Nothing gets me going quite like the smell of smoked meats: ribs, brisket, chicken, you name it.
Today is National Barbecue Day, which honors barbecue in general (burgers and dogs on the grill, etc.), but here we’re talking traditional Southern barbecue, one of my three desert island foods, along with doughnuts and wings.
Back in 2015, I proclaimed that New Jersey is a barbecue wasteland. The outlook has improved since then; there’s great barbecue in New Jersey, you just have to know where to look.
Is New Jersey on a par with, say, the Carolinas? Of course not. But the state’s selections are well ahead of our options eight years ago.
I’ve done best barbecue lists since 2015. The list is updated every year. In 2021, I visited 13 previously-unvisited spots. Many were mediocre, and did not make the list. One served up the worst BBQ I’ve had in years (I still shudder at the memory). Last year, I managed to visit just five BBQ joints, with missions to name the best restaurant in each county and N.J.’s 50 best Italian restaurants, ranked taking up most of my time. This year, I visited five more spots.
I love all the places on this list, but some are just a touch better than the others.
NOTE: This is Southern barbecue only, not Portuguese, Korean or any other kind.
The owners of Whole Hog Cafe competed as the Southern Gentlemen’s Culinary Society before opening their first location, in Arkansas, in 2000. Skip the brisket and order the tender, meaty ribs. Good potato salad, and the BBQ sauces feature a range of spices, heat and personality.
Daddy Matty is Matt James, who went from backyard barbecuing to opening his own storefront. “Daddy Matty doesn’t have to be your daddy for you to reap the barbecue benefits,” he says. The German potato salad is tangy and sharp and packed with attitude, and there’s also a Bulgarian feta, cucumber and tomato salad. The pulled pork was dried out when I stopped, but I dug the smoky/spicy sauce. The ribs are fat, tender and nicely seasoned. The chili is outstanding; it ranked high on our list of the state’s best chilis.
Yes, Kimchi Smoke is a Korean barbecue restaurant, but owner Rob Cho (photo) makes a mean Southern brisket that’s melt-in-your-mouth good. The pulled pork sandwich does some barbecue fusion with its combo of pork shoulder, Fatboy BCS (bourbon chipotle sauce) and Korean slaw. Also try the Korean Redneck Tacos, with pulled pork, Fatboy BCS and Korean slaw on flour tortillas. Quite tasty.
Oink and Moo BBQ is one of the state’s best known food trucks, and they were voted the nation’s best food truck by the Daily Meal in 2016. The brisket and pulled pork sandwiches are loaded with meat, packed with flavor. The ribs are good, but they take a back seat to the brisket and pulled pork.
Pulled Fork — cute name — opened in 2019 in bucolic Long Valley. You can get brisket, ribs and pulled pork; fried chicken, fried sausage and fried bologna sandwiches, plus a Texas Reuben (chopped brisket, provolone, American cheese, homemade dressing and slaw) and the Texas Hold ‘Em (pork or brisket on Texas toast with melted pepper jack cheese and chipotle mustard). They didn’t have brisket or ribs when I stopped, but the pulled pork sandwich alone is enough to get them on this list. Seasoned with sass and spice, it’s a winner. Try the cornbread pudding, too.
29. 322 BBQ, Mullica Hill
″Avoid all the hysteria and lines, our butcher shop is stocked and loaded” is the message at 322 BBQ’s web site. 322 BBQ is headquartered inside the old mill in Mullica Hill. Undecided what to order? Try the Big Momma combo: It includes a 1/3 rack of ribs, 1/3 pound pulled pork, brisket, smoked sausage, cornbread and two sides. At $59.99, it may seem pricey, but this is quality ‘cue.
Rumson as a barbecue destination? You betcha. Surf, in the former Molly Maguire’s, opened about six years ago. It’s owned by Victor Rallo, who also owns Undici in Rumson and Birravino in Red Bank. At Surf, don’t even think about not ordering the mac-n-cheese, which oozes creamy goodness. The ribs are cooked a bit too much, but the pulled pork and brisket sandwiches are dynamite.
Brothers, which opened in 2020 in the former Romano’s Macaroni Grill, looks at first glance like a casually stylish bar, but they know their barbecue. The pulled pork sandwich is a hefty handful of meat, although over-sauced. Better: the brisket sandwich, nice and juicy. The ribs (photo) are aggressively seasoned, but bold wins over bland every time. The coleslaw and potato salad are standard stuff, but I loved the cheese grits, a rare item on NJ barbecue joint menus.
Do you need to sport a thick beard to make good barbecue? There’s another bearded dude further down this list, and Chris Barlow Sr. of Big Barlow’s Barbecue is indeed big and bearded. On a recent Facebook post, he showed off a gator he had smoked. The ribs and brisket here are commendable, but the winner here is the Southern slaw. Get it as a side or toss it on the pulled pork sandwich (see photo). It’s tangy and mustardy and absolutely irresistible. The sauces here rock: try the North Carolina Kick or the South Carolina Tang.
25. TSTBBQ, Middletown
“Texas style BBQ with a New Jersey attitude” is the slogan at TSTBBQ, headquartered at Hole in One Miniature Golf on Route 36 eastbound, in the Leonardo section of Middletown. The golf course has been open 20-plus years; TSTBBQ the past five. The menu includes burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, bacon-wrapped onion “wrings” and more. Good ribs, with tender, juicy meat, but the highlight here are the burnt ends, available weekends. A second location, TSTBBQ Country Bar, opened in Hazlet.
I’m not sure I’d choose Lumpy’s as the name of my first restaurant, but the owners can call it anything they want as long as they keep cranking out top-notch ‘cue. The dry-rub ribs rock — the meat is tender, pinkish and juicy — and the sweet potatoes are highly recommended. On my next visit I want to try the Smokin’ Chili, with brisket, diced jalapeños, tomatoes, onions and kidney beans.
Maybe my most embarrassing food moment ever happened at Henri’s Hotts Barbecue, when I asked for all white meat on my whole fried chicken here. “Sir, there’s no such thing as all white meat on a whole chicken,” the owner said, harumphing. “When you find it, let me know.” My excuse: It was the end of a long day, and I had done a lot of eating and driving. Excellent ribs, the pulled pork is the real deal, and the sides may be the heftiest of any barbecue joint in the state. And that fried chicken is the best I’ve had in a long while.
Smokies opened about a year and a half ago; next door is Senza, which made our list of N.J.’s 50 best Italian restaurants, ranked. “When it comes to New Jersey BBQ, we mean business,” announces Smokies’ web site. The pulled pork is commendably juicy, and the brisket sandwich is nice and fatty, the way I like it (fat = flavor). The ribs, perfectly pink as true barbecue should be, are tender as can be. I like their sauces, especially the Signature and Spicy BBQ.
Mostly Smoked, located in the Home Fashion Center strip mall on Route 9, is filled with classic rock posters and photos: Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who and more at the Fillmore East and other legendary concert venues. The barbecue? It’s pretty good. The pulled pork sandwich may be the biggest of its kind anywhere in the state; good luck fitting your mouth around it. The brisket sandwich is a tower of fine fatty meat topped with pickles and red onions, the latter adding a piquant boost. Chicken sandwiches are a dime a boring dozen in New Jersey; the Whole Lotta Love smoked fried chicken, with a caramel balsamic onion jam, arugula and house remoulade, dares to be different; it also comes in pulled pork, pulled chicken, turkey and brisket versions. To my mind, baked or mashed potatoes are one of the most boring foods on earth; if they tasted more like the parmesan chive mashed potatoes here, I’d eat more of them. For the record, I love sweet potatoes.
Another smoker, and a serious one at that, by the side of the road. “We will cook the swine, rain or shine” is the slogan at Bill’s BBQ, a roadside stop just east of the Purple Penguin ice cream stand. Good meaty ribs (choice of baby back or St. Louis), and his hot sauce, packed with passion and fire, is a must.
A farmers market may be the last place you’d look for killer ‘cue, but that’s where you’ll find Hambone Opera, wedged in among produce stands, butchers and bakers at the Trenton Farmers Market. Hambone Opera’s pulled pork — supremely succulent — is among the best I have sampled on my barbecue journeys, and the brisket oozes fatty goodness. Also love the spicy, vinegary BBQ sauce. The ribs are in the photo.
Nothing warms my heart more than a smoker by the side of the road. One stands proudly outside Back Alley Barbecue. Owner Ron Jones ran a barbecue stand inside Columbus Farmers Market, relocating to Pennsauken about three years ago. The menu is written in colorful chalk on the wall, and there’s a back dining room. The ribs are meaty, monstrous and marvelous, and the chicken and brisket sandwiches packed with meat. The sides are generous if not gigantic. Try the mac-n-cheese and coleslaw. You won’t walk away hungry here.
Owners David Gill and Joel Romano have known each other since kindergarten in Australia; David would go on to running the BBQ pits at Hometown BBQ in Brooklyn, while Joel worked at various Philly restaurants, including The Goat’s Beard. They opened Wildwoods BBQ in the summer of 2021. One look at the ribs and you realize they’re not playing by the usual barbecue rules; the ribs are topped with sesame seeds, pistachios, cashews, cilantro and onion. The brisket and pulled pork sandwiches are terrific, and the potato salad and cole slaw stand out in a crowded, cluttered field.
Pineapple Express is the state’s most picturesque BBQ joint, situated in the former Pig + Prince space in historic Lackawanna Station. There’s a takeout counter, bar, dining room, and stage. And quality ‘cue: the brisket is nice and fatty, just the way I like it, and the ribs are astoundingly big and meaty. And appropriately pinkish, like all low-and-slow barbecue. Anyone freaked out by pinkish pork should proceed immediately to the nearest chain BBQ restaurant.
Park in the lot behind Boss Hog and follow the smokers down the alley to the storefront. I liked this place right from the get: sauces are self-serve on a table. The pulled pork sandwich (photo) is joltingly juicy and I added coleslaw on top for a true Southern sandwich. Red onions atop the brisket added pep to that sandwich. The Memphis style ribs — a half rack consists of six mighty ribs — are recommended. Best side: baked beans. Best sauce: the pineapple habanero. They also have Alabama white barbecue sauce, not easy to find in this state.
Call Local Smoke kings of the N.J. barbecue circuit; they have won five state BBQ championships. Try the ribs, the terrific barbecue chicken, or chopped brisket. My favorite side: the fried mac-n-cheese bites. There are also locations in Cookstown, Red Bank, Sea Girt, Highlands and at Monmouth Park. One novelty: They offer CBD-infused barbecue sauces.
13. Jersey Shore BBQ, Point Pleasant Beach, East Brunswick
Doug Walsh, owner of Jersey Shore BBQ, came by barbecue the roundabout way: he was doing tech consultant work in Texas when he “fell in love with the food — brisket, ribs, intense smoking.” Back in Jersey, he started doing barbecue cookouts in his backyard. That led to catering, which led to a Belmar storefront, since closed. A second Jersey Shore BBQ location opened in 2017 in East Brunswick. There’s also an outpost in Point Pleasant Beach. I love the dry-rubbed ribs here. Super sides: the ranch beans and hand-cut fries. Don’t sleep on the wings, pleasingly plump, with their standout sauces. They made my N.J’s best wings list. The last time I stopped, for my story on the state’s best strip mall for food, Walsh showed me a giant juicy hunk of corned beef. I nearly fainted.
Back Bay is a back-road BBQ joint with a nice little outside patio. Back Bay has maybe the best dry-rubbed ribs I’ve eaten in the past four or five years. Back Bay is not in Somers Point, as the website says, but in Egg Harbor Township.
Fink’s BBQ Smokehouse is a barbecue roadhouse with a kickin’ soundtrack and smoky, charred ribs, seasoned with sass. Check out the creative specials (wild boar chili, the Flying Pig Gumbo, etc.), the inventive sides (sticky pork and pinto beans, bourbon-glazed roots, spicy Southern greens) and killer desserts.
Mutiny opened its storefront December 2021; owner Tom Dunphy had previously cooked ‘cue out of the Asbury Park Food Collective. “The freshest highest quality BBQ in the Northeast!” a sidewalk sign proclaims. The gargantuan smoker out back, which looks like something out of the 19th century with its black finish and tall smokestack, was a $14,000 custom-made model from Primitive Pits in Georgia; Dunphy towed the 1,900-pound monstrosity home with his Toyota 4Runner. The ribs, brisket and pulled pork sandwiches are all top-notch, and the potato salad and cole slaw are highly recommended. Also on the menu are turkey breast, wings (smoked, then fried), Texas-style sausage, and smoked beans. Mutiny also ranked high on our list of the state’s best chilis.
Best two blocks for food in the state? You could easily make a case for Haddon Avenue in Camden. Soul food icon Corinne’s Place and cheesesteak legend Donkey’s Place are across the street from each other; next block over is Blowin’ Smoque, which opened in 2021. Owner R’Lay Wilkerson operated a food truck in the vicinity before opening Blowin’ Smoque. ”I want to invest in the city,” he told the Courier-Post. “This building when I first bought it, it has been abandoned for like 14 years.” His joint is now jumping. My favorites here: the pulled pork sandwich, on an excellent crusty roll, and the brisket, good and fatty, on more good bread. Best side: the tangy cucumber salad, with cukes, sweet bell peppers, shredded carrots, craisins and Italian dressing.
“When Kingfish Cooks Everybody Eats” reads the sign outside Christine’s House of Kingfish. The Kingfish was a late legendary pit master who ran an open-air barbecue stand on Route 40 for many years. He was the subject of a chapter, “The King of Route 40,” in my first book, “Roadside New Jersey.” Christine’s House of Kingfish is named after his wife. Solid, honest barbecue here. The pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches, interestingly enough, are served in huge pitas. The half rack of ribs may be the biggest I’ve ever seen — 13 fat, meaty ribs with a strong, smoky flavor.
The barbecue holy trinity are ribs, pulled pork and brisket, but every once in a while you jones for a perfectly smoked barbecue chicken. You’ll get it at Fat Jack’s; check out the photo. Sooo good. If you think “diets” are for other people, order the Notorious P.I.G., with bacon, pork belly and pulled pork drizzled with Cajun maple syrup and topped with slaw. It’s a stunner of a sandwich.
Trevon Woolford is the Brisket Guy; the storefront opened about seven months ago in the former Prima Pizza space. The brisket sandwich is highly recommended — juicy, fatty, fabulous. Don’t sleep on his pulled pork sandwich, though; it’s proof you don’t need no damn sauce to make a standout pulled pork sandwich. The ribs rock, and ask for some of his pepper sauce to liven them up.
5. More Than Q, Lambertville, West Windsor
More Than Q earned my best barbecue newcomer award for 2017. Pitmaster Matt Martin operated at the Stockton Farmers Market for four years. The cozy, inviting Lambertville location opened late 2016. The brisket sandwich at More Than Q — mine was topped with house pickles and sweet peppers — may have been the best sandwich I had in 2017. The ribs are pleasantly charred.
Chris D’Addario is indeed bearded, and the line outside his Bearded One food truck on a Saturday was testament that some of the best ‘cue can be found by the side of the road, in this case, Route 33. The ribs are gloriously pink and not over-sauced, and both the pulled pork (photo) and the brisket sandwiches, both on brioche buns, feature mountains of juicy meat. The smoked wings, with a near-perfect dry rub, are proof that great wings don’t need no damn sauce. Don’t forget to order some chili; it ranked high on our list of N.J.’s best chilis.
Red White and Que was my best barbecue newcomer of 2016, a pint-sized place stashed on a largely residential street in Kearny. That location is since closed; RWQ is now in Green Brook, Takeout meats are securely wrapped in butcher paper, and the ribs deftly manage the high-wire act of tender, smoky and juicy. One must-try: the uber-thick, supremely juicy brisket sandwich. It’s one of my favorite sandwiches of any kind in the past several years.
A couple guys working inside a cramped trailer, with orders written down in a large notebook: That’s The Real Deal, on Route 31 North at Buffalo Hollow Road by Spruce Run Reservoir. The pulled pork sandwich just screams deliciousness. Tender, juicy, simply constructed, it’s the best pulled pork sandwich I’ve had in years. The brisket is equally good. And the cooked-just-right ribs are slathered in a vinegary sauce. This roadside trailer truly is the real deal.
Look at that brisket sandwich in the photo. If that doesn’t get your barbecue juices flowing, nothing will. It’s one of several standout items at KB’s Smokehouse, my choice for New Jersey’s top barbecue joint. “Put Some South in Your Mouth” is the slogan at this family-owned business. The brisket is the bomb; a tower of burnt end meat topped with red onions on Texas toast. The ribs — four hefty ones — are simply glorious. The wings: big, bad and beautiful. A sweet summer refresher: the blueberry raspberry lemonade. Right now, KB’s stands at the top of the state’s barbecue mountain. In a few months, who knows, some brash newcomer may well claim the throne.
Looking for more New Jersey food coverage? Subscribe to the free Jersey Eats newsletter here!
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.
Peter Genovese may be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter, @petegenovese. On Instagram, @peteknowsjersey and @themunchmobile.