Best Barbecue Restaurant

How nice to see a familiar face back on the local dining scene. Stacy Phipps, who owned the now-defunct Stacy's soul food restaurant on Jefferson, opened his new barbecue place earlier this year, and we were there just as soon as we could smell that mouthwatering almond and hickory smoke wafting from the meat smokers out back. The atmosphere is no-frills, but what the heck — it seems half the people in here are getting their goodies to go anyway. And once we finally get our feast in front of us, we're not paying attention to anything but the smoky pulled pork sandwich, the tender brisket, and the incredible beef ribs, which have a rich, caramelized taste that makes gnawing on the bone all the more pleasurable. As a bonus, there's plenty of soul food to go along with the meat, from savory greens to buttery candied yams. Wash it all down with a large cup of sweet tea, and see if you're not inspired to indulge in some sweet potato pie, too. Good barbecue will do that to you.