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Best of Toronto

The Best BBQ Restaurants in Toronto

Posted by Robyn Urback / July 15, 2011

BBQ Restaurants TorontoThe best BBQ restaurants in Toronto usually means a meal that ends of up on your face, hands, and clothes. That's because when you've got really smoky, moist, delicious barbecue on your hands (figuratively speaking), coordination (and personal aesthetic) falls second to taste. We seem to devolve to our most primal and adopt a "meat good--me eat" mentality, and become one with the smoked brisket, BBQ chicken, or fall-off-the-bone ribs suddenly in our possessions.

The places that have made it on this list have smoked, slow-cooked, and slathered their way to the top; but with news that Buster Rhino's is set to open up in downtown Toronto sometime soon, it seems BBQ competition is this city is certainly heating up.

Here is a list for the best BBQ restaurants in Toronto.

See also:

The best BBQ Chicken in Toronto
The best Ribs in Toronto

Top photos by Danielle Scott, Jesse Milns and Peter Henderson.

Barque Smokehouse

Barque Smokehouse

A relative newbie and already at the top. I suppose that's what happens when you master the combination of two great gluttonous loves - weekend brunch and sweet, smoky, barbecued meat. I believe Roncesvalles is effectively swooning with thoughts of candied bacon, baby back ribs, smoked chicken, and pecan pie. More »

Stockyards Smokehouse

Stockyards Smokehouse

Stockyards Smokehouse is worth the wait. And trust me, you probably will be waiting. The space is small with limited seating, but the burgers are said to be some of the best in the city. Stockyards' chicken is smoked over apple and hickory wood and the freshly cut fries are served with homemade ketchup and mayo. More »

Paul and Sandy's

Paul and Sandy's

Paul and Sandy's is Etobicoke's answer to fall-off-the-bone ribs and tender BBQ brisket. Their secret is no secret to those who know great barbecue - slow cooking their meat over freshly cut wood (hickory). Paul and Sandy's boasts a 12-hour pork shoulder, a 18-hour beef brisket, along with sides including homemade cornbread, coleslaw, and fries. More »

Highway 61

Highway 61

Highway 61 unites local craft beer with live blues to create that authentic Southern barbecue feel. Of course, the slow-cooked pulled pork, Mississippi-style baby back ribs, and famed deep-fried onion rings have something to do with the draw, along with Highway 61's signature 61 barbecue sauce. More »

Smokin Hick's

Smokin Hick's

Another newbie, this east end joint has grown famous for its Meal Deals, which feed four to eight people with pounds of brisket, pulled pork, and whole slabs of ribs. Smokin Hick's smokes its meats over freshly cut hickory, each served with one of five homemade sauces. More »

Phil's Original BBQ

Phil's Original BBQ

Phil's Original BBQ has mastered that truly smoky flavour. And its reputation in the College/Ossington area is a testament to that success. Phil's will serve its ribs, chicken, pork shoulder and beef brisket both dry (without sauce) or with any of its homemade sauces. Real Phil's fans come wearing the hat. More »

Memphis Smokehouse

Memphis Smokehouse

Memphis Smokehouse takes its cues from its namesake, where the owners of the North York smokehouse learned the tricks of the barbecue trade. Memphis Smokehouse offers hickory-smoked BBQ chicken, pulled pork, brisket, and ribs, along with live jazz and other dining room events. More »

Lou Dawg's

Lou Dawg's

The ribs at Lou Dawg's beg for a napkin in the collar. Smothered in sauce, you're so busy trying to get at the goodness you don't realize you've effectively marinated your own chin. Sandwiches offer an easier eating experience with that great smoky taste, and pair well with freshly cut regular or sweet potato fries. More »

Discussion

18 Comments

Sizzleman / July 15, 2011 at 09:49 am
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Backalley is awesome and underrated - too bad it looks like shit in there.
SNACKeR / July 15, 2011 at 09:50 am
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As the map clearly shows, the east end is starving for good BBQ. If I was not already gainfully employed, I would seriously consider tapping that market...
mikeb / July 15, 2011 at 10:33 am
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What a relief! In 10 years, Toronto has gone from having only 1 passable bbq restaurant (Phils) and a couple pretenders that use smoke to cook their food to this list of 9. And this is only within 416. There are more that would crack this list if it were expanded to include the 905. Plus there will be at least one more opening up soon on St Clair W.

Awesome!
morga / July 15, 2011 at 10:59 am
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Highway 61 !!!! LOL , I have literally not have worse BBQ in my life. It isn't real BBQ. You'd be better off going to Montana's, SERIOUSLY. People in Leaside must be the biggest suckers in the city.
SNACKeR replying to a comment from morga / July 15, 2011 at 12:21 pm
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I don't think you will find much consensus on what "real BBQ" is; there are many regional differences, and let's hope Toronto develops its own signature. In terms of quality and taste, I think Highway 61 deserves a place on the list.

Can you name a place you do like?
BH / July 15, 2011 at 12:28 pm
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Paul and Sandy's are a true hidden gem, but getting more popular. They get overwhelmed at times by customers but the quality and quantity of the food is worth it if you are patient.

Ed / July 15, 2011 at 01:23 pm
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Lou Dawgs....really. Ketchup on Sysco deliver meat, worst POS ever and I tried it twice to make sure.

Why do some people put up with mediocrity?
morga replying to a comment from SNACKeR / July 15, 2011 at 02:36 pm
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Snacker- I don't think you've ever been to a place that actually uses a BBQ if you consider Highway 61 to be BBQ. There is a little thing that ALL regions of BBQ have and that is SMOKE flavor and flavor in general. This place has neither. There is no way they are doing real southern BBQ like they claim to. Its a joke. They are the laughing stock of everyone who knows anything about the subject (not that many people, but the list of people in Toronto who know what true BBQ is is growing)
Barque, stockyards, and Buster Rhinos are my places of choice in the GTA, but they still don't compare to any of the best of the states or other countries BBQ for that matter.
I'm not standing up and screaming Toronto has no BBQ, because we have come a long way in the last few years, but please don't call Highway 61 good.
I went twice and both times the pulled pork had no flavor, so dry I was farting dust later. The beef ribs were not trimmed of 2 inch thick piece of fat and also had no smoke flavor. The ribs were ok, but once again, no smoke!
Adam / July 15, 2011 at 03:08 pm
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Give that this is a website with theoretically unlimited space for text and not, say, a neon sign, how about class it up a little and write out "barbecue"? Or am I alone in finding gratuitous abbreviations and acronyms jarring to read?
loper replying to a comment from Adam / July 15, 2011 at 03:50 pm
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Because everyone calls it BBQ... I can't remember the last time I saw it written out. (Also why google has double the results for BBQ than Barbecue)
Adam replying to a comment from loper / July 15, 2011 at 05:34 pm
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And the first Google result for "BBQ" is Wikipedia's correctly spelled entry for "Barbecue."

Which makes sense, because Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, not a road sign.

Again, there's a difference between "everyone" calling it BBQ, which is just fine, versus a print or web publication like BlogTO, which should use actual English and call it "barbecue."

Yes, I'm being a picky, obnoxious nerd about a style issue. But I enjoy reading BlogTO here and there, and why not contribute my feedback with the aim of helping it present itself credibly?
Telia replying to a comment from Ed / July 16, 2011 at 06:15 pm
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Have to agree with Ed- Lou Dawg's is embarrassingly bad, the sliders are a pathetic size and not worth the money they're charging. I think it's suitable for yuppies in the area that think it's "delicious" "authentic" BBQ when undoubtedly, it's far from it.
Visualhornet / July 18, 2011 at 06:07 pm
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Only reson Lou dawg makes the list is because there's only 10 places where u can get "BBQ" in this city. BlogTO do a best calzone or panzo please.
Oren / July 22, 2011 at 11:56 am
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Phil from Phil's BBQ is hosting an exclusive event on allepic.com teaching participants how to cook their own slow smoked BBQ!

Checkout http://allepic.com/experiences/43 for more info.
UGGS UK / August 18, 2011 at 09:52 am
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I love educationnews
SNEAKERS SHOP / August 18, 2011 at 09:57 am
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I love educationnews TO
SNEAKERS SHOP / August 18, 2011 at 09:58 am
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I love BLOGTO
SNEAKERS SHOP / August 18, 2011 at 09:59 am
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I love educationnews blogto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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