The Culinary Tourist is a self-proclaimed barbecue snob. Growing up in Memphis, TN -a place that modestly professes to have the best barbecue in the world- I have very high standards. Two places in Atlanta have met those standards and are worth a taste, each for its own delicious reasons.
Thumbs Up Smokehouse is the tastiest barbecue I’ve found since moving to Atlanta. The restaurant might be small -nearly an afterthought when heading next door to the more recognizable Thumbs Up Diner- but the taste is huge. With pulled pork that’s smoked about 13 hours and bathed in their sweet sauce topped with a side of cole slaw, the sandwich made me feel like I was back home. They even make their own homemade ice cream on site. An even sweeter ending for a sweet sandwich. I was in hog heaven.
Fox Bros Bar-B-Q has also long been a favorite of mine. Like me, Jonathan Fox (one of the two Fox Brothers and the man behind the barbecue) was haunted by the barbecue from his home which was unavailable to him here in Atlanta. His sauce is not as sweet as that of Thumbs Up Smokehouse but the flavor is big and bold, in keeping with the Texas legacy. Fox Bros is a place to catch the games with friends. I had The Big Tex with cole slaw and an order of Texas Fries: French fries topped with pulled pork, jalapenos and melted cheese. Fox Bros Bar-B-Q is well-known around the city for good reason.
Thumbs Up Smokehouse is located at 581 Edgewood Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30312. For more information, call 404.223.6343.
Fox Bros Bar-B-Q is located at 1238 Dekalb Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30307. For more information, call 404.577.4030 or visit http://www.foxbrosbbq.com/
