Home of the One and Only Kansas City #BBQBible!
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FCS: Best of 2024
No matter how aware I am of it, this exact article sneaking up on me is becoming a bit of an annual tradition. I am always thankful for this time to reflect on the year that was. So as I recount the “Best of 2024”, and the “Biggest Loss” of the year, it is important to remember that the places named within were not necessarily the very best in KC of a given category or that they were brand new, they were just the best of things that were brand new to me. That distinction is always important.
Shipping Off to Austin
In certain parts of this great nation, barbeque is so much more than food—it’s a religion. Ribs, briskets, and sausages are meant not only to be consumed but revered. Here in Kansas City, we know this all too well. But the burden of my curiosity left me wanting more, so when the chance presented itself to dig into the offerings of another barbeque mecca, I had to take the leap. This is the story of my smoke-filled odyssey through Central Texas.
Devan’s (Double) Dozen: BBQ Edition, Part II
After a year that took me to nearly every barbeque restaurant, joint, stand, pop-up, and concept in the Kansas City metro, a lot of readers were left asking the one question I had failed to answer, “Which is best?” Here in Kansas City, talking about barbeque is as common as discussing the weather or the local sports team, but far more precarious. The BBQ joint one person swears by will be the one another swears they won’t visit again. That didn’t stop me from weighing in with the first-ever double edition of Devan’s Dozen. This part contains a countdown from #12 to #1!
Devan’s (Double) Dozen: BBQ Edition, Part I
After a year that took me to nearly every barbeque restaurant, joint, stand, pop-up, and concept in the Kansas City metro, a lot of readers were left asking the one question I had failed to answer, “Which is best?” Here in Kansas City, talking about barbeque is as common as discussing the weather or the local sports team, but far more precarious. The BBQ joint one person swears by will be the one another swears they won’t visit again. That didn’t stop me from weighing in with the first-ever double edition of Devan’s Dozen. This part contains a countdown from #24 to #13!
Head for the Hill
A few years ago, when I proposed a Monopoly board layout for KC and included Strawberry Hill, a friend asked, “What’s a Strawberry Hill”. This vibrant Slavic and Latin American community in KCK has a rich history and is full of fantastic spots but even those who may have been to one or two spots have never dug in. Hopefully this highlight reel of Strawberry Hill favorites changes that.
2Q23 in Review
A year ago, I wrote to you, my readers, about a dramatic shift for this website in 2023. I declared 2Q23 to be the “Year of the Pit”. After a year that took me to every single BBQ joint in the metro worth visiting, and writing the most comprehensive guide to KC BBQ ever assembled, I sit back and reflect on the year that was 2Q23.
FCS: Best of 2023
For me, this edition of Fountain City Superlatives is always special as I get a chance to recap the year that I had. However, after a year of focusing on almost-exclusively barbeque, I worried that I may not have much more to give. Thankfully, that was not the case. This breaks down the best new things I tried in Kansas City in 2023. Some of the categories you know and love are missing. Some others are brand new. But here lies a, mostly, non-barbeque recap of my year.
FCS: BBQ Sides
Oftentimes, my recommendation on what BBQ joint a person should try is simply based on the question of “What do you like?” While that typically is all about the meats, the fact is that the side dishes are just as much a part of the barbeque experience. Typically, BBQ restaurants aren’t judged on everything else but as a follow up to my meat rankings, I decided to rank, well, everything else that can be found at KC BBQ joints.
FCS: The Meats
“With great palate comes great responsibility.” Perhaps that was not the line exactly as Ben Parker famously delivered it, but does it not hold true? Oftentimes, my recommendation on what BBQ joint a person should try is simply based on the question of “What do you like?” With that in mind, after a year that took me to every BBQ joint worth visiting, this column names the best BBQ joints in the metro, based on the cuts of meat where each spot excels.