Hometown Bar-B-Que
Yes, we are recommending a BBQ spot in New York City. Trust us. The idea that great barbecue doesn’t exist outside of the South was debunked years ago. But destination barbecue—the kind you’d drive hours out of your way for just to try a slab of spareribs? That was property of the South. At least until Billy Durney, a giant of a man and former bodyguard for the rich and famous, opened Hometown Bar-B-Que in the warehouse-filled Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn. Like many pioneers before him, Durney started smoking meats in his backyard for friends. A hobby grew into a profession. His traditional brisket, pork, and turkey could hold their own below the Mason-Dixon Line, while his Jamaican jerk baby back ribs and lamb belly might be the start of a New York City style. And his ginormous beef ribs, rubbed simply with salt and pepper and smoked for hours? Forget a drive—they’re worth a plane ticket.
PRO TIP: There’s often live music in the evenings, but if you go then you will wait.
THE DETAILS: Closed Mondays. Ride a bike down to Red Hook or take the the Ikea water taxi, which leaves from Pier 11 in the financial district and drops you off two blocks from the restaurant.
