The 10 Best Barbecue Restaurants in Atlanta

7. Dave Poe’s BBQ

Nearly a decade has passed since the severing of Marietta’s benchmark barbecue joint, Sam and Dave’s BBQ. Now friendly rivals, Sam’s BBQ-1 and Dave Poe’s BBQ are both worthy destinations, and if you’re on the east side of Cobb, the original Sam’s (there’s also a West Cobb outpost) most certainly will satisfy your cravings. But putting aside your drive time, Dave Poe’s, about a mile west of Marietta Square, is the slightly, though consistently, better option. The brisket is intensely beefy and not intensely smoky, while the luscious pulled pork is redolent of hickory. And you have a tough choice between tender baby-back ribs and equally tender St. Louis spare ribs (go for the latter). Atlanta is now brimming with delicious barbecue—including Community Q and Grand Champion, each launched by a Sam and Dave’s expat—and both of these Marietta forebears deserve thanks for upping the game.

660 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta, 770-792-2272, davepoes.com