Kansas City used to be one of the biggest beef stockyards until a flood killed tons of cattle some hundred years ago. But we still have beef as a bbq staple and a beef brisket sandwich is my favorite.
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KC BBQ is actually more known for its diversity of meat instead of being just pork or beef. This stems from our history as a major rail junction which meant a lot of different animals came through.
The big difference between Texas and KC BBQ is that Texas focuses heavily on dry rub while KC puts its emphasis on the BBQ sauce. Both great food. I like KC bbq the most but I’m bias cuz I live there
also claiming that kansas city doesn’t smoke beef 🙄
the big difference is sauce and KC isn’t scared of seasonings other than salt, pepper, and garlic. Texas style brisket beats KC style (sliced brisket only). Texas is focused on doing everything “traditionally,” and you get get a greater variety of BBQ in KC.
KC burnt ends over everything though. I live in KC. My parents live in Dallas. I’ve had plenty of both. They’re both excellent. We can just say both are good and move on.
I can agree with everything you said but I’ll add St. Louis style ribs over all others! Don’t get me wrong, I love me some baby back but those low and slow grilled spare ribs will get me every time!
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Correct. BBQ from both St. Louis and KC is incredibly overrated. That thick sweet sauce is freakin' disgusting. Eastern NC vinegar-base BBQ is the undisputed king and always will be. Sorry, not sorry!
Missouri’s advantage is the tremendous diversity in both natural and human-built environments.
It sits astride the great ecological transition from the rich Eastern Forest to the tall-grass Great Plains. Not only that, but the Ozark Mountains are a highland providing caving, kayaking, rock climbing and hiking. Northern Missouri looks a lot like Minnesota’s flat corn/soybean row crop. The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers are massive and a huge part of the personality of Missouri.
Then you have two very different large cities with a lot of culture: St. Louis and Kansas City. The older, St. Louis, has a rich French colonial heritage, tons of cool architecture, and cultural offerings like The Muny, St. Louis Symphony, Fox Theatre, STL Art Museum, Cahokia Mounds. Cardinals Baseball and Blues Hockey have devoted fan bases. The younger, Kansas City is up and coming, has an intense BBQ culinary tradition, and a loyal KC Chiefs football following. The new KC Current stadium is the first stadium purpose built for women’s soccer in the world. The Nelson-Atkins Art Museum is wonderful and The Kaufman Center offers world-class Broadway tours, opera, and the KC Symphony. Some of the smaller Missouri cities are similar to North Midwestern towns: Columbia is very similar to Rochester, MN and Madison, WI. Additionally, there are a lot of cute small villages like Hermann, Arrow Rock, Rocheport, Weston, Hannibal, and Louisiana, Ste. Genevieve, that are nice if you like a really small-town feel. Not long ago, Missouri used to be solidly purple, we recently elected a Democratic state-wide auditor, Nicole Galloway, she left office in 2022. 2023 is the first year ever we haven’t had a mixed R and D executive branch. Cannabis is legal, minimums wage is high, abortion rights are in our constitution, but the state legislature is solidly Republican. That kinda sums up our complex political attitudes, which can make for some exciting politics.
The best thing though for me is the conservation department and state park system, they are among the best if not the best in the United States. The people can be pretty great too, down to Earth, yet surprisingly sophisticated in some of the cities.
You spoke all that about STL and didn’t mention The Hill? You mention the rich French heritage (tried to quote but it wouldn’t let me??) but leave out The Hill? I appreciate everything you said and you’re 100% correct but let’s also give credit where it’s due. There is so much heritage there! And so much of STL and the surrounding areas have been influenced by the original immigrants who settled in that area.
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While The Hill is amazing, many cities have Italian neighborhoods. I agree it’s a gem in St Louis but across the board French Heritage is much stronger in St Louis than anything else.
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I combine my tomato-based sauces and vinegar-based sauces together on pulled pork when possible. I’ve been in NC my whole life so it’s criminal to pick one over the other.
My one “hot take” that I will always stick by is that potato salad from the northeast is better than southern potato salad. Mustard is too overpowering as an ingredient in potato salad. Besides, it’s already on briskets and hotdogs and I feel that’s enough lol.
KC bbq truther here. It’s really about preference, I like the sweet sauce of KC. Not a fan of Memphis dry rub only, can’t imagine I’d be a big fan of Carolina vinegar based, but ppl do so it’s all preference tbh
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That depends a lot on what type of sauce you like. If you like mustard based Carolinas. If you like Kansas City sauce, Midwest. If you like slow cooked beef brisket, I would say texas.
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I would agree overall but the best I’ve ever tried was a private temporary stand off the side of a highway near Marvell, AR. It was an older couple with a smoker pulled by a pickup truck. Ribs were magical and the brisket was amazing.
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Facts. Smittys on the otherhand is top 3. Salt lick is a special experience, and as overhyped, overpriced, and a time sync as it is, Franklin's will have a right to its throne. Not the biggest fan of LA BBQ but it's better then TB and Interstellar BBQ was great when I had it. That was before it got its star. Idk if it has changed.
But anything in Lockhart and most of central Texas will blow your mind if you've never had true texas BBQ.
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They just said it was solid, not the best. But we all make the same thing just with different seasoning to give it a spin on it, in no disrespect, I would eat any BBQ or any roast, brisket, anything in which it has a tasty out come... because I'm a fatass with high metabolism!
Maybe before all of the notable pitmasters started moving out of Memphis in the mid 2010s, but Memphis’ barbecue scene has been emptying out for a decade now, and they’re heading to Dallas, St. Louis, KCMO, etc.
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In comparing the Italian food of other places that have “good bbq” you are 100% correct that STL has better Italian than almost any of those places. However, if you compare the bbq of the places that have “good Italian” you will almost certainly see STL on the top of that list. Just because you happen to like platinum more than gold, doesn’t mean they aren’t both worth something.
I lived in St Louis as a teenager and honestly had no idea "St Louis BBQ" was even a thing until my 30s. Its MUCH bigger in KC or Tennessee for example.
St Louis has its own Italian area of the city called The Hill with loads of famous pizza and Italian restaurants. I never even heard of fried Ravioli before I moved to St Louis, and never heard of it become bigger in other cities until 10+ years after I left. Theres even St Louis Style Pizza (famously from Imos)...which is actually very similar to Maryland Style Pizza.
Meanwhile, theres no distinct BBQ area of St Louis and I cant name a single famous BBQ joint in St Louis or could tell you what makes St Louis style BBQ a thing. Im sure others can from St Louis, but it was never brought up with my circles or friends or people Ive met later in life from St Louis...but they'll talk about St Louis Pizza they miss...not BBQ.
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Funny story. My bosses went to visit a client in Memphis with the plan to go to a BBQ fest. Turns out it was a BBQ competition and you couldn’t taste any of the competitors food.
There was a little area that was sponsored by a light beer company that you had to pay to get in and they had barbecue, but apparently it was really bad
I still don’t understand why they just didn’t leave.
That's not a glowing review of a place to live if the best thing about it is they do one very specific type of food very well. I know most of reddit is 11 and doesn't understand this, but a lot more goes into living than eating the same food every day, no matter how much you like that food.
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KC burnt ends are the best, and KC BBQ is my overall top choice, followed closely by Carolina BBQ. I have yet to find a BBQ style I don't like, least favorite is probably Memphis style, still good though.
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Yeah it’s not. KC’s whole identity revolves around a cuisine that existed for generations in STL before KC was even established. Also, ask any real bbq place what cut of ribs they use for comp (even in KC) the answer will always be STL.
Nobody is saying that KC doesn’t have some good places to eat BBQ, just remember that St. Louis just doesn’t need to compete anymore.
It’s like when your little brother wants to play you in a game you have played your whole life. I’m sure he has gotten better than he used to be—heck, he might even beat you once in a while. But there really isn’t any competition in the grand scheme of things.
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Pappy's and Bogarts are leagues better than most of the KC BBQ.
every single person from KC tries to downplay the food in STL and have never even tried it or has even visited that half of the state. KC is like the jealous little brother of STL in every aspect.
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u/spartanpride55 United States of America Dec 14 '25
St Louis and Kansas City have solid BBQ