Best Brunswick stew
It's an Atlanta classic and, once again, Harold's is both your pick and our pick for best Brunswick stew in and around Atlanta. Staff photo
YOUR PICKS
1. Harold’s Barbecue
You say, “Harold’s still beats all comers … Their stew is fantastic and served with cracklin’ cornbread” and “Harold’s is the best stew in Atlanta … I had a bowl of stew there last Wednesday at lunch and it was as good as ever! Cracklin’ corn bread is still wonderful as was some outside sliced pork.”
2. Old Hickory House
3. Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q
4. Fresh Air Bar-B-Que
5. Old South Bar-B-Q
OUR PICKS
1. Harold’s BBQ
The AJC dining team’s Popular Eats specialist Jon Watson says, “Harold’s has been one of Atlanta’s favorite old-school barbecue spots for decades, and their Brunswick stew wins some of their highest praises. The traditional emulsified-style stew makes for a fantastic dunking sauce for their cracklin’ cornbread, and should be your first pick for a side at the landmark smokehouse.”
2. Beaver Creek Biscuits and Barbecue
3. Old South Bar-B-Q
4. Heirloom Market BBQ
5. Fox Bros. BBQ
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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
317 comments Add your comment
Jimmy
February 28th, 2012
12:52 pm
Williamson Bros – especially as part of AYCE deal
Ima Glutton
February 28th, 2012
1:16 pm
Pig-n-Chik in Chamblee. I drink it like OJ (Orange Juice, not Orinthal James)
Tim…………DELTA’s ready
Hands down
February 28th, 2012
2:41 pm
Why must people finish their nomination with the phrase “hands down”? It sounds so stupid. Please stop.
Ann
February 28th, 2012
4:10 pm
Williamson Brothers!!!!
ane
February 28th, 2012
4:42 pm
The stew at the Old South is the best.
ugafan13
February 28th, 2012
5:05 pm
Block-n-Blade in Flowery Branch!
weaseal
February 28th, 2012
5:13 pm
I’m a Macon guy-Love me some Fincher’s Stew !!!
SJM
February 28th, 2012
5:13 pm
Fresh Air in Jackson…the best!!
Sharon
February 28th, 2012
5:13 pm
BubaQ has great brunswick stew, as well as Rib Ranch, but Rib Ranch is hit or miss!
JET
February 28th, 2012
5:13 pm
JR.’s In Norcross has the best Brunswick Stew. It is never runny or watered down. Made from fresh BBQ meat!!! Hmmmm may have to go there this week!
BBQ LADY
February 28th, 2012
5:15 pm
BENNETT BROWNS AT LOWCOUNTRY BBQ AND CATERING- WOOOOO WEEEEEEE IT’S GOOD STUFF!
Fred Stevens
February 28th, 2012
5:16 pm
The best is and always has been cooked at the Old Hickory House. I’ve been looking for one better for nearly 50 years and still haven’t found it.
Marc
February 28th, 2012
5:28 pm
Hickory Pig North of Gainesville.
KPH
February 28th, 2012
5:28 pm
Fresh air in Jackson Ga.
David
February 28th, 2012
5:29 pm
I can give you the 3 best places to get Brunswick stew…HAROLD’S, HAROLD’S & HAROLD’S BBQ
John E. Wadd
February 28th, 2012
5:29 pm
Slim Jim Hewitt in Toccoa makes the best – every meat smoked and all veggies with meat processed through a grinder. Cooked all day in cast iron pot, mixed constantly with wood ladle
KPH
February 28th, 2012
5:31 pm
Wallace BBQ in Austell is very good as well.
Born Here
February 28th, 2012
5:32 pm
Old South in Smyrna. Old Hickory House.
tim
February 28th, 2012
5:32 pm
@diamond e……thanks for the country bumpkin language………keep whistlin through. your
TOOTH.
BTW I’m southern but don’t eat the crap you call food. If cancer is your heritage..so be it.
Yvonne
February 28th, 2012
5:37 pm
Shanes Rib Shack is terrible!! I actually make the best I’ve tasted. A lot of the rests. put ground beef in it!! Seriously, did they have that back 100 yrs ago when it originated? Think not!!! Can;t even think of a rest. that I would try again.
Mr Pants
February 28th, 2012
5:39 pm
I’m moving to the northeast in June and the last thing I’ll eat before leaving is Daddy D’z on Memorial, or maybe Fox Bros, or Fresh Air…maybe I’ll just stay.
No comparison
February 28th, 2012
5:41 pm
Mrs. T’s BBQ. Hands down. If you have that, you’ll never go back.
KPH
February 28th, 2012
5:43 pm
There has always got to be one punk in the crowd to spoil a good
conversation.
Ronda S
February 28th, 2012
5:45 pm
HAROLDS PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!
Baltisraul
February 28th, 2012
5:50 pm
Hands down…………I like them all except Sonny’s. HANDS DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!
Ameli
February 28th, 2012
5:50 pm
Wallace’s in Austell! Hands down, love their Brunswick stew!!!!!!!!!!
Three Jack
February 28th, 2012
5:54 pm
Anybody who says Old Hickory House should know what goes in that stuff…or maybe not because you would probably puke if you knew.
I forgot about Bennett Brown’s Lowcountry, definitely the best!
Jill
February 28th, 2012
5:57 pm
JR’s in Norcross. Totally delicous! I could eat it every day.
Hungry man
February 28th, 2012
5:58 pm
Wallace BBq in Austell nourishes the soul….it’s just that good…Comfort food! Stew from Jesus.
DB
February 28th, 2012
6:01 pm
Harold’s blows away the competition.
Hungry man
February 28th, 2012
6:02 pm
Why don’t we quit talkin about it and have all these places do a block party…
d brown
February 28th, 2012
6:03 pm
The Brickstore Pub in Decatur has great brunswick stew. they also have homemade habenero sause to drizzle on top. delicious!
Priscilla
February 28th, 2012
6:07 pm
old south!
JSin
February 28th, 2012
6:10 pm
50 years and running we serve the best Brunswick. We take a loaf of rye bread and hollow out the middle. Add a raw egg, chopped up cold hot dogs, canned corn and canned tomatoes. Serve it cold, wow, amazing!!!
jess
February 28th, 2012
6:11 pm
Reading the comments I’ve come to believe most commenters don’t venture into southeast Atlanta. Harold’s still beats all comers, HANDS DOWN.Their stew is fantastic and served with cracklin’ cornbread. Not a Southerner, you probably like some of the others , like Williamson and Slopes but true Southerners miss Melears and now opt for Harold’s.
Fatguy from Georgia
February 28th, 2012
6:14 pm
Hudson’s in Douglasville, Ga. has had the best brunswick stew for the many years I have been going there.
Craig Jones
February 28th, 2012
6:30 pm
Harold’s has the best Brunswick stew, even if their BBQ pork is as dry as cardboard
Priscilla
February 28th, 2012
6:43 pm
Old South BBQ In Smyrna………………Thread Over !
John
February 28th, 2012
6:49 pm
Cioffi’s Pizzeria in Stone Mtn.
John
February 28th, 2012
6:51 pm
Enter your comments here
david
February 28th, 2012
6:51 pm
Old South in Smyrna #1
Williamson Brothers is good if you like their sauce. Worked catering for them few years back.
Bonannie
February 28th, 2012
6:55 pm
Wallace’s in Austell!! Woot-woot!
TH
February 28th, 2012
6:55 pm
Harold’s is the best stew in Atlanta and it has not gone to crap! I had a bowl of stew there last Wednesday at lunch and it was as good as ever! Cracklin corn bread is still wonderful as was some outside sliced pork.
GaPeach
February 28th, 2012
7:16 pm
#1 – Harold’s
#2 – Old Brick Pit
greg
February 28th, 2012
7:18 pm
old south, smyrna for sure!!!
Rick
February 28th, 2012
7:19 pm
Old Hickory House has the best and the Pig N’ Chick is not bad as well.
Bama Man
February 28th, 2012
7:21 pm
Mathews Cafeteria
Jan
February 28th, 2012
7:21 pm
Love the stew at Jim N Nick’s in Smyrna!
J W
February 28th, 2012
7:24 pm
Harold’s hands down wins this.
Chuck J
February 28th, 2012
7:33 pm
Well Harolds by far. It is the old school stew like my grandmother makes. It is the real deal.