When you’re in the mood for sliding-off-the-bone meat, zesty sauces, and down-home sides, you’ve got to get some barbecue. Detroit, Michigan, is home to many amazing barbecue joints, from traditional restaurants to roving food trucks. Discover five great spots to check out.
Note: Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, please confirm operating hours by contacting the businesses directly.
Nunn’s Bar-B-Q II
Nunn’s Bar-B-Q, at 19196 Conant St., might not look like much from the outside, but its charcoal grilled and smoked meats have been drawing in hungry diners since 1984. In addition to melt-in-your-mouth ribs, pulled pork, and chicken, Nunn’s serves up Southern fare such as jumbo shrimp and pig’s feet. The special sauce, however, is the family’s secret ingredient that brings everything together. Stick around for homemade peach cobbler or pound cake for dessert.
Parks Old Style Bar-B-Q
This casual joint, at 7444 Beaubien St. in the North End neighborhood, is another barbecue destination that’s been around for decades. Established in 1964, Parks Old Style Bar-B-Q serves slow-cooked pork, beef, and chicken with vinegar-based sauces that the family claims give their meat a “Soul-Deep Flavor.” The menu is simple: Choose a meat in sandwich, rib, or slab form, plus two traditional sides, such as baked beans, coleslaw, fries, or potato salad. If you can’t decide, order a sampler or combo with a variety of meats.
Shredderz Food Truck
Catch your favorite barbecue on the go. Shredderz Food Truck travels around the Detroit metro area serving its famed shredders (barbecue-filled sandwiches on brioche buns) and shoestring hash browns. Popular sandwich options include the barbecue pulled pork shredder topped with Shredderz’s special tangy barbecue sauce and the steak ‘n’ bacon shredder piled high with meat, onions, and cheese. Vegetarians can even delight in the produce-packed veggie shredder, which, of course, also includes the signature hash browns.
Slows Bar-B-Q
Slows Bar-B-Q, a Corktown staple since 2005, puts a fresh, trendy spin on traditional barbecue. Today, the business has three brick-and-mortar locations around Detroit, as well as a food truck and concessions stand at Ford Field. Stop by Slows’ rustic flagship restaurant at 2138 Michigan Ave. to enjoy a variety of constantly evolving barbecue-inspired sandwiches and platters.
If you’re looking for gourmet barbecue, Slows is the place to go. The award-winning barbecue joint has repeatedly been featured on television shows and in magazines. The Wall Street Journal named its Special Purpose burger one of America’s best, and Travel Channel host Adam Richman dubbed The Yardbird one of the top three sandwiches in the country.
Woodpile BBQ Shack
Woodpile’s pitmaster, Steve “Bubba” Coddington, prides himself on smoking dry-rubbed brisket, pulled pork, chicken, ribs, and sausage “slow and low” for maximum flavor. Meats smoke overnight, every night, in limited quantities, so get your favorite meat each day before it runs out. Popular menu items include the Woodpile sandwich — a half-pound of pork, brisket, bacon, and sausage on a brioche bun — and the smoked jalapeno cheddar sausage. Savory sides range from sweet potato mash to pepper jack mac.
Whether it’s a giant slab of meat you’re craving or a thoughtfully concocted sandwich, you’re sure to find a barbecue restaurant that hits the spot in Detroit.
Photo by pascal claivaz from Pexels
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