The Scene

Birmingham anchors one of America's most distinctive barbecue regions, where the defining move is not a sauce poured on but a whole smoked chicken dunked into it. That sauce is Alabama white — a tangy, peppery mayonnaise-and-vinegar blend invented an hour north in Decatur in 1925 and now the signature of the North Alabama style. Around it sits deep pit tradition: Golden Rule has smoked pork since 1891, Bob Sykes and Dreamland built rib reputations that reach far past the state line, and a modern wave led by Saw's turned white-sauce barbecue into a citywide obsession. Pork shoulder and ribs are the everyday staples, hickory is the wood, and the desserts — banana pudding, Half Moon Cookies, homemade pies — are half the reason to go.

Must-Order Dishes

Best Neighborhoods for BBQ

Top Restaurants