Cold weather brings out the best in Georgia barbecue. When the temperature drops and the smoke hangs low over every pit, these sixteen restaurants turn into community gathering spots where warmth comes from both the smoker and the people crowding around it.
From family-run joints that have been smoking pork since your grandparents were young to modern spots adding bold twists to old traditions, Georgia’s barbecue map is built for winter. Grab a napkin and settle in.
1. Fresh Air Bar-B-Que – Jackson
Pull off I-75 on a chilly afternoon and Fresh Air’s tall brick chimney looks like a space heater for half the county.
The Jackson original has been in continuous operation since 1929 and is considered Georgia’s oldest pit-cooked barbecue joint still in its original location…