First photo by Christian Gooden (Post-Dispatch); add'l photos sponsored by restaurant
Pappy's Smokehouse
I’m running out of words to praise Pappy’s Smokehouse, which over the course of its nine years has kickstarted a still-going-strong barbecue boom in St. Louis, turned a squat midtown building into a dining destination for ’cue fiends from near and afar and won more local-media accolades and national-media notices than I can count. So I’ll say this: If I had to choose a single final meal before leaving St. Louis forever, I’d probably take a slab of Pappy’s incomparable ribs — magic spun from pig, apple- and cherry-wood smoke, time and spice — with a side of beans and sweet-potato fries and a bottle of Holly’s Hot Sauce. Sure, I might prefer the brisket at another joint, the burnt ends at yet another, but no one barbecue experience or dining experience, period, makes me as happy as those ribs. (And if you haven’t yet visited Pappy’s Valley Park satellite, Dalie’s Smokehouse, it’s worth the trip for the barbecue roast beef alone.)
Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (or until sold out) Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (or until sold out) Sunday
Last year's ranking: No. 20
Opened: 2008
Must order: Ribs (half-slab $16.50, full slab $24.99)