Whether you like it vinegary, barky, mustardy or vegan-jackfruity, barbecue is a classic summer bite. But where to go, if your goal in life is to devour ‘cue till you happily pop?
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Travel + Leisure interviewed barbecue experts about what’s worth the drive for its new story, “10 Best Places to Visit in the U.S. for Barbecue, According to Pitmasters and Chefs.” There are some interesting conclusions. One, a Kentucky city has made a big name for itself by cooking mutton barbecue. And California is held in high esteem by barbecue heads, scoring not one but two spots on the list.
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“California’s original barbecue style lives a couple hours up the coast (from SoCal), where Santa Maria-style tri-tip cooks over red oak,” writes the magazine. Must-hit spots on the Central Coast include The Hitching Post, Cold Spring Tavern and Priedite BBQ, whose owners are ranchers making vaquero-style barbecue with their own cattle.
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Travel + Leisure’s best places in the U.S. for barbecue
1 Austin, Texas
2 Lockhart, Texas
3 Kansas City, Missouri
4 Memphis, Tennessee
5 North Alabama
6 Owensboro, Kentucky
7 Asheville, North Carolina
8 Charleston, South Carolina
9 Southern California
10 Central Coast, California
Source: Travel + Leisure
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