QUEEN CITY

QUEEN CITYBBQ


While Cincinnati may lack its own distinctive style, smoke kings all over town are putting out saucy adaptations and reinterpretations that cement our love for summer's favorite food group. Get a load of these 45 joints, fests, watering holes, and food trucks to see what we mean.


By Katie Coburn, John Fox, Kara Hagerman, Patrick Murphy, Kaileigh Peyton, Laurie Pike, Kevin Schultz, and Amanda Boyd Walters

15 Smoke-Tastic Barbecue Joints

Round up your crew and get ready for some real good barbecue.

All Hail These Two Rib Masters

Montgomery Inn may be the Ribs King, but Walt's Hitching Post in Ft. Wright also has a strong claim on the crown. Here's the tale of the tape.

Five Finger-Lickin’-Good Festivals to Put on Your Calendar

Lots of backyard barbecue pitmasters take their game to the next level by entering competitions. If you're a fan, add these events to your summer fun.

Four Barbecue Spots Where Spirits and Smoke Mix

Need a drink with your barbecue? These breweries can hook you up.

Holy Smokes BBQ Competition’s Brian Austing Teaches High Schoolers Life Lessons from the Pit

The Our Lady of Victory fund-raiser’s cofounder reveals first-year competition blunders and teaches Oyler High School students cooking and career skills.

Jim Emig, of Jim Dandy’s Family BBQ, Knows a Thing or Two About Smoking...

After three decades in the pit, Jim Emig knows the secrets of smoking meat the right way. Heed his advice to mind your Bs and Qs.

Muhammad Munir Is an Anesthesiologist Turned BBQ Cook-Off Champ

The physician-slash-pitmaster led his team Cinci Halal BBQ to the grand prize at last year’s Kosher BBQ Fest with a little help from his patients.

Six Barbecue Food Trucks Worth Chasing Down

Good barbecue doesn't just come from restaurants. These smokers-on-wheels dish out their specialty items from parking places all over town.

Sweets & Meats Co-Owner Kristen Bailey Has Service in Her Blood

The Mt. Washington native talks supporting her neighborhood, winning a prestigious business award, and working 19 hour shifts—while loving every second of it.

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