St. Louis is known for its delicious barbecue, and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. But with so many options, it can be hard to know which one is the best. In this article, we’ll discuss what makes St. Louis BBQ so special, what to look for when choosing a BBQ restaurant, and the top 5 BBQ restaurants in St. Louis. We’ll also give you our final thoughts on the best BBQ restaurants in St. Louis.
The Best St. Louis BBQ Joints and What to Look for
So you’re in the mood for some delicious barbecue, but you’re not sure where to go. Well, we’re here to help. In this article, we’ll discuss what makes St. Louis BBQ so special, what to look for when choosing a BBQ restaurant, and the top 5 BBQ restaurants in St. Louis. We’ll also give you our final thoughts on the best BBQ restaurants in St. Louis.
Does St. Louis have good barbecue?
When it comes to barbecue, St. Louis is definitely one of the best cities in the country. So why is St. Louis BBQ so special? For starters, the city is known for its unique style of barbecue, which combines elements of both Kansas City and Memphis styles. In addition, the meat is cooked over charcoal or hickory wood, which gives it a delicious smoky flavor. And finally, the sauce is often sweeter than other styles, with just the right amount of heat.
The history of St. Louis BBQ
– The first barbecue restaurant in St. Louis was the Old Hickory House, which opened in 1940.
– Arthur Bryant is considered to be the father of Kansas City-style BBQ, and he opened his restaurant in St. Louis in 1946.
– Joe’s Barbecue was founded by Joe Walz in 1948, and it’s still open today.
– The 600 Club was started by Otis Tucker in 1952.
– Pappy’s Smokehouse was founded by Todd Schluter and Mike Emerson in 2008.
– The first mention of barbecue in St. Louis comes from a 1778 French cookbook
– In the early 1900s, St. Louis BBQ was known for its pork ribs
– In the 1950s, Joe Baumert opened up the first restaurant that served smoked beef brisket
What is St. Louis BBQ known for?
St. Louis BBQ is best known for its pork ribs. Although it’s not as well-known as other types of barbecue around the country, there are still plenty of places to get your fill in St. Louis.
What makes St. Louis BBQ so special is the sauce. Most BBQ sauces are tomato-based, but the sauce in St. Louis is vinegar-based. The vinegar-based sauce is what makes St. Louis BBQ unique. It gives the BBQ a sour, tangy flavor that you won’t find anywhere else.
What to look for when choosing a BBQ restaurant
When looking for a BBQ restaurant in St. Louis, there are a few things you should keep in mind. The first is the type of barbecue they serve. In St. Louis, we have our own unique style of BBQ that is known for its pork ribs and vinegar-based sauce. So if you’re looking for some good St. Louis BBQ, make sure the restaurant serves pork ribs and has a vinegar-based sauce.
Another thing to look for is the smoker. Most good BBQ restaurants have a smoker on-site, and they use it to slow smoke their meat for hours at a time. This gives the meat a smoky flavor that is essential to good BBQ.
Finally, you should ask about the side dishes that are typically served. Barbecue restaurants typically serve their own take on traditional southern side dishes, so ask what types of things they have to offer.
The best 5 BBQ restaurants in St Louis
1. Smokehouse BBQ with locations in Kirkwood, Ballwin, and O’Fallon – This restaurant serves up traditional barbecue that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. Their ribs are slow-smoked for 10 hours selection of sides to go along with your meal, including mac n cheese with alligator meat!
2. Pappy’s Smokehouse located on The Hill – Although this is one of the newest restaurants on the list, it’s quickly making its way up our list of St. Louis favorites. With awards like “Best Barbecue Sauce” by Food Network Magazine, it’s easy to see why. Pappy’s is best known for their ribs, brisket, and burnt ends. It also has one of the largest selections of bourbon in St. Louis!
3. Bogart’s Smokehouse – With locations in Soulard and O’Fallon, this popular BBQ joint serves some great BBQ with a great atmosphere. They have an award-winning rub called “The Last Dance” that you can buy online if you want to take it home with you! Smoking joints are on-site for your convenience, allowing you to relax while you wait for your food. If you’re on the go, check out their carryout option that’ll keep your food hot on its way home or back to the office.
4. 17th Street BBQ – also known as “The Lumpy”, this restaurant is based out of a former gas station and grocery store that dates back to the 1920s. Their food has been described as “smoky, sweet, spicy, tangy, saucy & finger-lickin’ good”.
5. Salt + Smoke located in South City – While it may be newer than several of its fellow competitors on this list, Salt + Smoke is making an impact fast thanks to their delicious barbecue options! They have some unique items on their menu like smoked pretzels with beer cheese or smoked wings, but they are best known for their meats. My personal favorite is the Smoked Mac and Cheese
Conclusion
The final verdict… My personal favorite St. Louis restaurant would have to be Pappy’s Smokehouse. I love their ribs, brisket, and burnt ends. It also has one of the largest selections of bourbon in St. Louis!
If you’re ever in doubt about where to get your next barbecue craving satisfied, just head to one of these locations and you’ll leave totally satisfied.
FAQ
Is St. Louis barbecue different from Kansas City or Memphis?
Yes, St. Louis is known for its pork ribs and vinegar-based BBQ sauce. While you’ll find this style of barbecue in other cities across the nation, it’s only truly perfected in St. Louis.”
Is there a standard definition of “barbecue” that I can use to distinguish between North Carolina Barbecue and Texas Barbecue vs. St. Louis Barbecue?
Defining what counts as ‘barbecue’ is tough because the word has lost its meaning over time – it now just means slow-smoked meat (anything). But if I had to define it… I would say true barbecue must be made using indirect heat via wood/charcoal/smoke…
What are the traditional St. Louis barbecued meats?
The traditional St. Louis BBQ meats are pork ribs, beef, and goat. Of course, you can also get them prepared with chicken or turkey too!
How many types of St. Louis Barbecue are there?
There’s no real consensus on how many ‘official’ styles of St. Louis barbecues exist, but some good guesses would be: St. Louis Style Ribs (pork), St. Louis Style Beef Brisket (beef), St. Louis Style Goat (goat) – all cooked over indirect heat via smoke/charcoal/wood-fired grill/smoker for at least 1-2 hours & served with a sweet tomato-based sauce.
What are St. Louis style ribs?
St. Louis style ribs are seasoned with a dry rub (usually), smoked for 4-5 hours over hickory or applewood, then finished indirect heat via hot coals or gas grill/oven/stovetop to create char marks on the outside of the meat before being basted in BBQ sauce – usually sweet & tangy tomato-based sauce with some added sugar plus spices like cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. You can find St. Louis-style ribs at several of the most popular St. Louis barbecue restaurants like Bogart’s, 17th Street BBQ, Salt + Smoke, and Pappy’s Smokehouse!
What is a good St. Louis Barbecue restaurant?
A good St. Louis barbecue restaurant has friendly service staff who know their menu inside & out (both food & drink), is clean with quick & efficient service (no long waits for your food), and serves tasty BBQ options (pork ribs, beef brisket, etc.) along with creative sides (such as burnt ends mac n’ cheese) plus unique dishes that you just won’t find elsewhere – plus offer vegetarian/gluten-free options just in case.
What are the best St. Louis barbeque restaurants?
Some of the most popular St. Louis barbecue restaurants are Bogart’s, 17th Street BBQ, Salt + Smoke, and Pappy’s Smokehouse – all four receive rave reviews from locals & tourists alike!
How many types of St. Louis Barbecue are there?
There’s no real consensus on how many ‘official’ styles of St. Louis barbecues exist, but some good guesses would be: St. Louis Style Ribs (pork), St. Louis Style Beef Brisket (beef), St. Louis Style Goat (goat) – all cooked over indirect heat via smoke/charcoal/wood-fired grill/smoker for at least 1-2 hours & served with a sweet tomato-based sauce.
How is St. Louis style rib different than Kansas City ribs?
St. Louis Style ribs are seasoned with a dry rub (usually), smoked for 4-5 hours over hickory or applewood, then finished indirect heat via hot coals or gas grill/oven/stovetop to create char marks on the outside of the meat before being basted in BBQ sauce – usually sweet & tangy tomato-based sauce with some added sugar plus spices like cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. You can find St. Louis-style ribs at several of the most popular St. Louis barbecue restaurants like Bogart’s, 17th Street BBQ, Salt + Smoke, and Pappy’s Smokehouse!
