9 Memphis BBQ Joints Where Pulled Pork Sandwiches Are Legendary

Memphis is the undisputed capital of pulled pork sandwiches, where smoke-kissed meat and tangy slaw create magic between two buns. I’ve spent years sampling these saucy delights across the city, getting sauce on my shirt and a smile on my face with every bite.

Grab some napkins and loosen your belt as we tour the nine most legendary pulled pork sanctuaries in Memphis, each one serving up history, flavor, and Southern hospitality by the plateful.

1. Central BBQ: Where Smoke Meets Soul

Walking into Central BBQ feels like entering pulled pork paradise. The intoxicating aroma of hickory-smoked meat hits you before you even reach the counter, making your mouth water in gleeful anticipation.

Their pulled pork sandwich isn’t just food, it’s an experience that locals line up for and visitors dream about long after leaving Memphis. The meat spends 14 hours in the smoker, resulting in that perfect pink smoke ring and a tenderness that almost makes you emotional.

What really sets Central’s sandwich apart is their signature dry rub that caramelizes during smoking, creating little bits of flavor magic they call “bark.” Though relatively new compared to some Memphis institutions (opening in 2002), they’ve quickly become the standard-bearer for modern Memphis BBQ.

2. Cozy Corner: The Humble Heavyweight

Hidden away in a modest building at the corner of North Parkway, Cozy Corner proves that greatness doesn’t require flashy surroundings. Since 1977, this family-owned treasure has been quietly serving some of the most spectacular pulled pork in the South.

If heaven had a flavor, it might taste like their perfectly smoked pork shoulder, chopped to order and piled high on a soft bun. The meat carries a distinctive hint of sweetness that plays beautifully against their vinegar-forward sauce.

Founder Raymond Robinson passed away in 2001, but his wife Desiree and their children maintain his exacting standards. Even after surviving a devastating fire in 2015, Cozy Corner returned stronger than ever, proving that true BBQ legends are built on resilience, family, and unwavering dedication to craft.

3. The Bar-B-Q Shop: Home of the Texas Toast Sandwich

While most places serve their pulled pork on standard buns, The Bar-B-Q Shop revolutionized the game with their Texas Toast sandwich. Thick-cut bread, grilled to buttery perfection, creates the ideal foundation for their mountain of tender, hand-pulled pork.

Once a small sandwich shop called Brady & Lil’s, it transformed into The Bar-B-Q Shop in 1987 when the Berry family took over. Their Dancing Pigs sauce, available in mild, hot, and secret hot recipes, has won countless awards and enhances their already spectacular meat.

Though they’re famous for inventing BBQ spaghetti (a Memphis oddity worth trying), their pulled pork sandwich remains their crowning achievement. The combination of that toast, their perfectly smoked meat, and homemade sauce creates a textural and flavor experience that’s simply transcendent.

4. Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous: The Downtown Institution

Though Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous might be more famous for their dry-rub ribs, insiders know their pulled pork sandwich deserves equal billing. Tucked away in a downtown alley since 1948, this basement restaurant feels like stepping into BBQ history.

Unlike some joints that focus exclusively on hickory, Rendezvous uses a blend of woods in their smoking process, creating a complex flavor profile that’s distinctly their own. The pork shoulder gets a generous coating of their famous seasoning before a long, slow journey through the smoker.

When served, the meat is chopped rather than pulled, giving it a different texture that holds their vinegar-based sauce perfectly. Located just a block from the Peabody Hotel, it’s become a mandatory pilgrimage for BBQ enthusiasts worldwide, serving everyone from locals to presidents and rock stars.

5. Payne’s Bar-B-Que: The Neon-Green Slaw Sensation

Housed in an old gas station on Lamar Avenue, Payne’s Bar-B-Que might not win any beauty contests, but their pulled pork sandwich is runway-model gorgeous. Since 1972, the Payne family has been chopping pork to order on a well-worn wooden block that’s developed its own seasoning over decades.

What truly distinguishes their sandwich is the legendary neon-green coleslaw that tops it. This vibrant, mustard-based creation provides the perfect tangy counterpoint to their heavily smoked meat and sweet-hot sauce.

Flora Payne still oversees operations, ensuring each sandwich meets the exacting standards established by her late husband, Horton Payne. The contrast between the charred, crusty bits of bark mixed with tender interior meat creates a textural symphony that keeps devotees coming back decade after decade.

6. Tops Barbecue: The Fast-Food BBQ King

Sometimes the best barbecue comes from the most unassuming places. Tops Barbecue has been serving quick, consistent pulled pork sandwiches since 1952, proving that speed doesn’t have to sacrifice quality.

With multiple locations throughout Memphis, Tops has mastered the art of delivering authentic pit-smoked flavor with drive-thru convenience. Their pork shoulders smoke slowly over hickory, then get hand-pulled before being dressed with their signature thin, vinegar-forward sauce and a generous portion of slaw.

While fancy BBQ tourists might overlook Tops for flashier destinations, locals know these sandwiches represent the everyday BBQ experience that sustains Memphis. The meat-to-bun ratio is perfect, the price is right, and the flavor is exactly what you want when a pulled pork craving strikes without warning.

7. Leonard’s Pit Barbecue: The Century-Old Legend

How many restaurants can claim they’ve been feeding a city for over 100 years? Leonard’s Pit Barbecue opened in 1922 when founder Leonard Heuberger started selling sandwiches for just five cents each from his small stand.

A century later, Leonard’s continues to smoke some of Memphis’ most consistently excellent pulled pork. Their sandwich features finely chopped shoulder meat with a distinctive pink smoke ring, topped with their signature sauce that balances sweetness, tang, and just enough spice to keep things interesting.

During the 1950s, Leonard’s was reportedly Elvis Presley’s favorite BBQ joint, hosting the King and his entourage for late-night feasts. Though they’ve moved locations over the years, their commitment to traditional pit-smoking methods remains unchanged, making each sandwich a taste of living Memphis history.

8. Interstate Bar-B-Que: Where Soul Food Meets Smoke

Though founder Jim Neely might be better known as the uncle of Food Network star Pat Neely, his Interstate Bar-B-Que stands on its own legendary merits. Since 1979, this family enterprise has been blending soul food traditions with classic BBQ techniques.

Their pulled pork sandwich arrives on a soft bun with meat that’s been smoked for up to 15 hours, resulting in extraordinary tenderness. The sauce deserves special mention, slightly thicker than many Memphis varieties, with a complex flavor profile that hints at secret ingredients Jim still won’t reveal.

Located near Memphis International Airport, Interstate has become both the first and last taste of authentic Memphis BBQ for countless travelers. The restaurant’s motto, “You don’t need teeth to eat my meat,” tells you everything about the melt-in-your-mouth quality of their perfectly smoked pork.

9. Corky’s BBQ: The Hickory-Smoked Crowd-Pleaser

Since opening in 1984, Corky’s has grown from a single East Memphis restaurant to a nationally recognized brand, but they’ve never compromised on their pulled pork. Founder Don Pelts insisted on hand-pulling every ounce of pork that comes out of their hickory-fired pits, a tradition that continues today.

Their sandwich arrives with perfectly textured meat that balances tender interior pieces with delectable crusty bits from the outside of the shoulder. Though they offer multiple sauce options, their original tangy-sweet version remains the classic choice for showcasing their expertly smoked pork.

Unlike some BBQ spots that cultivate a deliberately rustic vibe, Corky’s embraces a slightly more polished atmosphere with 1950s decor and uniformed servers. This accessibility has made them a gateway BBQ experience for generations of Memphis visitors while maintaining authentic enough quality to keep locals coming back.