Spotlight on St.Louis, MO BBQ

St.Louis - Bar-B-Que Honor Roll

Here's an outsider's opinion.  What's yours? Kindly submit your comments to this post on my blog.

This Midwestern city is best known for its arch, baseball team and Busch beer (you must take the brewery tour).  However, it's time to awaken this culinary giant.  One would think nestled so nicely between two BBQ Meccas in Kansas City and Memphis that talent would escape these hotbeads of pork heaven and export this hickory knowledge elsewhere.  St.Louis it turns out has a rich tradition of slow smoked pork, beef and chicken.  Let's explore the short list of the best BBQ in the area:

1.  Rib City - 1090 Old Des Peres Road, Des Peres, MO. This professional cook-off, award winning staff offers the usual BBQ menu (ribs, chicken, beef, pork, turkey) including baby back ribs for the novice and ignorant.

2.  Pappy's Smokehouse - 3106 Olive Blvd. St. Louis, MO.  A Travel Channel celebrity has a well earned reputation for ribs, beef, pork, turkey and chicken.  One word of caution: Pappy's don't believe in leftovers.  So they usually run of the good stuff during dinner on weekdays and earlier for the weekends.  Go for lunch and be safe.

3.  Bandana's BBQ -9500 Manchester Road, St.Louis, MO.  Offering the usual slowed cooked, smoked goodness.  Bandana also has a few fish items on menu.  However, ordering this would be a violation of Prime Directive: Do not order from menu items that do not represent a restaurant's passion, e.g. Steak from a seafood restaurant, Fish from a BBQ joint.

4.  Phil's BBQ - 115 W 5th St, Eureka, MO. Nothing special just what you expect. Good BBQ with some Italian items also like pizza.  Not sure if Phil has the soul of a BBQ smokehouse.  BBQ on pizza and spaghetti has been officially outlawed in 7 Southern States ... really.

5. 17th Street Bar and Grill - 1711 West US Highway 50, O'Fallon, IL (30 minutes from St Louis airport).  Tempted to disqualify 17th for their preference of beef and baby back ribs over YES St.Louis style ribs.  The folks got too many awards and mentioned too often on Food TV and Travel Channel to ignore but common on.  They really need to do some soul searching and get back on the path to righteousness.