Where to get barbecue in Memphis: downtown, Midtown and beyond

Last checked 2026-10-18. Refreshed every three months.

Memphis barbecue is spread across the whole city, but the names most visitors look for sit downtown, around Second Street and the South Main district, and in Midtown, on Central Avenue and North Parkway. South Memphis has Interstate on South Third Street, and Tops Bar-B-Q has stores in nearly every part of town.

How we made this list. The places come from OpenStreetMap records inside the Memphis city limits, the same records behind our local business directory, checked against each place’s own website on Oct. 18, 2026. Extra locations of the same business were added from its own site where it gives a Memphis street address; stores in Southaven, Bartlett, Millington and other towns are left out. The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking or a recommendation, and nobody paid to be on it. Run one of these places? Write to us to correct your entry. For the barbecue contest each May, see our Memphis in May page.

The places

Central BBQ serves slow-smoked Memphis-style barbecue. Its site lists four Memphis restaurants, downtown near the National Civil Rights Museum, on Central Avenue in Midtown, on Summer Avenue and on Poplar Avenue in East Memphis, plus one in Southaven, Mississippi. It ships smoked meat, sauce and seasoning. The site does not post restaurant hours.

Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous is the downtown barbecue restaurant on South Second Street. Its site lists restaurant hours Tuesday to Saturday, catering “from our basement to your office” and shipping across the country.

Cozy Corner is on North Parkway, just north of downtown. Its co-founder, Desiree Robinson, says on its site that it has welcomed visitors from around the world for decades. It is open for lunch and early dinner five days a week.

Interstate Barbecue is owned by James L. Neely. The original restaurant on South Third Street is just off Interstate 55 at Exit 7, and a second Memphis restaurant is on Winchester Road. It caters and ships overnight.

Leonard’s Pit Barbecue says it has served Memphis-style pit barbecue since 1922. Its restaurant today is on North Germantown Parkway in Cordova.

Tops Bar-B-Q is a local chain with 17 stores across the Mid-South, most of them inside Memphis. Most open early and serve breakfast until 10:30 a.m. We list six Memphis stores whose pages give a full street address and hours; others are on Cordova Road, Hacks Cross Road, Jackson Avenue, Macon Road, Rhodes Avenue and Summer Avenue at Berclair, on the Tops locations page.

More places to eat in Memphis

• Where to get wings
• Where to get burgers
• Where to get pizza
• Beale Street and date night
• All the lists, our local directory and restaurant inspection scores

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get barbecue in downtown Memphis?

Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous is at 52 S. Second St. and Central BBQ has a downtown restaurant at 147 E. Butler Ave., near the National Civil Rights Museum.

What are the Rendezvous hours?

The Rendezvous lists 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday on its site. Call 901-523-2746.

Is Cozy Corner open on Sunday?

No. Cozy Corner, 735 N. Parkway, is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and closed Sunday and Monday.

Where can I get barbecue early in the morning in Memphis?

Most Tops Bar-B-Q stores open at 6:30 a.m. and serve breakfast until 10:30 a.m. The Union Avenue store is open 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.