Nashville's Best BBQ

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>>> Nashville Restaurants Serving BBQ

Nashville hasn’t historically been known as a barbecue town—with Memphis to our west, the Carolinas to our east, and a whole mess of other styles surrounding us, we used to be like the center of a sandwich where all the good parts blend and settle. But that started changing a few years back, thanks to a handful of new, drum-beating arrivals. From Peg Leg Porker to Jim ’N Nick’s and Martin’s Bar-B-Cue to Smokin Thighs, Nashville now has not only every “official x93 style of barbecue but several utterly unique ones as well. To get our palates around Music City’s recent push into barbecue greatness, we ate our way through this city’s best joints to discover who’s doing what, what you need to order, and what makes each one so damn delicious. Order up a platter and dig in.

Bar-B-Cutie

Having started as a tiny downtown pie wagon in 1940, Bar-B-Cutie has evolved into an institution in the Nashville barbecue scene. With multiple locations around town and convenient drive-thru options, Bar-B-Cutie even serves a fine Southern breakfast. However, it’s their pork butt—smoked for 17 hours over hickory and served on cornbread—that remains the prestigious chain’s most laudable calling card.

To Try: BBQ Pork on Cornbread
5221 Nolensville Pk. (plus multiple other locations), 615-834-6556; bar-b-cutie.com

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Bacon & Caviar Gourmet Catering and BBQ

With locations in Melrose and the Nashville Farmers’ Market, the team behind B&C BBQ offers plenty of choices for local ’cue lovers. While their pulled pork, ribs, and brisket are excellent examples of the genre (especially served with a spicy Creole/Cajun zydeco sauce), B&C’s chicken wings are a real standout dish. Slow-cooked in batches in a commercial Old Hickory smoker, the wings are then flash-fried to order and available dry, buffalo, or sweet heat style.

To Try: Smoked Chicken Wings
2617 Franklin Pk., Unit 112, 615-457-3473; 900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., 615-770-0032; baconandcaviar.com

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Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

Deeply rooted in Texas tradition, Dickey’s recipes haven’t changed since Roland Dickey opened his first barbecue pit in Dallas in 1941. All of the meats are rubbed with a proprietary blend of seasonings and slow smoked every night in the on-site pit. On Saturdays, the juicy brisket sandwich—served with two sides—is featured as the Deal of the Day.

To Try: Brisket Sandwich
8113 Moores Ln., #1900, Brentwood, 615-622-2818; dickeys.com

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>>> Nashville Restaurants Serving BBQ

Drifters BBQ

Drifters aims to be more than just a barbecue restaurant. With live music, corn hole, and ping-pong, they have become a gathering spot for families and neighbors in East Nashville. Striving to be even more inclusive, Drifters has a respectable vegetarian menu, especially for a barbecue joint. In addition to meatless burritos, quesadillas, and burgers, they’ll whip up a smoked tofu sandwich for non-carnivores who want to join in the fun.

To Try: BBQ Tofu Sandwich
1008-B Woodland St., 615-262-2776; driftersnashville.com

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Edley’s BBQ

Now boasting two locations and another on the way, Edley’s is busier than ever, and its famous Tuck sandwich remains a hot commodity. Only on the menu at lunchtime, it’s made with sliced smoked brisket—which is trimmed, scored, and then covered with Edley’s rub before being smoked for 12 to 14 hours over white oak—and smothered in red and white Edley’s barbecue sauce and topped with spicy Pimento cheese. The Tuck Special is finished off with an over easy egg and pickles. If brisket isn’t your thing, it’s also available with pulled pork.

To Try: The Tuck Special
2706 12th Ave. S., 615-953-2951; 908 Main St., 615-873-4085; edleysbbq.com

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Hog Heaven

We don’t know if the joint that spills smoke in the shadow of the Parthenon was the first to bring white sauce to town, but it was the first many of us tried so many years ago. Just don’t call it “Alabama white sauce, x93 because Hog Heaven claims its version is different. Whatever—it’s really good, and not just on their signature pulled chicken and cornbread plate.

To Try: Pulled Chicken and Cornbread Plate
115 27th Ave. N., 615-329-1234; hogheavenbbq.com

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Jack’s Bar-B-Que

Jack Cawthon has been cooking and eating barbecue in Nashville since the days of the popular open pits at neighborhood joints like Charlie Nickens, Nick Varallo’s, and Jimmy Coursey’s. Although he now uses a closed smoker, Cawthon’s mash-up of Texas and Tennessee styles of barbecue makes him a favorite of traditionalists. These methods especially shine through with his tender beef brisket, marked with a wide purple smoke ring.

To Try: Brisket
416 Broadway, 615-254-5715; 334 W. Trinity Ln., 615-228-9888; 1601 Charlotte Ave., 615-341-0157; jacksbarbque.com

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>>> Nashville Restaurants Serving BBQ

Jim ’N Nick’s BBQ Restaurant

Started in Birmingham in 1985, Jim ’N Nick’s now has restaurants across the Southeast, including five (soon to be six) in Tennessee. Though the corporate structure has changed (the Pihakis family no longer owns it), their philosophies on barbecue have not. They source almost all of their own heritage hogs, a blend of Mangalitsa and Berkshire pork from Alabama, and most other ingredients come from local, family-run businesses. You can see the results of it all on the plate with Mr. Jim’s Deluxe, a tray that comes loaded with every style of ’cue they serve: pulled pork, Texas brisket, smoked turkey, smoked chicken, baby back and spare ribs, and their chorizo and pork-blend sausage. Served with three sides and plenty of sauces, it’s enough to feed up to eight folks—or one super-motivated linebacker.

To Try: Mr. Jim’s Deluxe
7004 Charlotte Pk., 615-352-5777; 3068 Mallory Ln., Franklin, 615-771-3939; jimnnicks.com

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Judge Bean’s Bar-B-Que

The peripatetic Judge has moved his barbecue joints around town several times, and even though he’s no longer actually involved in the ownership or management of his eponymous eatery, the Brentwood location seems to have put down permanent roots since opening in 2009. For a nice sampler of the talents of the pitmaster, order the loaded BBQ nachos with fresh made chips, melted queso, jalapeños, cowboy or barbecue beans, and your choice of chicken, brisket, or pulled pork.

To Try: Legendary Loaded Nachos
 7022 Church St. E., Brentwood, 615-823-2280; judgebeans.com

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Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint

Pat Martin started smoking whole hogs when he was still in college, having picked up the basics in Western Tennessee. All of his locations (and the forthcoming downtown spot) now have customized pits inside the restaurants where Martin and his crew cook an entire pig almost every day. Usually ready by mid-afternoon, the whole hog doesn’t always last through dinnertime—so when it’s available, order it. Served by the platter, it arrives in a tangle so that bits of the crusted exterior mingle with melted fat and smoke-infused interior meat.

To Try: Whole Hog Platter
3108 Belmont Blvd., 615-200-1181; 7238 Nolensville Rd., Nolensville, 615-776-1856; martinsbbqjoint.com

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Mary’s Old-Fashion Pit Bar-B-Cue

Back in the day—we’re talking 30 years ago—the post-midnight line at Mary’s was a lesson in diversity, and Miss Mary wouldn’t put up with any shenanigans. This was the joint, and the hot sauce–drenched pork on corn cakes could pull you out of the best of tailspins. There’s a dining room now, but we still prefer the hood of the car, a sandwich in wax paper, and the cry of nighthawks overhead on a hot summer night. And don’t skip the slaw.

To Try: Pulled Pork on Corn Cakes
1106 Jefferson St., 615-256-7696

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>>> Nashville Restaurants Serving BBQ

Moe’s Original BBQ

Moe’s Original BBQ has an interesting history, as it was founded by three Alabama boys who moved to Colorado to sharpen their cooking skills. The decor at Moe’s is a bit of a mélange of their heritage, with SEC football and Nascar memorabilia adorning the walls of the ski lodge–inspired interior. On Tuesdays, the folks at Moe’s let their Southern side shine through with the daily special of a ’Bama-style smoked brisket sandwich, which comes with both red and white sauce, slaw, and pickles.

To Try: ’Bama-style Smoked Brisket Sandwich
9050 Carothers Pkwy., Franklin, 615-807-2908; moesoriginalbbq.com

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Papa Turney’s

Mike “Papa x93 Turney started his career as a restaurateur serving barbecue out of a smoker in a gas station parking lot. After expanding to a brick-and-mortar location, Papa T’s has recently made the move to a large new facility with a view of the lake at Nashville Shores Marina. Turney likes to put all sorts of meats into his smoker, ranging from pork butts to ribs to turkeys. But it’s his slow-cooked smoked rib-eye steaks that have fans arriving at his restaurant by land and sea.

To Try: Smoked Ribeye
3979 Bell Rd., Hermitage, 615-866-8850; papaturneysbbq.com

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Peg Leg Porker

Mr. Peg Leg, Carey Bringle, can channel all the Memphis-Mississippi waters he wants, but there’s nothing muddy about his dry ribs. They are clean and bright with the right balance of salt, tang, smoke, snap, and tenderness. When rounded out with his smoked green beans and the mouth party of a peach fried pie, you will be singing anything but the blues.

To Try: Dry Ribs
903 Gleaves St., 615-829-6023; peglegporker.com

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Slow & Low BBQ

Barbecue came as a second career of sorts for the young pitmasters behind Slow & Low BBQ. Burke Mahling and Trey Southerland opened in 2011 in a space on North 1st Street then moved to a new location in West Nashville in 2013. The whole time, they’ve been perfecting all of their dishes but seem to have nailed it with their hickory-smoked baby back ribs. Slightly larger than traditional baby backs, theirs are served as meaty half or full slabs. The ribs are given a dry rub before spending six hours in the smoker, after which they’re slathered with a mild sauce right before serving.

To Try: Baby Back Ribs
333 54th Ave. N., 615-385-7800; slowandlowbbqbistro.com

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>>> Nashville Restaurants Serving BBQ

Smokies BBQ + Burgers

When Jan and Bernie Strawn started Mack & Kate’s out of a 1920s service station in Pegram 15 years ago, it was Jan’s barbecue sandwich that drew crowds—and kept them coming back. They’ve been serving barbecue ever since, in one form or another, at the M&K in Franklin, for catering gigs, and at their other locations. Now, with Smokies BBQ off Nolensville Road, they have a dedicated barbecue joint. Go for the brisket sandwich—the meat gets a dry rub and 14 hours in the smoker before it’s sliced to order, smothered in a classic Coca-Cola sauce, and topped with a bun.

To Try: Beef Brisket Sandwich
212 Thompson Ln., 615-292-3838; smokiesbbqtn.com

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Smokin Thighs

While other pitmasters perfect their pork and brisket, Matthew Carney, owner of Smokin Thighs, decided he would step away from the herd and focus on chicken—specifically, the thighs. Originally a food truck, his business is now a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Wedgewood. For his specialty, Carney smokes thighs and wings (since they retain moisture better than other cuts) for about two and a half hours over applewood chips in electric smokers, giving the poultry a subtle fruitiness underneath all that smoke. The thighs are then rough chopped into a pile, which are best when spiked with a little “perfectly awesome x93 sauce.

To Try: Pile of Thighs
611 Wedgewood Ave., 615-601-2582; smokinthighs.com

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Swett’s Restaurant

Swett’s has been known as one of Nashville’s quintessential soul food and meat-and-three restaurants since 1954, but in 2012 they expanded into the barbecue business. After building out a small smokehouse with commercial wood-fired smokers adjacent to the existing cafeteria, Swett’s has augmented their traditional menu with the usual barbecue suspects: pork shoulder, ribs, chicken wings, and brisket. Pleasantly surprising additions to the typical repertoire include smoked pork chops and tender rib tips.

To Try: Rib Tips
2725 Clifton Ave., 615-329-4418; swettsrestaurant.com

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Tex’s World Famous Bar-B-Q

Tex’s can be difficult to find in its industrial neighborhood off Murfreesboro Road, but barbecue fans have been seeking it out for more than 30 years. Served from a steam table along with prototypical Southern sides, the servings of meats at Tex’s are definitely Texas-style and Texas-sized. A thick slice of smoked BBQ baloney isn’t necessarily the healthiest dish on the menu, but it might just be the best.

To Try: BBQ Baloney
1013 Foster Ave., 615-254-8715; texsworldfamousbbq.com

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>>> Nashville Restaurants Serving BBQ

Whitt’s Barbecue

For 37 years, this local chain has been keeping the public happy and well fed with tried-and-true classics like its pulled pork sandwich, best consumed topped with the vinegar-based coleslaw, a steal at just $2.30 on Wednesday nights. Boasting 25 locations across Middle Tennessee, Whitt’s has 15 outposts in the greater Nashville area, including one in Terminal C at the airport, and a bevy of traditional Southern sides, such as baked beans, mac and cheese, and potato salad.

To Try: Pulled Pork Sandwich
5310 Memphis Bristol Hwy., Nashville, 615-356-3435; 386 Southwinds Dr., Franklin, 615-599-7074; 3621 Nolensville Rd., 615-831-0309; whittsbarbecue.com