Although the borders dividing barbeque territories are slowly beginning to dissolve, the fact remains that you have to go to the source if you want the best. Regional variations in techniques, cooking times, and sauces mean that opinions differ on what makes the best barbecue. But once you arrive in legendary barbecue cities like Memphis, Austin, or Kansas City, the options for meals are nearly limitless.

Top-notch barbecue can be hard to find if you don’t know where to look. There are a few cities with more than their fair share of real-deal smokehouses. To separate the different options, we’ve searched in each of America’s crucial barbeque regions to find a solid BBQ joint and give us the lowdown on the best place to score each area’s signature meals.

If you love the meaty texture and smoky taste of barbecue, read on to add a few more spots to your bucket list of barbeque meccas.