


Chef Andy Husbands’ long experience vying for prizes in national slow-smoke barbecue competitions is fully evident at his pair of full-service BBQ joints, most especially in his oversized, gorgeously crusted St. Louis-style pork ribs. But the hits keep coming with excellent renditions of brisket, pulled pork, Texas hot links, smoked-then-fried chicken wings, collard greens and pit beans. A terrific whiskey list and lively honky-tonk atmosphere help make the Smoke Shop about as good as Yankee ’cue gets.
The Smoke Shop - Cambridge
One Kendall Square, Cambridge • (617) 577-7427
thesmokeshopbbq.com
The Smoke Shop - Boston
343 Congress St., Boston • (617) 261-7427
thesmokeshopbbq.com
Other Winners
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Barbecue
2014 Winner: Sweet Cheeks
Skeptics wondered why Tiffani Faison, first famed as an early Top Chef contestant, would choose to feature notoriously difficult American slow-smoke barbecue...
- 1381 Boylston St., Boston
- (617) 266-1300
- sweetcheeksq.com
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Barbecue
2015 Winner: Blue Ribbon BBQ
City slickers agree: For down-home barbecue near Boston, Blue Ribbon serves the prize pig. And beef brisket…...
- 908 Mass. Ave., Arlington
- (781) 648-7427
- blueribbonbbq.com
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Barbecue
2016 Winner: SoulFire
Barbecue is smoking hot right now, and we’re pumped for polished newcomers on the scene...
- 182 Harvard Ave., Boston
- (617) 787-3003
- soulfirebbq.com
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Barbecue
2017 Winner: The Smoke Shop
After opening the South End’s Tremont 647 nearly 20 years ago, chef/owner Andy Husbands began honing his slow-smoking skills in barbecue competitions across the country...
- 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge
- (617) 577-7427
- thesmokeshopbbq.com