Anthony Bourdain said, “Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it’s a start.” And any barbecue lover will definitely agree with this quote. After all, there may not be anything tastier than some really good barbecue.

And here in the United States, there is no shortage of great barbecue destinations. In fact, you may find yourself planning a vacation strictly so you can try new barbecue flavors. From state-to-state and even city-to-city, you’ll find different flavors and styles of barbecue. If you’re searching for a new city to visit with some amazing barbecue, then check out these places.

• Memphis, Tennessee: If you’re heading to Memphis to try barbecue, then get ready for some pork ribs and pork shoulder. (Although, you will find other meats, too.) Memphis is known for slow-cooking their meat in a pit, and you’ll find that the meat can either be prepared “dry” or “wet.” 
  • If the meat is “dry,” it will be prepared with a rub consisting of salt and many spices. A “wet” preparation is brushed with sauce all throughout the cooking process. 
  • Here are a few restaurants you can check out:
    • Central BBQ
    • The Bar-B-Q Shop
    • Charlie Vergo’s Rendezvous
    • Cozy Corner
    • Germantown Commissary
    • Tops Bar-B-Q
• Kansas City, Missouri: If you like slow-cooked meat, prepared with a dry rub, and then covered with a tomato-based barbecue sauce, then book a flight to Kansas City. Here you’ll find they slow cook just about everything from chicken to turkey to pork and beef. And, you’ll find sauces that range from sweet and tangy to hot and spicy.
  • Need a recommendation of where to eat? Here are a few:
    • Porky’s Blazin’ Bar-B-Q
    • Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que
    • Gates Bar-B-Q
    • Arthur Bryant’s
    • Harp Barbecue 
• Austin, Texas: In Texas, beef brisket, sausage, and ribs are the most popular meats you’ll see slow cooking in a pit. Most often, in Austin, you’ll find that hickory wood is used to smoke the meat, and you’ll have a traditional tomato-based bbq sauce used on the meat. 
  • Additionally, you’ll find some fantastic side dishes like beans, potato salad, and sauerkraut to enhance your barbecue experience. And don’t be surprised if some of the best-known barbecue joints sell out early. There’s only so much room on the pit each day, and when it’s gone – it’s gone.
  • Looking for a place in Austin to try some Texas barbecue? These are some great places:
    • Franklin Barbecue
    • Leroy and Lewis
    • Terry Black’s Barbecue
    • Kerlin BBQ
    • Brown’s BBQ
    • Stiles Switch BBQ and Brew
• Lexington, North Carolina: In Lexington, North Carolina, you are going to find a plethora of pork. You’ll find it pulled, shredded, sliced, and chopped. It will be dry-rubbed and then “mopped” with a vinegar and spice mixture while smoking. It’s a unique process of smoking and is considered by many to be the original form of barbecuing here in the United States.
  • And there is no shortage of great barbecue joints to check out:
    • The Barbecue Center
    • Speedy’s Barbecue Inc.
    • Lexington Barbecue
    • Smiley’s Lexington BBQ
    • Smokey Joe’s Barbecue
    • Lexington Style Trimmings

If you speak with barbecue experts, they will tell you there are four predominant types of barbecue here in the United States:  Memphis style, Kansas City style, Texas style, and Carolina style. Of course, within each of these areas, there are also tons of variations – and you’ve got a list of some of the top places to try each of these styles. If you want to be a barbecue aficionado, then pack your stretchy pants and be prepared to try them all!