Kansas City, Texas, and the Carolinas are often the first regions in the U.S. that come to mind when people think of barbecue. However, a new study just in time for the Fourth of July grilling season has identified another strong contender: Los Angeles.
A recent story published by a website dedicated to lawn care maintenance and mowing services lists Los Angeles as the nation’s fifth-best city for barbecue. This 2024 Best BBQ Cities list unsurprisingly places Kansas City, Missouri, at the top, followed by Memphis, Tennessee; Houston, Texas; and Kansas City, Kansas. Rounding out the Top 5 is the City of Angels.
The ranking may be surprising to some, but the website claims there is a solid methodology behind it. Los Angeles edged out other prominent barbecue locales by scoring high in several metrics used to order the list, which includes the 500 most populous cities in the nation.
Metrics considered in the ranking include the number of barbecue vendors and smokehouses, the number of businesses with 4.5+ ratings, and the overall consumer rating of local barbecue offerings. Los Angeles finished with an overall score of 36.2, placing fifth overall, largely due to its high number of vendors and smokehouses, especially those with glowing reviews. L.A. also benefits from having the most members of the National Barbecue & Grilling Association.
Other California cities to make the list include San Diego (29th), San Francisco (74th), Corona (76th), Elk Grove (81st), and Sacramento (89th).
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