Kansas City, MO – There are things that are known. That Kansas City is the best at BBQ is one of those things. Just ask almost anyone around the City of Fountains, and they'll tell you so.
Another known thing – companies looking to get their name out there like to make internet lists. Recently, a national lawn care company made one of these lists - surveying 199 of the largest cities in the US to find the best BBQ city – we know where this is going – and Kansas City was crowned the king. Natch!
“What are the key ingredients of the best BBQ city? Award-winning barbecue restaurants and chefs, experience hosting a ‘master-level’ competition, multiple barbecue festivals, and high fan ratings, among others,” the website highlights.
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The number one city – far and away – was Kansas City. It wasn't even close.
"Sorry, Memphis. Kansas City tops our list of the Best BBQ Cities. With far more winners in the World Series of Barbecue contests and the second-highest number of national excellence awards, the Heart of America is a powerhouse for quality brisket and burnt ends," reads the website.
Strangely enough, the list dings Kansas City for a lack of access to barbecue restaurants. Huh? That literally makes no sense.
There are more than 100 BBQ restaurants in the Kansas City Metro. You know the big names: Gates, Jack Stack, Joe's KC, Q 39, Arthur Bryants, LC's, etc. Big names, little places, hole-in-the-wall spots... almost too many to list. You want Kansas City BBQ? It's easy to find.
Chicago came in a distant second, Houston was third.
The rest of the Top 10 according to the list: Cincinnati, Memphis, Louisville, St. Louis, New York, Minneapolis, and would you look at that? Overland Park came in at number 10 (we'll let them have the ranking, even though the city is part of the Greater Kansas City Metro).
Wanna learn more about BBQ in KC? The barbecue we eat in Kansas City, with the oh so special sauces, can be traced back to Henry Perry, who in the early 1920s started smoking up 'cue in an outdoor pit next to his streetcar barn, and serving it up in newspapers.
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