The 10 Best BBQ Joints In Memphis

Open your car windows as you drive around Memphis, and chances you'll catch a whiff of the signature smell of barbecue smoke. Dozens of restaurants around town serve barbecue in its various forms, pulled, chopped, wet, or dry, with an emphasis on pork ribs and pulled pork sandwiches. Memphis is also the official host city of the World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest, which takes place every May along the mighty Mississippi in downtown Memphis' Tom Lee Park.

So why did Memphis become such a beloved barbecue hub? The city's central location on the Mississippi River made it an important river port in the U.S., so it's long had access to a variety of spices, fresh, ripe tomatoes, and sweet molasses, according to Memphis Travel. Every joint in town has its secret BBQ rub and sauces, and per The Tennessean, these concoctions are top secret, so you'll have to drive on down to Grind City to experience the sublime barbecue yourself. Spend a long weekend in Memphis and indulge in some of the best barbecue in the U.S.

Here are our picks for the best BBQ joints in Memphis.

The Vergos family has been serving up barbecue ribs with the magical touch of their housemade dry rub since 1948 at Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous, a Memphis classic. It all began when Charlie Vergos opened up a restaurant in downtown Memphis, where he converted an old coal chute into a smoker. Not much has changed since opening day: The air is still filled with the unmistakable, smoky aroma of barbecue ribs, and the same top-secret dry rub invented by Charlie in the 40s is still used today.

Go all out and order a full slab of charbroiled pork ribs: They may be slightly messy, but the rib meat falls off the bone and melts in the mouth. You'll have to call 24 hours in advance to reserve another house specialty, the skillet of barbecue shrimp: Five pounds of mouthwatering juicy, fresh shrimps smothered in the restaurant's signature barbecue shrimp arrive hot and spicy tableside and serve up to eight. The barbecue nachos here are incredible, too, and arrive loaded with slow-cooked pulled pork shoulder, smothered in secret barbecue sauce and nacho cheese, and topped with spicy jalapeños. Bring the bounty home: Charlie Vergo's sauces and rubs are available to go, and they also ship their barbecue bounty nationwide.

Despite being born in Texas, Bryant Bain set off to master Memphis barbecue when he moved to the mid-south city for an IT job in 2012. Bain Barbecue & Bakery began in his home kitchen, where he shared his love of barbecue with his friends, then moved to a food truck in 2021. In January 2022, Bain and his wife Heather opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Memphis's historic and hip Cooper-Young district.

On the bakery end, specialties include kolaches, butter cookie rounds baked with jam, and light yet large cinnamon rolls. All the pastries here are baked fresh daily. On the barbecue side, the meat here is sourced from Creekstone Farms in Oklahoma and slow-smoked in the largest offset smoker in the south, custom-built for the restaurant. The brisket here is perhaps the most prized menu item, made with top-quality Wagyu beef, and according to I Love Memphis, people used to camp outside the restaurant just to experience it, as it sells out quickly. It's ultra-tender, juicy, and best served with a side of housemade, rich, and melty five cheese mac n' cheese. Top your barbecue with your choice of three sauces: sweet and tangy Texas sauce, Carolinas-inspired mustard sauce, and spicy Memphis sauce.

Don't let the no-frills dining room fool you: Payne's Bar-B-Q serves up some of the best barbecue in Memphis. Owner Ronald Payne, son of founders Horton and Flora Payne, lives by Virginia Woolf's famous quote, "One can not think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well," and the barbecue at his family-run restaurant has been soul-filling since it opened in 1984. The highlight of the menu here is the jumbo chopped pork sandwich, made with pork shoulder roast slow-cooked in a recessed pit over hickory charcoal and then slathered in a tangy, mild barbecue sauce spiked with mustard and slow-simmered in-house; it's one of the most flavor-rich in a town that breathes barbecue. The bright green coleslaw topping adds a tangy bite and crunch that balances the tender meat. The menu is small and focused, and the prices are affordable. Payne's Bar-B-Q is only open for a small window each day at lunch, so arrive hungry before it closes in the afternoon.

Located in the heart of Memphis' Midtown neighborhood,The Bar-B-Q Shop's ribs were voted among the best in America by the Food Network's "Top Five Restaurants." Rubbed and slow-grilled to melt-in-your-mouth perfection paired with signature old-fashioned 'Dancing Pig' barbecue sauce (available in hot or mild versions), crunchy, creamy, housemade cole slaw, and buttery Texas toast, they're a must-eat when in Memphis. Brady Vincent, the restaurant's original owner, loved both barbecue and pasta, a passion he channeled into patron-favorite Bar-B-Q Spaghetti. If you can't decide, order a 'Half & Half' plates, which includes a taste of both the meaty bar-b-q spaghetti and your choice of barbecue pork or brisket. The Bar-B-Q Shop also caters to vegans with its Bar-B-Q veggie burger. Save room for the Bar-B-Q Shop's signature dessert, the creamy, delectable housemade banana pudding cheesecake. All of the signature Dancing Pig sauces and seasonings are available online, and the Bar-B-Q shop has kindly shared some of their classic recipes so you can bring the barbecue bounty into your home kitchen.

Located down the street from Graceland, family-friendly Marlowe's celebrates the King with Elvis decor in the dining room, Elvis-inspired specialty cocktails (try the Tennessee Hound Dog, a mix of sweet Amaretto, bubbly, and pineapple juice), and even a pink limousine shuttle service that will pick you up and drive you straight to some of the best barbecue in town, in style. The booths here are especially comfy, so you can settle in and stay awhile as you dig into some of the best barbecue in Memphis. The barbecue pork sandwich here is sublime, packed with pork shoulder smoked onsite in a pit for 16 hours. One of the more unique menu items is the BBQ baked potato: Two big, slow-baked potatoes topped with chopped barbecue pork shoulder and sharp Wisconsin cheddar cheese. Start with a southern classic, the fried green tomatoes, which arrive lightly breaded and golden with a side of tangy, creamy Cajun-spiced dipping sauce.