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Who doesn't love a good dose of barbecue? Thankfully, here in Florida we have plenty of great spots to get your barbecue on. Now, one Texas food expert has tasted BBQ from all over the country, and he's picked his favorite spots throughout the U.S. What's really cool is that not one but two Florida BBQ places have been named among the best BBQ spots in the U.S. by this expert.
Delicious Florida BBQ Spots, According to Food Experts
Daniel Vaughn is a reporter with the Texas Monthly. They know their BBQ down in Texas, of course. He has spent countless days, weeks and months eating across America in search of the best Texas-style barbecue in the country that isn't in Texas. He ate at 149 food spots in 37 states and picked the 53 best spots. According to the publication, it's "his first-ever list of 53 national barbecue joints that excel in the time-honored craft of slow-cooked meats smoked with the full flavors of hardwoods like hickory and oak.It's a craft in which the meat, especially beef, shines and brisket is king."
"What I hope people can see from the list is the power of Texas barbecue itself and how influential it has become across the country," Vaughn said. "When I first started [my career], I couldn't find fifty Texas-style barbecue joints, period, but now, there are too many to be able to get to them all."
Almost all of his top picks, named the United States of Texas Barbecue, were in the southern areas of the country, but it's worth noting that one stop in New York state and one in Los Angeles, California, made the cut. Moo’s Craft Barbecue in Los Angeles came in at No. 4 on the tally, while Southern Junction in Buffalo, New York, came in at No. 6.
So, which spot made the cut as the best in America? No. 1 on his tally is Palmira Barbecue in Charleston, South Carolina. On their official website, they state, "A menu at Palmira BBQ in Charleston that produces high quality items from top to bottom. Serving high quality meats and flavorful, carefully crafted sides." No. 2 on the roster is Prime Barbecue in Knightdale, North Carolina.
Truth be told, no Florida BBQ restaurant was included on its initial list, but the good news is that two Florida BBQ spots made the cut for "honorable mentions." Those two are ABBQ Meat & Drink in Atlantic Beach, located at 461 Atlantic Boulevard, and The Brisket Shoppe, located at 3501 N. Armenia Avenue in Tampa. It's great to see all of these locally-owned spots getting some love, including one so close to home. Now, I want some BBQ.
