By Stefanie Gans and Rina Rapuano
Liberty Barbecue
Falls Church | Barbecue | $$
Sure, Brooklyn gets the credit, and blame, for the preciousness of today’s restaurant scene. Think kale everywhere, vintage wallpaper and esoteric cocktail names. Brooklyn also helped energize and modernize the barbecue scene, and around here, Liberty Barbecue is the borough’s legacy.
This post originally appeared in our November 2019 issue’s 50 Best Restaurants cover story. For more food reviews, subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
The Falls Church family-friendly spot (from the group of restaurants that gave us Lyon Hall and Northside Social), takes its cue from pitmasters all over the world. Find smoked chicken wings with an Alabama white sauce, Texas brisket that’s a little smokey and plenty moist, and char siu-style pork belly for a nod to Cantonese expertise.
The fried chicken, crispy and juicy, is a sure bet (practiced over the years at sister restaurant Liberty Tavern), as are the beans blessed with smoky burnt ends and fried Brussels sprouts, the true signifier of the new food world order. Thanks, Brooklyn. // 370 W. Broad St., Falls Church
