Instead of trying to convince you which barbeque restaurant is the best (we’re smarter than to attempt that futile mission), I’ve gone on a quest to find the best lesser-known (or at least, less celebrated) Memphis BBQ. At each restaurant, my friends and I tried nearly Every. Single. Meat. Menu. Item.
Whew. Now it’s your turn.
1. Stanley Bar-B-Que (2110 Madison Ave.)
Because Stanley Bar-B-Que (formerly Schweinehaus) moved from German fare to BBQ after just a few years, I questioned the credibility of their barbeque. But not for very long.
They served up some of the best barbeque in a restaurant environment that I’ve had. I was overwhelmed with tender turkey, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, and brisket full of smoky flavor. I didn’t even use the three available table sauces on any of the meat, which is a huge compliment.
They have an opportunity for improvement with their ribs, though, which were cooked perfectly, but came smothered in their vinegar-heavy tomato sauce; this didn’t complement the meat in my opinion. If they go to a sweeter tomato based sauce, they could have some of the best ribs in Memphis.