The South's Best New Barbecue Joints Of 2024

Southern living ^ | 08/22/2024 | Robert F. Moss

[ChicagoConservative27]

The world of Southern barbecue may move slowly, but it moves forward nonetheless. Far from a hidebound tradition, it’s constantly being reshaped and reinvigorated by new generations of ambitious pitmasters, as our latest list of the Best New Barbecue Joints in the South reveals.

First, some definitions. What do we mean by a “new” joint? That can be a relative term in a region with iconic restaurants dating back a century or more. For our purposes, a new restaurant is one that opened since Southern Living published the last version of this list in September 2021.

It needs to be a truly new restaurant, too. Plenty of successful restaurateurs have opened new locations in recent years, and some are building sprawling multi-state empires. But more isn’t the same as new, and we’ve excluded additional locations that share the same name and format as their progenitors.

[Liz]

Palmira Barbecue
2366 Ashley River Rd Building 1,
Charleston, SC 29414
palmirabarbecue.com

Number One The bright yellow-and-red mural outside Palmira Barbecue welcomes guests to “Whole Hog Country, USofA.” Owner-pitmaster Hector Garate’s once roving operation started as a brewery pop-up and then spent a short stint in the Port of Call food hall in downtown Charleston. In February of this year, Palmira opened its permanent location west of the city, a prime stage for Garate’s distinctive blend of South Carolina and Texas styles with accents from his native Puerto Rico. Instead of brisket, Palmira serves smoked beef cheeks so tender they almost melt on the tongue. House-ground sausages are infused with everything from allspice and cinnamon to plantains and chunks of Gouda. Most impressive of all is the chopped whole-hog barbecue. The pigs are locally raised heritage breeds, and they’re basted with sofrito as they cook 12 hours over the coals of a wood-fired pit—a wonderful new take on Carolina ’cue.

[SharpRightTurn]

I’ve had some good Bar B Q in Texas. Also in Oklahoma.

I’ve had Carolina Bar B Q.

I’ve had some meat that has been passed off as Bar B Q, which was basically just pork or beef with some sauce ladled on.

But the best Bar B Q I have ever had is in some little establishments in West Tennessee (not necessarily Memphis). Some shacks that you don’t know from the outside that you really want to go in and order something. Fantastic Bar B Q. Better than anything in Texas or Oklahoma.