8 of the world’s best barbecue styles and dishes

Barbecue – slow-cooked, smoky and so delicious the whole world loves it. But where do you find the best? Discover the best destinations for barbecue below.

‘Low and slow’ is the rule for cooking brisket in Texas. Low, low heat and cooked so gradually, the best part of the day has gone before it’s soft enough to cut with a fork. 

The result is a succulent, melt-in-the-mouth texture that makes Texan cuisine some of the world's best barbecue.

The long cooking time allows the flavours to develop deeply, creating a rich, smoky taste that is quintessentially Texan. 

This method of barbecuing has been perfected over generations, making Texas brisket a beloved staple in the world of barbecue.

There’s an enticing aroma that emanates from Shibuya’s hole-in-the-wall restaurants – consisting of smoky charcoal, sizzling meat and blackened fish. 

Yakitori is a household favourite in Japan, and for good reason. This delicious barbecue dish consists of smoky chicken being served on bamboo skewers. Yakitori is often labelled by the specific part of the chicken used, for example, chicken skin is known as torikawa.

When Brazil’s gauchos roasted beef over an open fire after a hard day in the saddle, little did they know they were inventing a tradition that would live on in 21st-century Brazil. 

Rio has some of the best barbecue churrascarias in the country. Churrascarias, where restaurants serve cuts of meat to the table, originated in Brazil, but is also popular in other countries. Some of these include Uruguay and Argentina, making it one of the best barbecue styles for global appeal.

If you prefer seafood, make sure to head straight to Marius at Copacabana Beach for a traditional churrascaria with a Mediterranean twist.

Every morning in Jamaica, vendors set up half-oil barrels on Port Antonio street corners and start to barbecue spicy jerk chicken, each with their own marinade – a closely guarded mix of spices. 

Covered in cartoon murals and swathed in smoke so thick you could cut it with a knife, everything is cooked jerk-style, from lobster to sweet potato. 

Locals eat on the run, grabbing tinfoil packets oozing with spicy meat, but there are a couple of seats outside if you fancy a sit-down meal. 

Pimatgol (‘horse-avoiding alley’) is the story of where South Korea’s barbecuing scene started. The tale goes that a warren of eateries were tired of having to throw themselves in the mud when horseriding noblemen passed by. 

Today, this historical backdrop has evolved and set the scene for culinary vibrancy in South Korea and more specifically Seoul. Here, you’ll find the very best Korean barbecue joints. Cook thin slices of tenderloin and marinated short ribs at your table. You may also find banchan (side dishes) and other delicious accoutrements at your table.

If seafood is your thing, look no further than New England for one of the best barbecues. In the summertime, popular barbecue dishes include clambakes and seafood. The latter gets cooked slowly over seaweed helping to bring out the umami flavour of the fish. 

Clambake consists of lobster, clams and mussels. Other features of this barbecue include corn, potatoes and sometimes a kielbasa (a Polish sausage).

In Greece, antikristo is the most popular style of barbecue. This type of barbecue typically consists of placing a lamb on either a wooden stake or a metal cage and an open wood fire, making for a simplistic yet effective cook. 

With the flames taking the main stage, this is the best BBQ for indulgent smoky flavours. This type of barbecuing has been custom for years in Greece also.

Another country whose barbecue is centred around seafood is Portugal. If you love all things fresh fish, Portugal is the country for you. Wander down the streets and smell the natural oils of the fish releasing a rich, savoury fragrance.

Sardines boast affordable prices with incredible flavour, making them a popular choice with the locals. Expect to find whole, golden sardines with their skin on, with a douse of olive oil over the top.