A Long Overdue Barbecue Pilgrimage
It took me more than 30 years to make it to Arthur Bryant's, but it was worth the wait
Most kids dream about traveling to Hawaii or Disney World; I, on the other hand, desperately wanted to visit Kansas City.
As a food obsessed 10-year-old armed with Jane and Michael Stern’s Roadfood, I fantasized about feasting on the legendary barbeque at Arthur Bryant’s (1727 Brooklyn Ave, Kansas City, MO).
It took me 30 some-odd years to find my way to the Paris of the Plains—it turns out a road trip to Kansas City isn’t at the top of most people’s travel lists…how weird!—but remarkably, decades on this institution is still turning out some of the finest food in America.
The second you exit your car, a heady perfume of oak wood and smoked meat sneaks into your nose and puts you in a trance; you’ll need to resist the urge to levitate like a Looney Tunes character ensnared by a delicious aroma.
At the entrance, dusty and faded 5-gallon jugs of barbecue sauce—likely filled in 1959 when Bryant’s moved to its current location—line the windowsill, powerful totems that honor pitmaster Henry Perry, the undisputed father of Kansas City barbecue, who displayed his cayenne pepper-laced sauce in his restaurant’s windows.1
Cross the threshold and you’ll notice the hallmarks of an “eat it and beat it” joint: linoleum flooring, formica tables and red and black banquet chairs, all under the fluorescent glare of church rec room lighting.
No matter what time of day, you will wait in a quickly moving line (beware Chief’s game days when the line wraps around the block). This will give you a chance to admire the grease accumulation on the yellowed popcorn walls.
At a less-storied establishment sticky residue would be a red flag; at Bryant’s it’s a physical connection to barbecue enthusiasts past (Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama among them) who have dined at this hallowed smokehouse.
As you step up to the window to place your order, you will be momentarily mesmerized by the rhythms of the slicer. A skilled artisan wields the hulking machine with the dexterity of a samurai handling his sword, transforming hunks of smoked meat into delicate wisps.
Most writers proclaim Bryant’s sliced brisket to be the best meat in the house. I was in full agreement after my first two visits: the meat is juicy and lean with just a little bit of fat; rubbed in a spice mixture that is savory but not overpowering, the brisket’s smoke and beefy flavors sing in perfect harmony.
On my third visit I finally sampled the elusive sliced pork my Kansas City-bred boyfriend repeatedly extolled—it had already sold out on our previous visits—and the pork knocked the brisket right off its pedestal.
It was hard to envision meat more feathery and succulent than the brisket, but there it was before me, a pillowy pile of porcine perfection. Cushioned in between two squishy pieces of white bread straight from the plastic bag and piled high with sliced dill pickles, there’s no barbecue sandwich I’d rather sink my teeth into.
Bryant’s signature spicy-sweet sauce has legions of fans, though the meat is exquisite enough to stand on its own. While most patrons order the lard-enhanced, skin-on fries I prefer the crispy onion rings as a side.
In the end, it doesn’t really matter what you order or how you dress it—it’s all exceptional and will leave you wondering how Bryant’s continues to produce some of the best 'cue in the country after nearly seven decades in business.
All photos by Jared Wheeler.
Bryant’s (est. 1946) may be the most famous, but Kansas City is littered with classic eateries still cranking out remarkable food. I can’t wait to report on Town Topic (est. 1937), Winstead’s (est. 1943), Gates (est. 1946) and Danny Edwards (the relative newbie, est. 1980) in future posts.
Can you name another American city with the same volume of decades-old quality restaurants?
This article does an excellent job of documenting Perry’s significance as the creator of Kansas City-style barbecue and relaying his importance as a black entrepreneur in a highly-segregated society. https://www.kcdiscovery.com/home/flashbakc-perryair
Thanks for these recommendations. Can’t wait to check them out and try BBQ spaghetti - wow!
Memphis