Best Barbecue Towns In America

It's simple: Folks love their barbecue. Barbecue (apologies to regional spelling purists) is more popular than ever on a national scale, which makes finding an abiding restaurant, cart, or food truck in most corners of the country a virtual inevitability.

If you consider yourself a barbecue devotee, then these are the American cities for you.

Austin, Texas

Franklin BBQ

We know one thing for certain: Texans love their barbecue, and Austin is a mecca for barbecue in Texas. Of the places to visit is Franklin Barbecue. 

Kansas City, Missouri

Facebook/B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ
 

No barbecue list would be complete without mention of Kansas City. Kansas City barbecue restaurants are the champions of barbecue restaurants. Head to B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ, Oklahoma Joe's, Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue, and Arthur Bryant's Barbeque. 

Lexington, North Carolina

Flickr/southernfoodwaysalliance

Lexington may be small, but its barbecue scene is both mighty and fierce. Lexington Barbecue is a local favorite. 

Memphis, Tennessee

flickr/ben husmann

Tennessee may seem like it's soaking up all the barbecue glory, but it's a force to be reckoned with when it comes to American barbecue hotspots. Cozy Corner Barbecue and Payne's Bar-B-Q are some of the go-to-places.

Nashville, Tennessee

Flickr/Joshua Bousel

Barbecue is to Nashville what the sun is to summer — it's one of the best things about this Southern city. Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint is the place to go.