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Devan’s (Double) Dozen: BBQ Edition, Part I
After a year that took me to nearly every barbeque restaurant, joint, stand, pop-up, and concept in the Kansas City metro, a lot of readers were left asking the one question I had failed to answer, “Which is best?” Here in Kansas City, talking about barbeque is as common as discussing the weather or the local sports team, but far more precarious. The BBQ joint one person swears by will be the one another swears they won’t visit again. That didn’t stop me from weighing in with the first-ever double edition of Devan’s Dozen.
FCS: Best of 2023
For me, this edition of Fountain City Superlatives is always special as I get a chance to recap the year that I had. However, after a year of focusing on almost-exclusively barbeque, I worried that I may not have much more to give. Thankfully, that was not the case. This breaks down the best new things I tried in Kansas City in 2023. Some of the categories you know and love are missing. Some others are brand new. But here lies a, mostly, non-barbeque recap of my year.
FCS: The Meats
“With great palate comes great responsibility.” Perhaps that was not the line exactly as Ben Parker famously delivered it, but does it not hold true? Oftentimes, my recommendation on what BBQ joint a person should try is simply based on the question of “What do you like?” With that in mind, after a year that took me to every BBQ joint worth visiting, this column names the best BBQ joints in the metro, based on the cuts of meat where each spot excels.
Everything but the Bread
Every year thousands travel to Kansas City to try the best that the World Capital of Barbeque has to offer. With over a hundred spots to choose from, locals and travels alike visit a number of barbeque restaurants, joints, stands, trucks, and pop-ups, and enjoy a variety of sauces, sides, and smoked meats. Regardless of where they choose to eat or what they order, nearly every single sandwich and tray in the city is united by a common thread. Everyone in KC seems to know it, but nobody really acknowledges KCQ’s best supporting actor.
Bar-V-Que
Barbeque is a community food. It is best when shared with others. And yet? Not every member of every community eats meat. Year after year, vegetarianism becomes more popular in the United States. And whether it’s a lifestyle, or just for a meal, more and Kansas City pitmasters are flexing their creative muscles to serve up Kansas City flavors that are inclusive to a much wider audience. These are some of the best places to enjoy bar-v-que in the city.
Devan’s Dozen: (Pork) Ribs Edition
When it comes to barbeque, I consider few meats more luxurious than a properly smoked pork rib. Given the wide range of ribs present in KC, from the truly great to the utterly inedible, I decided to rank the 12 best slabs of ribs in the city. But first, I laid out my own 4 C’s as it relates to ribs for explaining what one should look for in a truly great rib. After all, every single great rib has one key characteristic in common.
Lucky 63
In a football-crazed town like KC, the NFL draft is always a big deal. Of course there is excitement since Kansas City is the reigning Super Bowl and AFC champs, but more than that - the NFL Draft will be in Kansas City! Brett Veach and company have a whopping 10 picks this year. In exploring those picks and the best player ever taken at each of these picks, I found a pattern that bodes well for KC in this year’s draft.
Minor Hub? Major Grub!
When I travel, it is not only important to experience the sights and sounds of a place, but also the tastes and smells. While I have asked, or been asked, the best places to dine in a certain area, I have never thought to ask, “What should I eat at the airport?” and nobody has ever asked me. Now, that’s changing. There’s been much to-do about our glittering new airport but the part of the story that’s been missed - the Northland now has a gigantic food hall. All the options can be overwhelming so these are my top picks.
Devan’s Dozen: Part 2 Hearts
After the overwhelming success of the Parade of Hearts in 2022, it was announced that the public art installation would return in 2023 and 2024. Initially, the hearts will be rather concentrated for the NFL Draft but then will be relocated to spots all across the city. Having had the opportunity to see them all in one place last weekend, I decided that, once again, I would rank the 12 you should prioritize. That said, with only 40, it should be much easier to get out and see them all.