Listen.
If Rolling Stone magazine can curate ranked lists of Denzel Washington movies, Keith Moon pranks, “That’s what she said” jokes from “The Office,” Snoop Dogg moments at the 2024 Paris Olympics, worst original names of famous bands and Beastie Boy songs, then that means I can curate the same type of ranked list, but for barbecue joints in the Chattanooga area.
Before we get into the meat of things, I have to big-up good ol’ Ben Benton — a Chattanooga Times Free Press newsroom veteran with a leather eye patch and handlebar moustache. Benton’s mind is a smorgasbord of wisdom that he bestowed upon me, free of charge, about everything from Sequatchie County folklore to rainbow trout spawning habits to microplastic conspiracy theories to hot slaw hearsay to journalist slang to barbecue culture in the 423. Believe you me, this list wouldn’t be as special without him.
So here’s the list, open to be debated or appreciated — or both.