Barque
This family-friendly joint has something for everyone on its extensive menu and its smoked offerings are influenced by a variety of regional cuisines. Duck shows up with hoisin sauce in tacos at dinner ($8) or atop pancakes at brunch with blueberry compote ($14). Baby back ribs (half-rack $21, whole $30) come with a choice of three sauces (dry, sweet or rubbed and basted Barque Rack ‘O Bama) or try a one-third rack of each for $33. The samplers are the best deal ($28 or $52 for two people) and can include a choice of brisket, ribs, sausage, pulled pork, chicken thigh or baby back ribs.
299 Roncesvalles, at Geoffrey, 416-532-7700, barque.ca, @barquebbq
Kathryn Gaitens
Stockyards owner/chef Tom Davis
Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder
When a place that does barbecue only three nights a week still makes it onto all the best-of lists, there’s gotta be something pretty special about it. It serves pulled pork ($8.50) and pulled brisket ($12) sandwiches all the time, but stop by Tuesday, Friday or Saturday evenings for some of the labour-intensive pit-smoked chicken (half-rack $9, whole $15) and ribs ($15/$20). The rest of the time, the burgers ($7 to $14, depending on the topping) earn them huge accolades, and the buttermilk fried chicken (dinner with fries and slaw, $14) is some of the best in the city as well.
699 St. Clair West, at Christie, 416-658-9666, thestockyards.ca, @thestockyards
AAA Bar
An award-winning Austin-style barbecue joint that keeps things nice and dry, with spicy and flavourful dry rubs on juicy ribs and brisket ($15 each) and a pulled pork sandwich ($10) served with a bottle of house-made maple bourbon sauce on the side for full customer control of the sauce level. Sides like beans and slaw ($4 each) are expertly done, with complex levels of flavour. Texas chili ($14), chunks of steak in a rich sauce with not a bean in sight served with traditional white bread, is astoundingly delicious.
138 Adelaide East, at Jarvis, 416-850-2726, tripleabar.ca, @TripleAToronto
David Laurence
Electric Mud BBQ
Smokin’ out Parkdale for the past year, Electric Mud (from the folks behind taco joint Grand Electric) is packed every night. Hipsters scrunch together on picnic tables – inside and on the heated patio – to down bourbon and Carolina-style pork ribs ($14.50), beef ribs (market price), juicy fried chicken ($9.50), smoked wings on Sundays and piles of fantastic sides like collards, baked beans and slaw (each $3.50). Tip from a curmudgeonly local regular: if the loud music and too-cool crowd make you feel so-o-o old, Electric Mud does takeout and delivery. There’s even an app for ordering online.
5 Brock, at Queen West, 416-516-8286, electricmudbbq.com, @electricmudbbq
Buster Rhino’s
This is the best BBQ most Torontonians have never had. Located in Oshawa and Whitby, Buster Rhino’s has taken on a near-mythical status among ‘cue fans. So rejoice, car-free gourmands – owner Darryl Koster has confirmed that he’ll be setting up camp in the old Phil’s Original Barbecue spot at 838 College this spring. Get ready for pulled meat sandwiches (brisket, pork or chicken, all $6.50) rib and wing combos (half-rack $17, whole $21), and pulled pork mac ‘n’ cheese ($7.50).
2001 Thickson South, at Wentworth, Whitby 30 Taunton East, at Simcoe North, Oshawa 28 King East, at Ontario, Oshawa 905-436-6986 busterrhinos.com, @busterrhinosbbq
