USA Today Names Top 10 Memphis-Style Barbecue Spots
The 10Best Readers' Choice rankings, announced October 28, place nine Memphis-area restaurants among the country's best barbecue.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Barbecue
USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards named the Top 10 Memphis-style barbecue restaurants in the United States, with nine of the 10 located in the Memphis area. Marlowe's Ribs & Restaurant ranked No. 1, followed by Germantown Commissary at No. 2.
Why it matters
The rankings combine expert nominations with reader voting, giving diners a national guide to Memphis-style barbecue. The concentration of top picks in one metro area highlights the city's standing in the regional barbecue tradition.
Nine of the 10 restaurants on the list are in the Memphis area, and the only outlier is Pappy's Smokehouse in St. Louis at No. 3. The source does not provide vote totals or the number of nominations received by each restaurant.
The players
USA Today 10Best
USA Today's 10Best is a recurring reader-voting and travel-recommendation franchise that publishes ranked lists across categories, including this barbecue ranking.
Marlowe's Ribs & Restaurant
Marlowe's Ribs & Restaurant is a Memphis barbecue restaurant that became a local favorite in 1974 and ranked No. 1 on this list.
Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous
Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous is a Memphis barbecue institution that began serving barbecue in 1948 and ranked No. 4 on this list.
The details
The list was built from nominations by a panel of experts, followed by reader voting, and draws on the 2026 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. Several honorees have long histories, including Leonard's Pit Barbecue, which dates to 1922, and Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous, which began serving barbecue in 1948.
Timeline
- 1922: Leonard's Pit Barbecue was established.
- 1948: Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous began serving barbecue.
- 1974: Marlowe's Ribs & Restaurant became a Memphis favorite.
- 1981: Germantown Commissary began serving barbecue.
- October 28, 2026: The rankings were announced.
Regional Legacy
Memphis barbecue's roots run deep, with Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous serving since 1948 and Leonard's Pit Barbecue dating to 1922. The national ranking reflects how that long-established restaurant lineage continues to shape the regional barbecue conversation.
For diners across the country, the list offers a ready-made guide to Memphis-style barbecue when planning a meal. Those visiting Memphis or St. Louis can use the ranked order to choose among the honorees.
The takeaway
Readers planning a barbecue trip can use the ranked list as a starting point, noting that most top picks cluster in the Memphis area. Checking current hours before visiting is advisable, since the source does not address operating details.
Further reading
Explore more on Barbecue to see how regional styles compare across the country.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Commercial Appeal.
