Vancouver is not the centre of the BBQ universe. However, there are a few places here that could cut it anywhere in Texas (or Georgia or Tennessee etc…).
Next time you feel like treating yourself to some tasty BBQ, keep these places in mind.
Memphis Blues on Robson
The most well-known spot in Vancouver (and with good reason), Memphis Blue’s serves up some the best Tennessee BBQ north of, well, Memphis. Head down for some amazing ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket, with staple sides like coleslaw and cornbread.
Hours: Daily, 11AM-10PM
Where: 430 Robson Street
Dixie’s
Dixie’s is the place to go for authentic Texas BBQ, which emphasizes the smoking process and the quality of the meat over a bunch of sauce. It’s our personal favourite of the BBQ varieties, and Dixie’s does it right with an in-house smoker manned by a pit-master. They load it up with the amount they think they need for the day and serve it until it runs out.
Hours: Wednesday to Friday, 5PM-10PM
Where: 337 E Hastings Street
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Peckinpah
The next stop on our tour of the world of BBQ is Carolina, and Peckinpah does it darn close to perfect. While a dine-in meal is always amazing, we often find ourselves grabbing one of the mouth-watering sandwiches from the to-go window, with a personal preference for beef brisket. One of the best sandwiches in the city, actually.
Hours: Daily, 11:30AM-11PM
Where: 2 Water Street
Devil’s Elbow
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For a BBQ place that emphasizes good food over a particular cuisine, Devil’s Elbow brings a lot to the table. In addition to a fantastic menu and by far the best happy hour on the list, Devil’s Elbow does a Whiskey Club every once in a while, where, for $20, you get to taste a bunch of different whiskeys and snack on a bunch of food. How did we not know about this!? Well, now we do, and you do too.
Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 11:30AM-12AM and Saturday/Sunday, 11:30AM-1AM
Where: 562 Beatty Street
Whiskey Six
Laying down the claim of “West Coast BBQ”, Whiskey Six does an organic and locally-sourced menu. Named after the car used by rum-runners, Whiskey Six is the perfect answer for your friend who wants a hearty meal but is also pretty invested in supporting local producers. Doesn’t hurt that the food is delicious as well.
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 4PM-9PM, Friday, 4PM-10PM, and Saturday, 2PM-10PM
Where: 826 Renfrew Street
Gyu-kaku on Nelson
If you thought we wouldn’t give it up to Japanese BBQ, boy are you in for a surprise. Doing yakiniku (grilled barbecue), Gyu-Kaku (which means horn of the bull) serves up incredibly well-prepared meats to you raw. Then you take said cuts and put them on the smokeless roaster on the centre of the table, cooking your meal as much or as little as you want to. Trust us, there’s a good reason why there are over 700 Gyu-Kaku’s worldwide.
Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 11:30AM-10: 30 PM and Friday/Saturday, 11:30AM-11: 30 PM
Where: 888 Nelson Street
That’s all we’ve got Vancouver! Did we miss your favourite? Let us know so we can go try it out.
