Best of: Barbecue

While aficionados might say the South is the only place to get quality barbecue, New York City has plenty of joints to satisfy carnivorous cravings on a student’s budget. Note to Memphis, Raleigh, Dallas, and all the rest: These Yankees know their stuff. Here are just a few of the best places at which to dig into some quality fixins.

Pies 'n' Thighs
Pies ’n’ Thighs is certainly out of the way—it’s four blocks from the Marcy Avenue subway stop on an unassuming corner in South Williamsburg. But Columbians willing to make the trip are in for some of the best North Carolina-style pork barbecue north of the Mason-Dixon Line. The folks at Pies ’n’ Thighs cook their pork shoulder the way Carolina pitmasters have been doing it for decades: unsauced, with plenty of smokiness and just a tad of vinegar, chili pepper, and salt to taste. Combined with sweet, crunchy slaw on a warm roll, this pork sandwich is the perfect balance between salty, sweet, smoky, and savory. Plus, it only costs $10, and that includes a side dish—the best choice being the pork-laced, pleasantly chewy collard greens. Pies ’n’ Thighs is a cheap, satiating, and downright delicious way to end a day of thrifting, hipster-watching, or simply hanging out on the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Q
Dinosaur Bar-B-Q, conveniently located about a 15-minute walk from campus at 646 West 131st St., advertises itself as “a honky-tonk rib joint.” The ribs are certainly delicious, but for students watching their wallets, $11.50 nets the delicious Chicken and Pork Deluxe—a barbecue chicken sandwich topped with succulent pulled pork and American cheese—as well as two sides. Though the chicken is unfortunately a bit dry, the buttery bun, rich cheese, and melt-in-your-mouth pork are more than enough to compensate for the dish’s sole shortcoming. For people with smaller appetites, there’s always the Swag Sampler Plate ($5.95 for a single carnivore, $9.95 for two). The platter comes loaded with spicy, beer-soaked shrimp, chicken wings, fried green tomatoes, and deviled eggs—perfect fuel after a busy first week of classes.

Rub BBQ
For some good, Texas-style ’cue, hop on the 1 train and get off at 23rd Street. Right across the street, Rub BBQ serves up some serious brisket, a coarser, sweeter version of classic pulled pork, and some of the best cornbread in the city. A quarter pound of any of Rub’s classic meats is $4. There’s the sweet-and-smoky pulled pork—definitely more savory and food-coma-inducing than either Dinosaur’s or Pies ’n’ Thighs’. For students looking to up their cholesterol by several points and have a damn good time doing it, try the burnt ends. These fatty, crisp cuts from the tip of the roast are buttery and almost sinfully decadent. Add some of the accompanying sauce, and it’s hard not to swoon. And don’t forget to wash these goodies down with some sweet tea. Rub’s rendition is like liquid candy and complements the orgy of protein nicely. Sweet tea, a quarter pound each of pulled pork and burnt ends, and some pillowy cornbread cost only $14.02 with tax and yield plenty of leftovers.