Blue Ribbon BBQ, West Newton

“Who says northerners can’t do ‘cue?” asked Boston magazine as it crowned Blue Ribbon BBQ on its Best of Boston list more than five times. Dished out from its brick-and-mortar locations, the restaurant’s tender meats are lauded for their slow-cooked, pit-smoked tenderness, infused with the flavors of hickory and oak hardwoods. Blue Ribbon dishes out dry-rubbed ribs, Texas-style beef brisket, and Kansas City-style burnt ends dubbed “absolutely addictive” by Boston. Locally made hot-smoked sausage helps round out the menu alongside Southern sides such as dirty rice, potato salad, and cornbread. Blue Ribbon BBQ also caters special events and sells bottles of its most popular sauces so guests can enhance their grandmother’s recipes or add flavor to their super-soaker fights.