09 April 2026
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Barbecue is more than just a meal in the American South. It is a storied tradition etched into the identity of the region. Travelers visiting the so-called Barbecue Belt, a region that includes most of the South and parts of the Midwest, experience a diverse landscape of wood smoke and sauces, where historical techniques meet an innovative new generation of pitmasters.
MICHELIN-recommended establishments are at the forefront of barbecue today, representing the pinnacle of the craft, from rural roadside trailers to sophisticated urban smokehouses. Whether it is whole-hog cooking in the Carolinas, the peppery brisket of Texas or the tangy white sauce of Alabama, every state offers a distinct flavor profile rooted in its local history.
Below, discover a sampling of the barbecue spots in the American South included in the MICHELIN Guide.
Alabama
In terms of barbecue, Alabama is known to be the land of white sauce. The North Alabama staple is a mayonnaise-based sauce thinned with vinegar and spiked with heavy black pepper. It is traditionally used with smoked chicken halves, keeping them moist and tangy. When it comes to the type of wood used, most barbecue spots use hickory, though pecan is also common in the southern part of the state.
Salt Smokehouse
Huntsville, AL
The family-owned barbecue spot, Salt Smokehouse, is out to satisfy. A fatty slice of prime-grade smoked brisket cooked overnight cuts like custard and doesn’t need a lick of sauce. Soft, tender pulled pork is another winning order.Florida
Is Florida considered part of the South? Some people say that the more North in the state you go, the more Southern it gets. In any case, with such a vibrant culinary community, the Sunshine State is home to multiple MICHELIN-recommended meat joints. In addition to globally influenced spots like Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann, known for its Argentinian open-fire grilled meats, Southern barbecue remains appreciated from Miami to Orlando.
Hometown Barbecue Miami
Miami, FL
From Austin, Texas, Pitmaster Bill Durney brings his signature barbecue to Magic City with Hometown Barbecue. A hulking beef rib crusted with salt and black pepper, as well as melting, charred slices of brisket are essential orders that have few equals outside of Texas. Satisfying sides, like Frito pie, plancha broccoli and charred summer corn, round out the meal. 
Smokemade Meats + Eats
Orlando, FL
Smokemade Meats + Eats is a classic meat and sides affair, and they even make their own white bread that's sliced and served alongside your selections. Pork ribs in a black pepper and salt rub are tender and incredibly flavorful with a nice hit of smoky edge, while the jalapeño-cheddar sausage gives Texas a run for its money.
The Polite Pig
Orlando, FL
At The Polite Pig, flavors are nuanced yet balanced. Meat reigns supreme on the menu and there's no going wrong with the brisket, sliced thin, black pepper-rubbed and served with sides like creamy potato salad. Georgia
Historically, Georgia’s location has allowed it to be a culinary bridge between the Carolinas and states farther South. Recognizable dishes include Brunswick stew and chopped pork shoulder cooked on oak and hickory. For barbecue sauce, the go-to is sweet and savory tomato-based with a hint of mustard. With Atlanta’s explosive population growth, the metro area now has one of the largest Korean communities in the United States. Those flavors can be found throughout the region’s MICHELIN Guide, including traditional Korean barbecue served on tabletop grills at Han Il Kwan, and Southern barbecue with a Korean twist at Heirloom Market BBQ.
Han Il Kwan
Doraville, GA
Located on Buford Highway in Doraville, Han II Kwan has been offering tabletop grills for decades. The menu covers the delights of Korean cuisine, including barbecue with an array of sliced and marinated certified Angus beef on offer. 
Heirloom Market BBQ
Atlanta, GA
Cody Taylor and Jiyeon Lee have cooked up something entirely new at Heirloom Market BBQ, blending their Southern and Korean heritage and flavors. It's easy to see why Korean pork, smoked and braised in a sweet-spicy sauce, is a signature dish. BBQ traditionalists will want to dig into the tender brisket. For a clever take on a Southern classic, try the green tomato kimchi mixed with sliced jalapeños and radish. Sauces, like the mustardy Hotlanta and pepper-vinegar Settler, are worth a shake. Mississippi
While often associated with Memphis, the dry rub tradition is part of a broader barbecue legacy that spans from the Mississippi Delta up through the Tennessee border. Cities like Jackson proudly offer smoked ribs and tips, while also paying tribute to other styles of barbecue such as those from Texas and the Carolinas.
Sacred Ground Barbecue
Jackson, MS
Sitting on the other side of the train tracks along an empty stretch of highway in Pocahontas, find Sacred Ground Barbecue, an impressive salute to Texas-style barbecue. The menu has burgers and smoked chicken wings, but don’t let anything distract you from the meats sold by the half pound. Melting slices of brisket sport dark-red edges and impressively charred barks. Pork butt arrives soft and smoky and sings with the Carolina-inspired mustard sauce. Sides like cold smoked corn salad and green beans hold their own. North Carolina
North Carolina is known for its state’s internal barbecue rivalry. In the east, pitmasters focus on whole-hog cooking. The meat is chopped, including the crispy skin, and dressed only with a thin, spicy vinegar and pepper sauce without tomato. On the western side of the state, Lexington-style barbecue uses only the pork shoulder and adds tomato to its vinegar-based sauce.The MICHELIN Guide selection recognizes four barbecue restaurants in the Raleigh area, including Sam Jones BBQ and The Pit Authentic Barbecue, which focus on local techniques. In the western part of the state near the Great Smoky Mountains, there’s also smokiness. Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse in downtown Asheville serves barbecue that brings together Western Carolina and Japanese traditions.
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse
Asheville, NC
Headed by Chef Michael Lewis, the menu at Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse offers an array of grilled skewers and smoked meats. Smoked options include a half chicken, pastrami-brined brisket, bone-in short rib and of course, the famous pork shoulder that this side of the state is known for. 
Sam Jones BBQ
Raleigh, NC
It's all in the family at Sam Jones BBQ, where three generations of the same family have been perfecting their 'cue. This spot in downtown Raleigh specializes in cooking Eastern North Carolina-style barbecue pork. They've been doing it their way, slow cooking the whole pig over burning embers, then chopping it all up and serving it with a vinegar-based sauce to cut through the richness of the meat, for years. Order a meat combo, which comes with sides and a sweet potato muffin or corn bread, and chase it with one of their beers on tap, brewed by the family in nearby Winterville. See all the barbecue restaurants in North Carolina here.
South Carolina
Known as being the home of The Mustard Belt, South Carolina is most famous for its Carolina Gold mustard sauce. The yellow mustard-based sauce is thinned with vinegar and sweetened with sugar, tracing back to German settlers in the 1700s. South Carolina also focuses on whole-hog cooking, often served with hash and rice (a savory meat stew). Today, many top spots now have influences from other regions and do not necessarily serve those traditional flavors.
Lewis Barbecue
Charleston, SC
A thick haze of smoke wafts in the air. Welcome to Texas by way of the Lowcountry at Lewis Barbecue, where John Lewis has brought with him all things smoke and beef. Beautiful, near-melting slivers of brisket and the weekend-only beef rib are essential orders, sold by the pound and sliced in front of you at the counter. Green chili corn pudding, potato salad and banana pudding are also excellent additions. Tennessee
Memphis is globally recognized for its pork ribs with their dry rub-style coating of paprika and other spices that is applied before and after smoking with hickory wood. It is also the home of the barbecue sandwich topped with coleslaw. Today, other regional influences from states like Texas are creating new barbecue traditions.
Shotgun Willie's BBQ
Madison, TN
Named after Houston native Bill LaViolette’s favorite Willie Nelson song, Shotgun Willie's began life as a food truck. For its popular brisket, crowds flock to this casual space where booths and picnic tables fill the room and the walls are hung with road signs and country memorabilia. Texas-style barbecue chicken and pulled pork hold court alongside American wagyu brisket with peppery bark and smoky-savory jalapeño sausage oozing with cheese. Sides are a must, especially the beans and the mac and queso with flecks of red and chili peppers. Texas
The most well-known barbecue state is undoubtedly Texas, and so it's unsurprising that MICHELIN has recognized 31 barbecue restaurants in different towns and cities. From classic Texas BBQ, with its "low and slow" smoking tradition, to fusion styles, the culinary impact can be felt across the U.S. and around the world. One example is the global standard for beef brisket established in Central Texas, which is seasoned only with Dalmatian Rub (salt and heavy black pepper) and smoked over post oak.
CorkScrew BBQ
Spring, TX
In the tiny town of Spring just north of Houston, Will and Nichole Buckman smoke some of the finest brisket and beef ribs in the state at CorkScrew BBQ. Their use of red oak colors prime cuts from Creekstone Farms and Compart Family Farms in a distinct mahogany hue, and the wide range of meats on the menu is a real carnivore's delight. Beef ribs are succulent and flavorsome with a lasting smoked tone. Sides include pinto beans, loaded baked potatoes, tacos with green-chile ranch and fruit cobblers. 
Micklethwait Craft Meats
Austin, TX
Serving his meats out of a renovated former church at Micklethwait Craft Meats, Owner Tom Micklethwait is a master at central Texas-style barbecue, doling out luscious meats from ribs and brisket to sausages, pulled pork and lamb — juicy, smoky, spicy and sweet. The sides, including jalapeño cheese grits and a standout potato salad dressed with cider vinegar, are good enough on their own to warrant a visit. You'll be stuffed, but there's always room for banana pudding. See all the barbecue restaurants in Texas here.
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Hero image: © Andrew Thomas Lee/Micklethwait Craft Meats
Thumb image: © Lizzy Rollins/Lewis Barbecue
