The 10 Best Barbecue Restaurants in Atlanta

9. Dixie Q

Dixie Q
Dixie Q

Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee

Chef Scott Serpas, best known for Serpas in Studioplex, lets his Louisiana roots show at his Brookhaven barbecue spot. Red beans and rice, Creole coleslaw, “Cajun-kissed” salmon, and a general fondness for aggressive spices distinguish him from his straightforwardly Southern counterparts. Order the St. Louis ribs, the sliced brisket, or, on weekends, the massive smoked beef rib named after the Flintstones, which will be brought to you with Texas toast on vintage-looking enameled trays lined with wax butcher paper. The addition of burgers, wings, sides of Brussels sprouts, and bowls (e.g., quinoa or Caesar salad, with or without barbecued meats on top) dilutes the concept a bit, but the restaurant is a good example of what happens to barbecue in the hands of a high-end chef. There is nothing terribly special about the sauces, but they are easy to avoid or mix together until you find the right combination of sweet and hot.

2524 Caldwell Road, Brookhaven, 404-228-1502, dixie-q.com