barbecue toronto

23 barbecue restaurants you need to try in Toronto by neighbourhood

Toronto is blessed with loads of great barbecue restaurants. The craving for BBQ might strike in an instance, but the pit masters at these fine establishments have been crafting these meals for days. Cooking low and slow turns out some amazingly tender meat, which you can enjoy all over the city.

Here's where to eat barbecue in Toronto by neighbourhood.

Annex

Backyard Smokehouse on Dupont has an extensive menu of juicy burgers oozing with cheese sauce, brisket, smoked chicken and ribs, as well as massive meat platters.

Beaches

A visit to Breakwell BBQ will have you feeling like you're on a vacation from the hustle and bustle of the city. When it comes to barbecue offerings they do it all. Get your fix of pulled pork, brisket and baby back ribs. 

Cabbagetown

BLCK on Dundas offers an eclectic menu of all your barbecue favourites. The menu boasts meaty eats like BBQ chicken, ribs, burgers and steak sandwiches. 

Corktown

The Carbon Bar gets fancy with its selection of pit-smoked eats. You can get down with St. Louis cut ribs, fried chicken, cheddar jalapeno sausage and prime beef brisket.

Corso Italia

Pulled pork sandwiches, Alabama fried chicken, BBQ poutine, and succulent pitmaster platters all grace the menu at Earlscourt BBQ.

Barbecue Toronto

It's a meat paradise at Earlscourt BBQ. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Danforth

Greenwood Smokehouse deals in slow smoked Southern staples on platters or by the pound. Order pulled pork, ribs, brisket or wings accompanied by traditional sides like smoked beans, collard greens and slaw.

Dundas West

Flame & Smoke serves up a barbecue-style menu of mac n' cheese bites, deep-fried cheesecake, cauliflower fritters and sandwiches out of a shipping container at Market 707. 

East York

The folks behind Barsa Taberna have entered the barbecue game with their  Texas-style smokehouse The BarBQ Factory. Get your fill of brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs and much more. 

Barbecue Toronto

You won't leave The BarBQ Factory hungry. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Entertainment District

Meat & Pie Co. is a totally halal Texas-style BBQ joint that also serves scratch-made pies. So while they may not have pork on the menu their other meat offerings make up for it. 

Etobicoke

Bellows Barbecue is a BBQ joint tucked away inside Etobicoke’s oldest pub, The Old Sod. They offer smoked meats, brisket sandwiches, and comfort food sides like baked beans and cornbread. 

Barbecue Toronto

Sandwiches are stacked high at Bellows Barbecue. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Harbourfront

Waterfront restaurant Joe Bird is the ultimate destination for BBQ chicken in Toronto. Order up their smokey grilled bird in either two or four pieces. 

Kensginton Market

Smoked chicken, wings, brisket and ribs are all accounted for on the menu at Hogtown Smoke. Bring reinforcements before ordering the platters or stick to crave-worthy sandwiches like the burnt ends on a bun.

Leslieville

Restaurant and whisky bar Blackjack BBQ can be found on Gerrard dishing out tasty wings, ribs, and mac n’ cheese. 

Barbecue Toronto

You'll have your hands full with Blackjack BBQ. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Little Italy

Inside Nightowl is where you'll find Matt's Smokehouse. Pulled brisket sandwiches, chicken wings and ribs can all be found on the menu. 

Mount Pleasant

You can't go wrong with ordering up the Boss Hog Platter at Smokeshow BBQ and Brew. The platter consists of 1/2 lbs. brisket, 1 lbs. pulled pork, 1/2 rack of side ribs, 1 1/2 lbs. of wings and three sides. Yum!

North York

Beauty Eats has an extensive menu of eats including Detroit-style pizzas, fried chicken, burgers and of course what you're here for, BBQ.

Port Lands

Meats like pulled pork, chicken, beef ribs, and baby back ribs are pit-smoked with white oak and sold by the half pound at Cherry Street Bar-B-Que.

Barbecue Toronto

The ribs at Cherry Street Bar-B-Que are heavenly. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Roncesvalles Village

The sweet smokey scent emanating from Barque Smokehouse is all it takes to seduce diners. Smoked duck tacos, herb crusted racks of ribs, and smoked banger sausage are the major draw.

Scarborough

Northern Smokes is a southern style BBQ restaurant located on Old Kingston Rd. They offer a wide variety of smoked meats like their Texas-style brisket, and Montreal smoked beef. They also offer spicy jerk chicken and corned beef. 

St. Clair West

Beef brisket and pulled pork sandwiches are staples on the menu at The Stockyards Smokehouse & Larder. However, the real BBQ enthusiasts know that the good stuff: ribs and chicken are only available on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Upper Beaches

Beach Hill Smokehouse is a Southern BBQ joint that offers a simple but truly phenomenal meat menu. Smoked meats here are offered by the half pound, cooked with oak wood, the most commonly used wood in Texas.

Barbecue Toronto

Wet naps will be required when eating Beach Hill Smokehouse. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

West Queen West

Smoque N Bones offers peppercorn beef, brisket, ribs, pork and chicken from the cooker along with a vast array fixins including homestyle sides like collard greens, candied yams, sweet potato waffle fries, and cornbread.

Yonge & Lawrence

Stack Restaurant pays great reverence to regional BBQ styles of the South. Pulled pork can be had Carolina- or Lexington style, while brisket channels Texas and the baby back ribs look to Memphis.

Lead photo by

Hector Vasquez at Backyard Smokehouse


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