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Start a Top 5 for BBQEditor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in Washingtonian. Updated August 2026.
2fifty Texas BBQ, K St. · Mount Vernon Triangle
Fernando Gonzalez and Debby Portillo Gonzalez smoke Texas-style barbecue over oak, and the American Wagyu brisket is the reason people line up. Peppery pork ribs and thick poblano-studded sausage fill out the plates, with mustardy potato salad and beans with brisket and fried onions on the side. Locations in Mount Vernon Triangle and Riverdale Park.
DCity Smokehouse · Bloomingdale
A tiny Bloomingdale carryout from Rob Sonderman that stood out as barbecue spots multiplied across DC. The ribs turn smoky from hickory and cherry wood under a brown-sugar coating, and the brisket carries a strong bark over a fatty, pink center. Half-smokes, smoked wings, and green-chili grits round out the counter menu.
Federalist Pig · Adams Morgan
Pitmaster Rob Sonderman's Adams Morgan smokehouse landed on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list after Michelin corrected a technical error that had left it off in 2021. The counter serves smoked brisket, pulled pork, and turkey by the half-pound alongside globally minded sides.
Texas Jack’s Barbecue · Arlington
Chef Matt Lang, who cooked at Brooklyn's Fette Sau and Hill Country DC, threads German and Mexican influences through Texas barbecue in Arlington's Lyon Park. Expect brisket and smoked sausage alongside jerked goat, pulled-pork touches, and a porcini-chickpea burger for the vegetarian at the table.