TRAVEL & CULTURE
sweet, the perfect partner for what may
be the best smoked pork in Memphis.
Payne’s Bar-B-Q
Big, sloppy sandwiches are the name
of the game at Payne’s. They’re piled so
high with finely chopped pork; golden
slaw; and a pool of sticky, sweet sauce
that you’ll need a plastic fork to scoop
up every last scrap (not to mention lots
of napkins). In a city known for putting
anything from beef to spaghetti on
its pits, Payne’s menu is a minimalist
exception: just chopped pork and ribs,
plus a little sausage and bologna.
Interstate Barbecue
Jim Neely founded this place back
in 1979, and it has been one of the
city’s top smoked-rib destinations
ever since. (Their chopped-pork
sandwiches are notable too.) Pro tip
for air travelers: If you miss the original
Third Street location, grab a sandwich
at the Memphis International Airport.
There’s an Interstate Barbecue next
to Gate C7.Central BBQ
With pulled pork, brisket, chicken,
turkey, sausage, and even smoked
portobello mushrooms, Central BBQ
can please the fussiest of crowds. It
now has four locations around the
city—from the original Midtown joint
on Central Avenue, which gave the
restaurant its name, to a newer spot
downtown. å