If you go to Chicago and ask what the city's best food is, you might hear a rundown of deep-dish pizza places. In New Orleans, you might be told about several famous Creole restaurants like Commander's Palace or Arnaud's. And in Memphis, you'll hear the same few barbecue restaurants mentioned over and over again. These wildly popular places offer some of the best barbecue available anywhere, and they have grown to become famous for their Memphis-style offerings.
Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous
In Memphis, you won't get much argument from anyone if you claim that Rendezvous has the best barbecue in the world. That's because in Memphis, Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous is king. Just stop by anytime it's open and check out the crowd waiting at the back alley entrance, and you'll see how crazy the locals and tourists are about this barbecue joint.
Charlie Vergo started Rendezvous in the basement of his diner in 1948. A coal chute he discovered in the basement gave him the idea to start making ribs instead of the ham-and-cheese fare he'd been offering upstairs. The charcoal smoking method led to a barbecue legend. The bricked walls are covered in memorabilia ranging from antiques to humorous signs, and the light smell of smoke is likely to set any barbecue lover's stomach to growling. In addition to the ribs, the menu includes huge sandwiches like the chopped chicken or pork shoulder. Beef brisket and barbecued shrimp also are among the menu offerings.
Neely's
Neely's BBQ is more famous today because of its affiliation with Pat and Gina Neely and their regular appearances on the Food Network program "Down Home with the Neely's." But Neely's barbecue ribs and pulled pork were famous long before the television show began. In 1988, the Neely rothers -- Gaelin, Tony, Mark and Pat -- started a downtown Memphis eatery that consisted of a few tables and chairs and one pit. By 1992, they had to open a new East Memphis location to keep up with demand. In 2001, the Neely's decided to expand outside of Memphis and put a location in Nashville. Today, all three are successful barbecue restaurants that feature slow-cooked meats and sauces crafted by the Neely's themselves.
The original Neely's is located in the historic downtown area of Memphis and is filled floor to ceiling with family photos, memorabilia and everything you'd ever want to know about the founding family. The menu features a high-stacked pulled pork sandwich as well as barbecued bologna, smoked sausage, ribs and chicken.
Corky's
If you are a serious barbecue fan, there is a good chance you've heard of Corky's, which has restaurants in Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Indiana and New Jersey. It all started on Poplar Avenue in Memphis. Perhaps the most well-known brand of Memphis barbecue, Corky's features pulled pork and ribs smoked with a combination of hickory wood and charcoal. Corky's serves smoked meat in slabs of mouth-watering ribs, giant pork and chicken sandwiches dripping with sauce and Southern-style cole slaw. You can even order a concoction known as barbecue spaghetti, which is much better than it may sound. To make it, Corky's smothers spaghetti noodles in barbecue sauce, shredded pork and vegetables.
Tags: Charlie Vergo, pulled pork, barbecue restaurants, best barbecue, Charlie Vergo Rendezvous, Memphis location
