You don’t have to trek to North Carolina, Texas, or the Midwest to find barbecue that melts in your mouth and leaves you hungering for more. Here’s where you can find the best barbecue, right here in NoVA.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. At least that’s what the creators of clichés would have us believe. But it can be a challenge to find memorable smoked food in our region. A roadside smoker does not always lead to a worthwhile experience. That’s why we’ve traveled all over Northern Virginia to track down the best barbecue. From Korean-style pork belly to a pastrami burger, you’ll find something to stoke your meaty desires here.
Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster Barbeque
Mixon, a specialist in whole-hog cookery in competition, opened a new spot in Dunn Loring this year. Scoop up a pulled pork sandwich filled with the chunky meat along with the pleasantly sweet peach baked beans.
Order This: Pulled pork, peach baked beans
2670 Avenir Pl., Vienna
Texas Jack’s Barbecue
Barbecue for brunch? On Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., diners take part in precisely that, at the one-time Washington Post No. 1 barbecue spot. Get your huevos rancheros with the moist brisket, but don’t miss pairing it with penny mimosas. A sipper with your serving of meat all but assures a cheerful weekend.
Order This: Brisket, huevos rancheros
2761 Washington Blvd., Arlington
Monk’s BBQ
This country outpost attracts meat lovers and carbohydrate cravers in near-equal measure. That’s because its custard-filled cornbread is rightfully famous. But don’t miss the cured brisket that produces one of the juiciest pastramis around. Uncured brisket is a notable order, worthy of a central Texas pit. The smoked cheeseburger is no slouch, either.
Order This: Pastrami, brisket cheeseburger
251 N. 21st St., Purcellville
Smokecraft Modern Barbecue
Competition pitmaster Andrew Darneille could have opened a classic barbecue restaurant. But what fun would that be? His innovative take on smoke means applying different woods to the appropriate ingredients, whether it’s for applewood-smoked spaghetti squash or for chocolate cherry bread pudding complemented by a whisper of cherry smoke.
Order This: Barbacoa tacos, chocolate cherry bread pudding
1051 N. Highland St., Arlington
The Pit Stop
Comforting soul food is the order of the day at this pair of outlets run by the Thomas family. That means that, while the ribs are outstandingly smoky, some of the best bites never made it into the eponymous pit. The fried chicken wings and pungently cheddar-spiked mac and cheese do their best to distract diners from the high-level ’cue. Why not just order it all?
Order This: Ribs, mac and cheese (at Sterling location)
46230 Cranston St., Sterling; Gilberts Corner Farmers Market, at intersection of U.S. 50 and U.S. 15, Aldie (weekends only)
Sloppy Mama’s Barbeque
Few barbecue purveyors have vegans on their minds. Pitmaster Joe Neuman is an exception. Diners love the central Texas–style brisket and Carolina-style pulled pork, but even folks who haven’t touched meat in years enjoy his smoky stylings in the form of chipotle-sauced jackfruit. It’s even better paired with tangy, spicy Salvadoran slaw known as curtido.
Order This: Jackfruit, Salvadoran curtido
5731 Langston Blvd., Arlington
Odd BBQ
You know you’re in for something different when the best items on the menu include housemade kimchi. The Hawaiian-style plate lunches here, complete with furikake-dusted mounds of sticky rice, may entice, but don’t let that distract you from the quality of the lush proteins, overseen by Nick Giorno, previously of much-missed fine-dining restaurant Mokomandy.
Order This: Spicy pork belly plate, cheesy biscuit
4520 Daly Dr., Chantilly
Sweet Fire Donna’s Barbecue and Hops
Think health care is the opposite of running a barbecue joint? Don’t tell that to “Sweet Fire” Donna Anderson, the proprietor of this brew-focused restaurant. She went from nursing to serving burnt ends over her fully loaded nachos. Health-conscious folks are in luck here; lighter menu options don’t skimp on flavor and include white chili and a hearty smoked turkey salad with dried cranberries and goat cheese.
Order This: Pitmaster’s Nachos, Sweet Fire Gumbo
510 John Carlyle St., Alexandria
Carolina Brothers Pit BBQ
At most restaurants, the words “barbecue” and “bargain” have long since parted. Not so at this spot on the W&OD Trail. Here, the Gorey family proffers barbecue pork sandwiches for as little as $7.50. The meat is plenty flavorful on its own, but don’t be shy about bathing it in the vinegar-based sauce.
Order This: Pork BBQ sandwich, housemade blondies
20702 Ashburn Rd., Ashburn
Ruthie’s All-Day
Ruthie Hill was known for her Southern country cooking, at least by her family. Her grandson, Matt Hill, has brought her culinary flair far more attention with his restaurant, where he was a semifinalist for James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. The meat-and-three concept means the sides are plentiful and excellent, but you’re here for the ’cue. Order anything from brisket to crispy cauliflower for the whiff of smoke you want.
Order This: Sticky spareribs, smoked Crescent Farms duck
3411 Fifth St. S., Arlington
Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company
John Snedden debuted his small local chain in DC in 1990, and has been doling out homecooked-style meals ever since. Unusual finds like grilled lamb and catfish join the likely suspects on the menu, but for a taste of our region, order the pit beef, one of the best this side of Maryland. Cool down the Pit Beef Caliente sandwich with housemade lemonade.
Order This: Pit beef, minted cucumber salad
25 S. Quaker Ln., Alexandria; 3471 Washington Blvd., Arlington
Mookie’s BBQ
Want your barbecue stacked onto a burger? Who doesn’t? Mookie’s Burger includes a heavy crown of pulled pork, along with melted cheddar, pickled jalapeños, and chicken-fried onion rings. But keep your eyes open for days when this restaurant serves house-smoked pastrami. Layered over a half-pound Angus patty, the cured meat creates something between a memorable burger and a soaring deli sandwich.
Order This: Mookie’s Burger, collard greens
1141 Walker Rd., Great Falls
Billiken’s Smokehouse at The Chimneys
Diners go whole hog under a chandelier in the historic Georgian domicile that’s home to a busy smoker. Start with a steaming skillet filled with smoked Gouda pimiento cheese piled with pulled pork and cornbread or pork rind nachos made with skins fried in-house. Share The Chimney Stack with someone you love: The oversized sourdough tartine combines pulled pork, pork belly, brisket, tomato, and sausage with a fried egg.
Order This: Smoked brie, The Chimney Stack
623 Caroline St., Fredericksburg
Allman’s Bar-B-Q
Fans have been bellying up to the counter for seven decades, but don’t think this smoke shack is a relic — the chopped brisket is alive and well and living in Fredericksburg. Not feeling smoky? Both hot dogs and burgers are treated to a scalding bath in the deep fryer for a compelling crispness.
Order This: The PitMaster, Allman’s Slaw Dog
1299 Emancipation Hwy., Fredericksburg
Related stories:
- Barbecue Champ Myron Mixon Shares His Award-Winning Recipes
- 5 NoVA BBQ Side Dishes That Are Meals in Their Own Right
- Myron Mixon Ignites Vienna with New BBQ Joint
Feature image of Texas Jack’s Barbecue by Michael Butcher
This story originally ran in our April issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
