9.2
Central BBQ
$$Midtown, Midtown
The Midtown original that reset modern Memphis 'cue
slow-smokedhickorydry-rub
9.6/ 10
0 reviews“The city's most famous pit, and its Memphis-style dry-rub benchmark.”
Mike Emerson's Midtown smokehouse smokes over apple and cherry wood and serves ribs with a lacquered bark and a clean, spice-forward rub. Get there early; when the meat runs out, the doors close.
Know Before You Go
- Price
- Mid-range ($$)
- Don't miss
- Memphis-Style Dry-Rub Ribs, Burnt Ends, and Pulled Pork
What to Order
1
Memphis-Style Dry-Rub Ribs2
Burnt Ends3
Pulled Pork4
Sweet Potato FriesWhy It Stands Out
Since 2008, Pappy's has been the pit that put modern St. Louis barbecue on the national map — its Memphis-style dry-rub ribs have been ranked among the country's best and sell out most afternoons.
Quick Facts
- Address
- 3106 Olive St, St. Louis, MO 63103
- Phone
- (314) 535-4340
- Website
- www.pappyssmokehouse.com/
- Price Range
- $$
Back to Best BBQ in Memphis
Good to Know
Pappy's Smokehouse — Frequently Asked Questions
What should I order at Pappy's Smokehouse?
Regulars point to Memphis-Style Dry-Rub Ribs, Burnt Ends, Pulled Pork, and Sweet Potato Fries.
Is Pappy's Smokehouse expensive?
Pappy's Smokehouse is mid-range ($$).
What kind of barbecue does Pappy's Smokehouse serve?
Pappy's Smokehouse serves St. Louis barbecue — St. Louis barbecue is its own animal, built on the pork steak, the crispy pork snoot, and the St. Louis-cut spare rib, finished with a sweet, sticky, tomato-based sauce. The tradition leans closer to grilling and long backyard smokes than to the all-day pit cooking of Texas, and it carries a deep soul-food lineage on the city's North Side.
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