From roadside stands to tiny restaurants in strip malls, Delaware has barbecue joints scattered all over. With influences from the Carolinas all the way to Texas, and plenty of pork, beef, and chicken to go around, here are 12 of our favorite places to roll up our sleeves and take a bite of BBQ.
Please note, Charlie K’s BBQ is temporarily closed.
- Locale BBQ Post, Wilmington
Locale BBQ Post/Facebook
Locale BBQ Post / Facebook Ironically located on the edge of Little Italy in Wilmington, this is quickly becoming a favorite spot in Delaware for fantastic BBQ. Visitors gush about the ribs and pulled pork, and the small menu focuses on quality.
- Oh’ Phoebe’s BBQ and Caterers, Smyrna
Oh’ Phoebe’s BBQ and Caterers / Facebook
Oh Phoebe’s BBQ Downhome Deli / Yelp Please note, Oh’ Phoebe’s BBQ and Caterers is no longer in business. Even though Oh Phoebe’s has a small location in downtown Smyrna, the best bet to get this slow cooked meat is from his mobile smoker and truck, which usually parks at the Royal Farms on Route 13 in Smyrna.
- Meat Mechanics, Dover
Meat Mechanics / Facebook
Meat Mechanics / Facebook What started out, like many BBQ joints, as a food truck, evolved into a small restaurant. Visitors to this little spot tucked in a strip mall on Route 10 say that its some of the best brisket north of Texas.
- Fat Daddy’s BBQ, Georgetown
Fat Daddy’s BBQ / Facebook
Fat Daddy’s BBQ / Facebook We featured Fat Daddy’s on a prior list of amazing ‘hole in the wall’ restaurants, and it deserves a spot on this list for its mouthwatering brisket and ribs.
- Greenwood Fire Department, Greenwood
Sheila C. / Yelp
Sheila C. / Yelp Locals know that the best chicken BBQ in the state usually comes from a local community group who has passed down a time-honored recipe for decades. In the summer, get here early on the weekends for some of the freshest local BBQ chicken.
- Bethany Blues, Lewes and Bethany
Bethany Blues Lewes / Facebook
Bethany Blues Bethany / Facebook Bethany Blues bases its ‘Delmarva barbecue’ on influences from Texas to Tennessee. They pride their BBQ on being 100% wood smoked.
- Fat Rick and Son’s BBQ & Catering, Wilmington
S.A. / Yelp
Fat Rick and Son’s BBQ and Catering / Facebook Fat Rick and sons have been serving up North Carolina style BBQ for over 25 years. Their place is tucked out of sight off Foulk Road in Wilmington.
- Kiwanis Bar-B-Que Chicken, Bridgeville
Dan P. / Yelp
Annie H. / Yelp Here’s another favorite local chicken barbecue place to be sure to hit on summer weekends; the chicken is delmarva-licious!
- Smokin D’z Real Pit BBQ, Milton
Becky H. / Yelp
Kokenutt C. / Yelp If you’re cruising down Route 1 in the summer on your way to the beach, swing by Smokin D’z, one of the best roadside BBQ joints in Delaware.
- Charlie K’s BBQ, Ocean View
Tawny R. / Yelp
Javier M. / Yelp Here’s another great roadside stand for BBQ; this one’s on Route 26 in Ocean View, one of the main drags to the beaches from western Sussex county. Diners rave about the pulled pork and brisket sandwiches.
- Young’s BBQ, Middletown
Josh E. / Yelp
Charlie G. / Yelp Here’s another little hole in the wall that serves amazing barbecue. This joint on Route 299 in Middletown also has the added bonus of serving Whoopie Pies for dessert.
- Where Pigs Fly, Dover
Tony H. / Yelp
Portia G. / Yelp Please note, Where Pigs Fly is no longer in business. Some people love it; some hate it. But Where Pigs Fly has offered BBQ in Dover since 1993, specializing in pulled pork.
I sure miss when Em-ing’s barbecue was in Millsboro; now your only hope of getting their fantastic BBQ is if you catch them catering in the state or drive to Bishopville, Maryland (sigh).
Locale BBQ Post/Facebook
Locale BBQ Post / Facebook
Ironically located on the edge of Little Italy in Wilmington, this is quickly becoming a favorite spot in Delaware for fantastic BBQ. Visitors gush about the ribs and pulled pork, and the small menu focuses on quality.
Oh’ Phoebe’s BBQ and Caterers / Facebook
Oh Phoebe’s BBQ Downhome Deli / Yelp
Please note, Oh’ Phoebe’s BBQ and Caterers is no longer in business. Even though Oh Phoebe’s has a small location in downtown Smyrna, the best bet to get this slow cooked meat is from his mobile smoker and truck, which usually parks at the Royal Farms on Route 13 in Smyrna.
Meat Mechanics / Facebook
What started out, like many BBQ joints, as a food truck, evolved into a small restaurant. Visitors to this little spot tucked in a strip mall on Route 10 say that its some of the best brisket north of Texas.
Fat Daddy’s BBQ / Facebook
We featured Fat Daddy’s on a prior list of amazing ‘hole in the wall’ restaurants, and it deserves a spot on this list for its mouthwatering brisket and ribs.
Sheila C. / Yelp
Locals know that the best chicken BBQ in the state usually comes from a local community group who has passed down a time-honored recipe for decades. In the summer, get here early on the weekends for some of the freshest local BBQ chicken.
Bethany Blues Lewes / Facebook
Bethany Blues Bethany / Facebook
Bethany Blues bases its ‘Delmarva barbecue’ on influences from Texas to Tennessee. They pride their BBQ on being 100% wood smoked.
S.A. / Yelp
Fat Rick and Son’s BBQ and Catering / Facebook
Fat Rick and sons have been serving up North Carolina style BBQ for over 25 years. Their place is tucked out of sight off Foulk Road in Wilmington.
Dan P. / Yelp
Annie H. / Yelp
Here’s another favorite local chicken barbecue place to be sure to hit on summer weekends; the chicken is delmarva-licious!
Becky H. / Yelp
Kokenutt C. / Yelp
If you’re cruising down Route 1 in the summer on your way to the beach, swing by Smokin D’z, one of the best roadside BBQ joints in Delaware.
Tawny R. / Yelp
Javier M. / Yelp
Here’s another great roadside stand for BBQ; this one’s on Route 26 in Ocean View, one of the main drags to the beaches from western Sussex county. Diners rave about the pulled pork and brisket sandwiches.
Josh E. / Yelp
Charlie G. / Yelp
Here’s another little hole in the wall that serves amazing barbecue. This joint on Route 299 in Middletown also has the added bonus of serving Whoopie Pies for dessert.
Tony H. / Yelp
Portia G. / Yelp
Please note, Where Pigs Fly is no longer in business. Some people love it; some hate it. But Where Pigs Fly has offered BBQ in Dover since 1993, specializing in pulled pork.
Where’s your favorite BBQ joint?
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