Best BBQ in St Louis: A Food Lover’s Guide

For the love of barbecue, Bogart’s Smokehouse puts its own spin on America’s favorite food. Located in Soulard, one of the oldest and most charming neighborhoods in St. Louis, the barbecue joint specializes in apricot-brûléed ribs, smoky beef brisket and melt-in-the-mouth pastrami.

Do you love any and all barbecue? Bootleggin’ BBQ serves Kansas City-style barbecue in St. Louis. The smoky goodness – think brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork and chicken – comes with a thick, sweet sauce made with tomatoes, brown sugar and molasses.

Dalie’s Smokehouse brings some of the best barbecue to West County. Don’t miss the weekly specials, including brisket chili, pork steak plates and seasonal desserts – peach cobbler, anyone? The casual restaurant also offers twists on traditional St. Louis barbecue such as barbecue nachos, a smoked ham-and-cheese sandwich and a smoked jackfruit sandwich for the vegans among us.

Bird is the word at Gobble Stop Smokehouse in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Chef and co-owner DeMarco Howard opened the barbecue joint in 2012, emboldened by his family’s secret recipe for juicy, smoky turkey tips – which are a huge hit with locals on Thanksgiving! Bulk up your order with smoked wings, glazed cauliflower and fried green beans.

The dishes at Hendricks BBQ have a certain flair. While you can dig into barbecue platters featuring your choice of meats and fixin’s – think baby back ribs, collard greens, smoked turkey and Cheddar grits – you might also want to consider something between bread. The BLGT boasts fried green tomatoes, smoked bacon, lettuce, your choice of cheese and a mustard-based sauce, and the Smothered Sausage Hoagie features a sausage link smothered in caramelized onions, peppers and cheese, both of which are crowd-pleasers.

Kicking off the modern boom of St. Louis barbecue, Pappy’s Smokehouse has been named Best Ribs in America by the Food Network and Best BBQ in Missouri by Southern Living. Prepared fresh daily, the Memphis-style barbecue ranges from full slabs of dry-rubbed, slow-smoked ribs to heaping platters of pulled pork, turkey breast and beef brisket.

At Salt + Smoke, barbecue is a labor of love. Dig into plates of St. Louis-style barbecue – pulled pork, brisket, rib tips, smoked wings, fried jalapeño-Cheddar bologna and more – all of which come with a bacon-Cheddar popover and two sides.

The chef-driven ’cue at Sugarfire Smoke House plucks the best traditions out of U.S. cities to create St. Louis-style barbecue that’s all its own. Alongside the classics, you’ll find spicy andouille, smoked portabella, fried artichokes and cheese curds.

Want to visit Guy Fieri’s favorite restaurant in Missouri? Grab a table at The Shaved Duck! Featured on an episode of Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, the restaurant is a proud member of the barbecue scene in St. Louis.

Chef Alex Cupp delivers an out-of-this-world barbecue experience at The Stellar Hog, which has two locations in the St. Louis area. Claiming the best brisket in the galaxy, the classic restaurant also serves universal favorites such as cheesy pulled pork fries, fried corn ribs and smoky Reubens.