Restaurant Review: Sampling Atlanta’s
Best Barbeque – Just in time for National
BBQ Month
By Dr. Megan Hodgkiss
Hodgkiss Consulting, LLC
[email protected]
“Barbeque tells us many things. It
tells us of tradition, family and com-
munity…” So begins the presenta-
tion at Barbeque Nation, an exhibit
currently on display at the Atlanta
History Center. Georgia’s relation-
ship with barbeque can be traced
back thousands of years. Originally
known as “barbacoa” in the Carib-
bean and “babbake” in West Africa,
the practices of smoking, spicing
and saucing meat began to blend
during the 16th century as these civi-
lizations migrated across the globe.
The first written appearance of the
word “barbeque” occurred in the
16th Century.
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April/May 2019
In the U.S., barbeque is a style
of cooking, a type of food and an
event that brings the community
together. It can also be the source
of heated food rivalries, as with
the different methods of preparing
Southern barbeque. Carolina bar-
beque, for example, is more of a
whole-hog cooking method with a
spicy vinegar-based sauce. Kan-
sas City barbeque leans towards
a spicy, slow-smoked meat over a
variety of woods, served in a thick
tomato-based sauce. Memphis bar-
beque is typically slow-cooked in a
pit with a tomato sauce tasting of
meat, smoke, and vinegar. Texas
barbeque is commonly slow-cooked
over a direct, open fire and features
a hickory-flavored, tomato-based
sauce.
Where does Georgia barbeque
stand among the Southern barbe-
culture? According to Barbeque Na-
tion, Georgia is at “a crossroads of
national and international migration
[with] Atlanta’s BBQ restaurants pro-
viding a diverse mix of styles and
seasonings.” With the month of May
being National Barbeque Month,
now is the perfect time to explore
Atlanta’s barbeque scene and see
what the top-rated barbeque res-
taurants have to offer.