Home of the One and Only Kansas City #BBQBible!
Home of the One and Only Kansas City #BBQBible!
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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!
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: 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.
Everything but the Bread
Every year thousands travel to Kansas City to try the best that the World Capital of Barbeque has to offer. With over a hundred spots to choose from, locals and travels alike visit a number of barbeque restaurants, joints, stands, trucks, and pop-ups, and enjoy a variety of sauces, sides, and smoked meats. Regardless of where they choose to eat or what they order, nearly every single sandwich and tray in the city is united by a common thread. Everyone in KC seems to know it, but nobody really acknowledges KCQ’s best supporting actor.
Bar-V-Que
Barbeque is a community food. It is best when shared with others. And yet? Not every member of every community eats meat. Year after year, vegetarianism becomes more popular in the United States. And whether it’s a lifestyle, or just for a meal, more and Kansas City pitmasters are flexing their creative muscles to serve up Kansas City flavors that are inclusive to a much wider audience. These are some of the best places to enjoy bar-v-que in the city.