5 Great American Barbecue Restaurants

Proclaiming any barbecue restaurant as the "best" is fraught with peril. Regional variations and preferences in "'cue" can be as hotly charged and contested as politics. Do you mean the best Texas barbecue? Or the best North Carolina barbecue? And was that western or eastern North Carolina? Whether your tastes run to a sweet Kansas City rib rub or a piquant Piedmont mopping sauce, here are five of America's best barbecue restaurants, where the grills, pits and smokers have become legendary among locals and devotees alike. I know, there are plenty more out there. I'd like to hear about your favorite barbecue joints.

1. Arthur Bryant's - Kansas City, Missouri; Kansas City, Kansas: Kansas City is synonymous with barbecue, thanks to institutions such as Arthur Bryant's. Celebrity diners including Wilt Chamberlain and Robert Redford have flocked to Bryant's for plates of slow-smoked barbecue, cooked with care over hickory and oak wood.
2. Big Bob Gibson BBQ - Decatur, Alabama: This Decatur, Alabama, establishment has been serving happy diners for more than 80 years. Gibson's house sauce is a peppery, mayonnaise-based dunk that coats the restaurant's carefully cooked chickens.
3. Angelo's Barbecue - Fort Worth, Texas: For more than 50 years, Angelo's has been serving up barbecued ham, salami, beef, chicken, turkey and more to its Fort Worth, Texas, patrons. Founder Angelo George's dry rub recipe and hickory-smoked meats keep folks coming back for more.
4. Neely's Bar-B-Que - Memphis, Tennessee: Although Neely's has been serving up its Memphis-style barbecue for barely more than 10 years, it's created a following that belies its relatively short tenure in the industry. This family-run venture specializes in pork spare ribs and other hickory-smoked offerings including chicken and chopped or sliced beef.
5. The Pit - Raleigh, North Carolina: The Pit is dedicated to preserving the traditions of North Carolina barbecue and does so with fierce devotion. This establishment specializes in whole hog barbecue, using pigs raised on organic farms and cooked slow over charcoal and wood.