Michael Symon's Favorite Barbecue Spots Across The US Cover All Styles - Exclusive
If you are always on the hunt for some great barbecue, you're in luck. During a recent exclusive interview with chef and barbecue connoisseur Michael Symon, we got the low-down on some of the best places to go. With so many options and types of barbecue out here, Symon gave us an overview of some of his favorites. "There's so many good ones out there," he said. "Lewis Barbecue in Charleston does a fantastic job."
Sometimes, though, the skills run in the family. "17th Street with Amy Mills — her father, Mike Mills, before he passed, was one of my big mentors," Symon explained. "I don't think anybody does ribs better than them." Like her father, Amy Mills is serving up some of the best barbecue around and has two locations in Illinois.
Serving up brisket and housemade sausages, Symon's next pick takes us south: "A dear friend of mine, LeAnn Mueller, just passed away, but La Barbecue is one of my absolute favorite barbecue places in Austin, Texas." LeAnn Mueller was also a legacy barbecuer, as the daughter of Bobby Mueller and granddaughter of Louie Mueller. She owned La Barbecue with her wife, Ali Clem, making it the first lesbian- and women-owned barbecue restaurant in Texas.
Regional good eats
Of course, barbecue is a broad term that encompasses a lot of regional variations, which Michael Symon did not want to leave out in his tour of favorites. "In New York, Billy Durney is, right now, at the absolute top of his game when it comes to barbecue," he said. "He's really pushing the envelope and making hyper regional Brooklyn, New York barbecue, which is very cool and interesting." Durney is the owner of Hometown Bar-B-Que, which has locations in Redhook, Industrial City, and Miami.
For Kansas-style barbecue, Symon recommends "Slaps in Kansas City — if you want Kansas City style barbecue, Joe at Slaps does that style barbecue better than anyone." Slaps was founded by Mike and Joe Pearce after the two took second overall in Season 6 of "BBQ Pitmasters."
And finally, Symon couldn't leave out an oldie but a goodie in the barbecue world. "I'm still a sucker for some of the old places, like Big Bob Gibson's — not a better place to get pork butt or Alabama style white chicken." Big Bob Gibson's has two locations in Alabama, but if you can't get there, they also ship nationwide through Goldbelly.
"Simply Symon Suppers" is now available to order.