Missouri knows barbecue and, in fact, makes some of the best in the United States. If you’re on the hunt for the best ribs in Missouri, make your way to Pappy’s Smokehouse in St. Louis. The longtime neighborhood barbecue joint is well-known for its barbecue, but it’s the ribs that people can’t stop talking about.

Only in Your State

Of all the return-to-dining scenes I’ve witnessed in the past three years, the Pappy’s line is among the most welcome. It has become a rite of passage in the 15 years since Mike Emerson and John Matthews founded the barbecue restaurant.

Saint Louis Today

Pappy’s Smokehouse in St. Louis’s Midtown has gained a loyal following thanks to its expertly smoked meat and delectable flavors. From their renowned dry-rubbed ribs to the flavorful pulled pork, Pappy’s delivers barbecue perfection with every bite, earning it a spot among the best in the nation.

Travel Awaits

If St. Louis is considered one of the nation’s great barbecue towns, as it should be, credit goes to Pappy’s Smokehouse for putting it on the map.

River Front Times

Pappy's Smokehouse Named BEST BBQ by the 2023 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Headliner Voters.

Saint Louis Post Dispatch

New Kid On the BBQ Block: St. Louis could be considered the new kid on the BBQ block. And the city’s modern BBQ boom first exploded at Pappy’s.

Midwest Living

Pappy's brought Memphis-style barbecue to St. Louis, and big slabs of ribs smoked over apple and cherry wood have won over locals and tourists alike. They cook those ribs fresh each day, along with plenty of pulled pork, chicken, brisket, and turkey, often selling out before closing time.

Southern Living

At Pappy's Smokehouse, a Memphis-style barbecue joint in Missouri, every customer is treated to the "Pappy's Experience." The experience includes three facets: Freshly prepared food, a low and slow cooking method, and a finishing touch of delicious sauce on the side.

Tasting Table

Recap of Steven Raichlen's ProjectFire Season 4 filming in St. Louis. Pappy's co-founder John Matthews is one of the guests on Season 4, which will air on PBS in April 2022.

STL Today

Raichlen will cook specialties from around the St. Louis area this season on his PBS show. On Wednesday he cooked pork steaks with Pappy’s BBQ owner John Matthews, but the show features more than grilled meats. It’s all about anything you can cook with fire. The season will also show Raichlen baking bread in a wood-fired oven with Balkan Treat Box.

Fox2 Now

Pappy’s Smokehouse, St. Louis, MO & St. Peters, MO: get a half-slab of ribs plus a quarter pound of burnt ends, sauced in a balsamic BBQ glaze.

Food Network

Pappy’s Smokehouse Pitmaster Brian Scroggins joins Dane Neal at WCSO to talk about Pappy’s acclaimed Ribs and excitement to be back with friends and fans in Chicago as BBQ is back!

WGN Radio 720

John Matthews and Mike Emerson have been a force to be reckoned with in the barbecue game. The pair participated in barbecue competitions for more than 10 years before they hung it up. Two years later, after a complaining about their jobs over a few beers, they latched on to an idea.

Columbia Missourian

What makes Pappy’s Smokehouse so special is their incredible BBQ and friendly service. Pappy’s Smokehouse has really been making headlines ever since the Food Network named their ribs the best in the country.

JZ Vacation Rentals

John Matthew discusses barbecue with Ariana Lipsman of Cook & Culture.

Cook and Culture

What is America without our smokehouses and pitmasters? Pappy's, a casual outpost in STL, has only been open since 2008, but it’s been a heavy hitter since its launch. It’s routinely been voted the best BBQ in town, and its ribs have been recognized as the best in America—by someone other than me.

Esquire

Like everyone in the restaurant business, Pappy's Smokehouse co-founder and owner John Matthews has been weathering the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic since March, wondering when things will get better and just hoping to survive. Finally, he reached the point where he knew he needed to take matters into his own hands.

River Front Times

Pappy’s Smokehouse is going where the people are and opening a second location in St. Charles County. “I gotta bring the food where the people are,” co-founder John Matthews told 5 On Your Side while standing in the soon-to-open location in St. Peters.

KSDK-TV

Beloved midtown barbecue restaurant Pappy’s Smokehouse will open a second locations at 5246 North Service Road in St. Peters.

SLT Today

Some of St. Louis' favorite ribs are headed to St. Charles County. Pappy's Smokehouse, which has been serving up award-winning ribs in the Midtown neighborhood for over 12 years, is venturing outside of the city for the first time. The barbecue joint is slated to open its second location in late September or early October in St. Peters, Missouri.

Feast

The renowned barbecue joint will open their second store in a former Blaze Pizza location at 5246 N. Service Road.

KMOV-TV

t’s been 12 years since Pappy’s Smokehouse burst onto the local scene and taught St. Louisans a thing or two about barbecue. Now, the storied barbecue joint is heading west with a new location.

St Louis

How do you celebrate a heart full of love on Valentine’s Day – how about with a toasted ravioli full of brisket? Tim Ezell was out at Pappy’s Smokehouse where they are making it happen! 

Fox 2 Now

ust when you think it can’t get any better in the St. Louis food scene… It does! Pappy’s Smokehouses’ latest item will have your mouth watering and it’s ‘so St. Louis.’ The restaurant just announced it has Anthonino’s Taverna famous toasted ravs stuffed with Pappy’s smoked beef brisket!

KSDK-TV

The Food Network once stated that Pappy’s Smokehouse is home to America’s best ribs. And, we’re not disputing that claim. Even though they’re located in the heart of St. Louis, these Memphis-style ribs are the best in the city. They’re dry-rubbed and then slow-smoked over both apple and cherry wood. The result? Ribs so tantalising that you’ll have to taste them for yourself just to see.

Big 7 Travel

The Food Network set out to find the best ribs in America, and they ranked the ribs from Pappy’s Smokehouse at #1. And who am I to argue? I live in St. Louis, and they’re the best ribs I’ve ever had. I could easily be convinced that they’re the best ribs in the country.

Travel Awaits

Looking to try the top smokehouses around? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top smokehouses in St. Louis, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture when cravings strike.

Hoodline

Spoiler alert: there's a lot of good food!

Buzzfeed

We felt like we had died and gone to heaven after tasting their BBQ. If you every get a chance, stop by Pappy's Smoke House in St. Louis.

Great American Red White & Q Road Trip