaurants included. The state of South Carolina had eight entries on the list, which was tied with North Carolina for the second most.
Southern Living's Contributing Barbecue Editor Robert Moss traveled all over the South to put all different BBQ joints to the test and hand select the winners on the list. The winners are editor's picks, chosen based on factors like overall experience, setting, food presentation, sauces, and authenticity to the region. Some are repeats from last year's list that have moved up or down on the list, and some are brand new spots that broke into the top 50.
“Barbecue entrepreneurship continues to flourish, and in the past year many of the Top 50 restaurants moved into bigger and grander buildings or added additional locations,” Moss wrote. “More and more, though, ambitious pitmasters are seeking something else to differentiate themselves. They're turning to less common cuts, like beef cheeks and pork steaks, and less common meats, like lamb and fish. Some are even aspiring to stake out a new, more modern style that's unique to their particular region.”
Charleston restaurants on Top 50 List:
- #8. Lewis Barbecue, Charleston,
- #28. Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ, Charleston
- #39 (Tie): Bessinger's Barbeque, Charleston
- #39 (Tie): Melvin’s BBQ, Mt Pleasant
- #42. Home Team BBQ, Charleston, SC
States with the most winners:
- Texas – 14 winners
- North Carolina – 8 winners
- South Carolina – 8 winners
- Tennessee – 5 winners
- Alabama – 3 winners
- Georgia – 3 winners
Cities with multiple winners:
- Lexington, NC
- Memphis, TN
- Charleston, SC
- Kansas City, MO
- Lockhart, TX
You can find the full list of winners here.
