Breaking News: Southern Living’s list of Top 50 Barbecue Joints of 2023 was just released and 3 Alabama establishments are included.

According to Southern Living, “It’s time once again for Southern Living’s annual list of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in the South. I spent much of the past year buzzing down Interstate highways and navigating winding back roads as I revisited old favorites and checked out new contenders for the list. Here’s what I’ve concluded after all those thousands of miles and pound after pound of smoked meats: the South has a lot of really, really good barbecue, and it just gets better each year.”

Here are the 3 Alabama barbecue joints included:

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q

According to Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, “Widely recognized as one of the oldest and most prestigious barbecue restaurants in the world, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q was founded in Decatur, AL in 1925. Bob Gibson was an L & N railroad worker who honed his cooking skills on the weekends, in a hand dug barbecue pit.

Along with delicious smoked meats, he became famous for his Original BBQ White Sauce. Five generations of pitmasters & over 90 years of barbecuing, they’ve earned 15 World BBQ Championships (Pork, Brisket, Ribs, Chicken) and 5 Memphis in May World BBQ Grand Championships.”

Archibald’s BBQ

According to Archibald’s BBQ, “The lore surrounding Archibald & Woodrow’s Barbeque is almost as thick and delicious as its eponymous sauce. After opening in 1962, Archibald & Woodrow’s Barbeque was just a mom-and-pop joint run by George and Betty Archibald.

Legend even has it that in the early days famed football coach Bear Bryant frequented the eatery, no doubt leaving with the occasional hot wing tucked under his iconic houndstooth hat. Though they started small, half a century and three generations worth of experience have seen the Archibald family spread their recipes far and wide, gaining acclaim from The New York Times, Good Morning America, and Southern Living Magazine.

George’s and Betty’s successors still use the same hickory wood to add a smoky richness to their meat and sauce. This imparts crispiness to outer layers of rib slabs while leaving pulled pork moist and tender, like a beaux professing his love and shuffling to remain dramatically under the oscillating sprinkler.

The staff serves their primary fare with bread and a choice of two sides—fried green tomatoes offer a tangy counterpoint to fried catfish, and slaw adds a creamy balance to the spicy flavors of half-chickens and hot wings.”

Dreamland BBQ

According to Dreamland, “It all started with a Dream… and it was in that dream that God visited John “Big Daddy” Bishop and told him to open a restaurant. Mr. Bishop obliged and opened the original Dreamland in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1958. In the early years, the restaurant sold everything from burgers to postage stamps. It was their hickory-fired ribs, however, that quickly became the local favorite.

Soon, barbecue lovers from all over the country began dropping by to enjoy Dreamland’s iconic ribs, white bread, and BBQ sauce. More than 60 years later, they still do. While Dreamland has grown over the years, Mr. Bishop’s incredible story and love for the community remain at the forefront of everything we do. It’s why we proudly say, ‘Ain’t nothing like ’em nowhere.'”

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