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My food bleg
Do you know of a good barbecue restaurant in or near Savannah? I will have a car, and yes a) I like dumps, b) I know that health code violations are a code of honor in the sector, and c) the best barbecue enjoys low rents outside the center city.
I'm currently researching the economics of barbecue, and you'll hear more about this in the coming months. If you know of anything good written on barbecue, please pass along that suggestion as well. I've turned on the comments section, or you can email me directly, thanks in advance.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on May 2, 2005 at 10:43 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink
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» Econ of Barbecue from Truck and Barter
Tyler Cowen of Marginal Revolution has a bleg up about barbecue joints near Savannah , GA. If you know anything, I'd recommend chiming in. Apparently, it's in support of work on the economics of barbecue. Should be fascinating. Of course, my real quest... [Read More]
Tracked on May 2, 2005 11:56:08 AM
» Economics of pizza from Half Sigma
A post at Marginal Revolution asks about the economics of barbeque. Well, I have no clue about that, but this is a great introduction to the economics of pizza. The beautiful thing about a slice of pizza (if you [Read More]
Tracked on May 2, 2005 1:39:56 PM
» http://tedfrank.com/archives/archive_2005_05_01-2005_05_07.shtml#1115097793 from Lagniappe: Ted Frank's blog
It's Tyler Cowen's second anniversary, which is probably why he didn't post that he gave a scintillating Bradley Lecture at AEI tonight, touching on everything from the [Read More]
Tracked on May 3, 2005 1:23:27 AM
Comments
As I recall, several of Calvin Trillin's books on food had sections on barbecue.
Posted by: Art Woolf at May 2, 2005 11:07:23 AM
*Smoke & Spice, Cooking with Smoke, the Real Way to Barbecue* by the Cheryl and Bill Jameson was recommneded to me by Bob Kantor, the chef/owner of Memphis Minnie's Barbecue Joint here in San Francisco. It's probably already on your book shelf, Tyler, but if it's not, I can tell you they've written well on the subject at hand. Memphis Minnies is supplying true barbecue to the denizens for the Lower Haight district in a town not known for barbecue. I'm no expert, but my father, who has toured the South and Texas extensively, ranks Memphis Minnie's as one of the best he's tasted. Bob pulls no punches when he talks about barbecue! (He does pull pork, though, after barbecuing it for 18 hours.)
Posted by: Michael Giesbrecht at May 2, 2005 11:09:44 AM
if you need a research assistant let me know
Posted by: Jason at May 2, 2005 11:55:20 AM
If you're talking about BBQ, you need to talk to John T. Edge, the man to talk about southern cuisine.
http://www.johntedge.com/
I'd also grab the latest issue of the Oxford American which is a feature on food(edited by Edge). The OA has a lot of other articles about BBQ and the South as well. It's more from a cultural/literary perspective but it's usually pretty good stuff.
Edge runs the Southern Foodways Alliance out of Ole Miss. Talk to Edge about Savannah and the book.
Posted by: Hederman at May 2, 2005 11:56:22 AM
Probably heretical, but Massachusetts based Chris Schlessinger writes well on barbecue, in my opinion[ He has some North Carolina in him as well, AND is the nephew of a political policy heavy weight]. His writings would be more introductions to sections of cookbooks that he writes along with Doc Willoughby.
BTW, very much appreciated the post "Liberalism, standing on one foot?"
Posted by: theCoach at May 2, 2005 12:00:31 PM
Savannah? Not sure but even Georgia boys admit the best BBQ comes from the Carolinas. How far do wish to drive?
Posted by: pgl at May 2, 2005 1:17:19 PM
Best BBQ in South Carolina (not in any order):
Shealy's - Batesburg, SC
Little Pigs - NE Columbia, SC
Porky's - Sumter, SC
Sweatman's - Holly Hill, SC
Unfortunately they're not too close to Savannah, but put em on yer list. You might want to try Lady and Sons in Savannah - (Paula Deen of the Food Network is the "Lady") - they have a buffet with plenty of traditional Southern "home" food: fried chicken, and assorted sides. Unfortunately such good food come with a line to get in the place.
- Ironchef, Fairfax (Roberts Road) native.
Posted by: Ironchef at May 2, 2005 2:36:10 PM
If you are passing through NC, this book is useful, although not new:
Bob Garner's Guide to North Carolina Barbecue
by Bob Garner
Lexington #1 in Lexington, NC is well-known and good
for Western NC style barbecue.
Posted by: Tom Grennes at May 2, 2005 2:55:21 PM
I've got some interesting anecdotes on Big John's in Peoria (formerly the best barbecue place in town) if you're interested. My wife and I stopped in there one day on our way between St. Louis and Chicago (I like to take the long way) and the only ones there (at 2:00pm) were me, my wife, Big John, and the newspaperman interviewing him for the local paper. We got an earful.
Posted by: Dave Schuler at May 2, 2005 4:05:56 PM
The best barbeque in the world is at a place called Back Yard Barbeque in Magnolia, Arkansas.
Not too close to Savannah, but it would be worth the trip.
Posted by: Roby at May 2, 2005 7:04:50 PM
Sweet Leaf Smokery (606 Abercorn) looks like a yuppie coffeehouse, but it was the recommended BBQ restaurant when I was in Savannah. I thought it was OK, and it may test your theory, given its relatively central location.
Posted by: Rob at May 2, 2005 9:31:13 PM
Great! You took up my idea for a research paper on economic factors effecting declines in barbecue culture among blacks and southern whites. I expect a co-authorship credit (or at least dinner). Pass the hot sauce.
chsw
Posted by: chsw at May 2, 2005 9:31:35 PM
Sweet Leaf Smokery (606 Abercorn) looks like a yuppie coffeehouse, but it was the recommended BBQ restaurant when I was in Savannah. I thought it was OK, and it may test your theory, given its relatively central location.
Posted by: Rob at May 2, 2005 9:31:40 PM
The best barbecue book I know is "Real Barbecue:The only Barbecue Book You'll ever need" Authors are Greg Johnson and Vince Staten. This book is out of print but can be ordered from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Barnes and Noble is much superior for ordering used, out of print books.
My copy does not have any listings for Savannah. I can personally attest to the one earlier post recommending Sweatman's in Holly Hill, SC. Classic barbecue; only half hogs are cooked and plenty of them; about 100 each weekend.Mustard based sauce, very good. Only open Friday and Sat. In an old farmhouse with the pits in back. First class everything in a really simple setting.
Posted by: Bob at May 2, 2005 10:20:24 PM
Carey Hilliards is where the locals go... personally not my favorite BBQ, but my husband likes it. And the sweet tea you can stand up a spoon in...
Posted by: dot at May 3, 2005 10:51:16 AM
I agree re: Carey Hilliards. Locals, sweet tea and the waitress will call you honey. Also, Johnny Harris is so-so decent. But in Savannah, I'd opt for the seafood. Carey Hilliards is again a good shot for that, especially the she crab soup. Perl's out on Thunderbolt is good too, but the best is Love's on 17 (about 45 minutes from down town.) If you have half a day free, I'd head to Batesburg and go to Shealey's for barbeque. It's world famous in South Carolina.
Posted by: Jimm at May 3, 2005 12:17:36 PM
You're going to love this website
www.bobbyqueseale.com
Posted by: Russell at May 3, 2005 1:36:22 PM
I do know where George H.W. Bush's favorite BBQ place was while he was Prez... It's a hole-in-the-wall joint on Memorial Drive (a very upscale area) just outside downtown Houston. It's called "Otto's" and half the place did BBQ and the other half burgers - both decent to my recollection. Both sides, of course, did longnecks...pretty sure they still do.
Posted by: RdJ at May 3, 2005 7:33:17 PM
As above, Calvin Trillin in "Alice, Let’s Eat".
Posted by: Tim Worstall at May 5, 2005 6:22:33 AM
There are no good barbecue restaurants in SAV that I've found. I recently moved to SAV from ATL, where I lived 1-2 miles from Slope's, Dreamland and The Swallow in the Hollow. Being here is disappointing (though I have lost a lot of weight). Hilliard's has the best sweet tea and o-rings in the city, but their que is below average. Same for Johnny Harris'.
Only acceptable sites in the area that I have come across are: Dr. BS Muthers (Garden City), Ken & Candi's (Southside) and the Pink Pig (Levy, SC - 10 minutes from downtown towards Hilton Head). Of those, the Pink Pig is probably the best.
Posted by: LJ at May 5, 2005 5:24:36 PM
I live in Savannah and the best Bar-B-Que Restaurant is Johnny Harris. Their B-B-Q sauce is sold all over the U.S. Try the Fried Chicken and the seafood. You can get the B-B-Q sliced, pulled or chopped.
Posted by: Linda at May 7, 2005 10:31:50 AM
I can't believe I'm talking about Savannah barbeque from Madagascar. Johnny Harris is a charming place whose type is rapidly disappearing, but as much as I love Savannah, and as a native forced to move away at an early age who still gets back now and again, I have to agree that it's second-rate barbecue, or even third rate. The Southern food (not barbecue) is excellent at half-a-dozen places around town.
Posted by: Jonathan at May 7, 2005 2:43:15 PM
Johnny Harris in Savannah...by far the best. Number one at the Kansas City bbq sauce contest.
Posted by: Peter Daniels at May 16, 2005 10:00:35 PM
There is a great hole-in-the-wall, which oddly enough is called: Wall's BBQ. It's in an alley off of Price St. Take a left into the alley right before you hit Olgethorpe St. I believe it's on its 3rd Generation of the family who started it.
Posted by: F. Villanueva at Jun 3, 2005 8:12:12 PM
I'm from Savannah, and will have to chime in with the chorus--"Q" in town is only average at best. Stick with the seafood and southern cooking (Lady and Sons, Wilkes, et al).
Posted by: Bruce Finland at Jun 15, 2005 9:49:36 PM
