The Best Barbecue in Each Southern State by the Readers of Southern Living

Every year, Southern Living readers vote on the best barbecue place in each Southern state. Here are the just-released 2024 selections. Note that though the article is by Robert Moss, this list is distinct from Robert Moss’s magisterial Best Barbecue in the South list, which is based both on having actually eaten at the places, and on Robert’s keen knowledge of barbecue. The readers’ list is always interesting, however, and usually includes at least one truly bad selection, as well as flashes of brilliance.

This year is no exception. The truly bad selection was made by Virginia readers in choosing, of all places, Pierce’s. They actually do cook delicious-looking barbecue at Pierce’s,

but they won’t let you eat any for love nor money until they’ve drowned all of its flavor in a third rate sauce. If that isn’t against federal law, it should be. The choice is especially disappointing because Virginia has been experiencing a boom in quality barbecue both from invading Texans, like ZZQ, and a revival of traditional Virginia barbecue at Allman’s

and many others you can see at my latest, most difficult, Virginia Top Ten selections.

The flashes of brilliance come from South Carolina and Maryland. In the former, readers passed over the big name (big price) places like Rodney Scott’s and Lewis as well as more famous old-line places in favor of Henry’s Smokehouse in Greenville, where I had a delicious albeit all-brown dinner of pork, hash, and Brunswick stew.

I would have picked McCabe’s, but Henry’s really does have terrific hash — thick enough to hold up a fork.

In Maryland, I would have thought the excellent 2fifty Texas would get the nod, but maybe readers assumed it was in DC. Instead, they chose the humble Smokehouse Barbecue Shack in St. Mary’s County,

which made my Best in the DC Area list for ribs and which has the best barbecue-style pit beef I’ve ever had.

Actually, the selection of Smokehouse and Henry’s creates a problem for me. I was thinking about both of them for my next list of Legendary Barbecue Places Worth a Detour, another of my riffs on a Robert Moss creation. The problem is that the “Legendary” actually means “Unknown.” (Talk to Southern Living’s marketing folks.) If you make the readers’ choice list, you aren’t really unknown.

As for the other states, most of the choices are reasonable, if incorrect. People can and will, I assure you, argue about Lexington #1, especially people from Eastern North Carolina, and the many Western North Carolina fans of Red Bridges, but both are sensational. In Alabama, Rusty’s is the best overall (Archibald’s by a nose for ribs), but no one’s ever surprised to see Big Bob Gibson’s prevail. I caught Peg Leg Porker in Nashville on a seriously off night (and got a chance to tell a favorite story), but how many people have tasted the truly magical quality of Ramey’s? My trustworthy friend, Julie Rokala, heaped praise on Wright’s, the readers’ pick for Arkansas, but better than the Dixie Pig? I think not. Franklin certainly is no surprise in Texas, and Doug Herbert loved it, but I’d rather go to the Original City Market in Luling any day.

I have not been to the selections for the other states nor have I developed a strong favorite in each, so I’ll hold my peace. You’re certainly welcome to weigh in on any and all, however. Feel free to share your views.

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