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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317 comments Add your comment
Chuck J
February 28th, 2012
7:34 pm
One other thing. If it has a lima bean…..run. It aint the real deal.
Jim Bob Slocum
February 28th, 2012
7:42 pm
Are we talking about REAL (squirrel and/or rabbit) Brunswick Stew?
transplant
February 28th, 2012
7:49 pm
Wallace’s, Austell. Fantastic stew. Don’t even think about ordering the stew in North or South Carolina — looks like vegetable soup with a little sauce.
MG
February 28th, 2012
7:59 pm
GC BBQ of course, the best of everything in BBQ!!!!!
p
February 28th, 2012
8:01 pm
Harolds
anon
February 28th, 2012
8:07 pm
Euclid avenue yacht club in L5P
Janet
February 28th, 2012
8:07 pm
Oak Grove Market on LaVista Road in Decatur. Hands down!
Sherree
February 28th, 2012
8:25 pm
The absolute BEST is my Grandaddy Chandler’s!!!!!!
Cardinal57
February 28th, 2012
8:35 pm
Hometown BBQ in Lawrenceville! Best ever!
lucyle
February 28th, 2012
8:37 pm
Holcomb’s BBQ in Greensboro & White Plains.Ga. It is the BEST in the world!!!
Soupy Sales
February 28th, 2012
8:39 pm
Two cups really ring the bell for me:
(1) Fox Bros – - a very tangy stock; great meat with few veggies (only minus is addition of potatoes);
(2) Manuel’s Tavern – - (who knew?) the classic; smoother stock, with a great afterburn.
barbeque man
February 28th, 2012
8:46 pm
I am not fond of any Brunswick stew in the Atlanta area. This blog has mentioned places in Augusta , Savannah and points in between. If you want really good stew and barbeque at one place nothing will ever beat Vandy’s in Statesboro. Top of the list.
Gator
February 28th, 2012
8:46 pm
Blind Pig near Jackson Lake
Karl Ste
February 28th, 2012
8:52 pm
Sprayberry’s!
12a10
February 28th, 2012
8:52 pm
Sprayberry”!
Bob Phillips
February 28th, 2012
8:54 pm
Bobs back yard brunswick stew available only in the fall.
Bocephus
February 28th, 2012
8:55 pm
SONNYS BBQ
All the others are a mixture of dog food,tomato,vinegar and sugar.
Sandra Mungin
February 28th, 2012
8:56 pm
I would think that MY Brunswick Stew would be the best because I am from Brunswick, Ga: home of the Brunswick Stew….
Blog me.. We can work something out about the stew…I owe it to me hometown.. i live in Stn Mtn now….
Who Cares?
February 28th, 2012
9:13 pm
Wallace Barbecue in Austell. Game over!.
Jawga69
February 28th, 2012
9:14 pm
Fresh Air in Jackson. Brick Pit has got some good ’stew as far as Atlanta goes.
FSUSAM8
February 28th, 2012
9:14 pm
The Pickrick serves the best Bunswick stew.
Rick
February 28th, 2012
9:36 pm
The best stew that you can find is not in the Atlanta area, it is at Holcombs BBQ in White Plains, not too far away from Sparta. Stew so good you can actually drink it down and be glad you did!!
Nard
February 28th, 2012
9:40 pm
Fox Bros. BBQ has the best!!!!
YouKnowMe
February 28th, 2012
9:44 pm
You CAN spell “suburb” without “superb”
Dingo
February 28th, 2012
9:44 pm
OLD HICKORY HOUSE
WhatAtlantaEats.Com
February 28th, 2012
9:53 pm
Old Hickory House, Tucker, GA
Benj
February 28th, 2012
10:01 pm
Harold’s
Troy
February 28th, 2012
10:03 pm
Williamson Brothers is my fave
atlanta native
February 28th, 2012
10:18 pm
all u people that luv harolds better go soon cause that place is on life support! the stew and que aint nothin like it used to be. aint no cracklin in the cornbread either – dry as a bone. sad to say, but harolds is circling the bowl.
JD
February 28th, 2012
10:32 pm
Even today with the current sub-standard management, Harold’s is the best that I have ever eaten. But it’s really a matter of taste.
Bbqlovr
February 28th, 2012
10:38 pm
Mrs. T’s BBQ- Once you try it you can’t deny it!!!
Michael
February 28th, 2012
10:44 pm
There is a competition and catering team in Atlanta named Mrs. T’s BBQ that has awesome stew! Real southern stew!
Jared Coleman
February 28th, 2012
11:37 pm
Fox Bros BBQ!!!
ROD
February 28th, 2012
11:59 pm
Low Country BBQ is number one and Harolds is number one and a half.
Nob
February 29th, 2012
1:12 am
#1 Community Q – no contest
#2 Fox Bros – very, very nice
Jeff M
February 29th, 2012
9:02 am
Harolds BBQ…no question
John C
February 29th, 2012
9:35 am
Williamson Bros near The Big Chicken
Devine Lavin
February 29th, 2012
12:02 pm
Absolutely, positively, without a doubt Harolds!
Ann
February 29th, 2012
12:22 pm
Grand Champion BBQ! Meatiest ever!
Donkey200
February 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
Euclid Avenue Yacht Club
Hotchpi
February 29th, 2012
9:40 pm
Byron’s in Auburn, AL. War Damn Eagle!
Baltisraul
March 1st, 2012
7:51 am
Three Jack…….I don’t care what goes in my BS as long as it has a great flavor like Old Hickory House. I have made mine with squirrel, rabbit, goat and elk. guess that would bother you and make you puke? What a sissy boy.
Baltisraul
March 1st, 2012
7:53 am
Hotchpi…….Best of the Big A does not mean Auburn, sorry.
Betsy
March 1st, 2012
10:46 am
I’m still a fan of Harold’s.
JP
March 1st, 2012
11:12 am
I’m going to have to go with JR’s Loghouse in Norcross. Community Q in Decatur is pretty good too.
Marina
March 1st, 2012
11:39 am
OK Cafe has great Brunswick but they keep jacking up their prices so I no longer go there. Enter Harolds! wow! their Brunswick is to die for! love it! love it! love it!
LP
March 1st, 2012
11:39 am
Slope’s BBQ, it doesn’t have nasty lima beans in it like most places in & around Atlanta. Why put lima beans in? So wrong!!!
Ernest
March 1st, 2012
12:17 pm
WW the Boss on Candler Road near I-20 makes a pretty good Brunswick stew. It is next to the Red Lobster. They have a pretty good pulled pork also.
The best Brunswick stew is made by family members in Montezuma, GA. Since that was my first exposure to Brunswick stew, I compare all others to it.
mwr
March 1st, 2012
12:23 pm
Pink Pig in Cherry Log (near Ellijay)
Who Cares
March 1st, 2012
12:24 pm
Now that Melears has closed, the best stew is at Harold’s in Atlanta, Sprayberry’s in Newnan and Fresh Air in Jackson.