Fav Wav Food Spots #4 Pappy’s Smokehouse — Midtown

Pappy’s helped put modern St. Louis barbecue on the national culinary map.

Its specialty is Memphis-style barbecue, particularly slow-smoked ribs. Thousands of customer reviews and years of national attention have transformed what began as a local barbecue restaurant into a destination where visitors sometimes build part of their St. Louis itinerary around lunch.

There are more polished dining rooms in town, but that’s hardly the point. Pappy’s represents barbecue as St. Louis likes it: smoke, meat, sides and a line of customers who already know what they’re waiting for.

What to try: Ribs, brisket and burnt ends when available.

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