Best BBQ Restaurants in the Daytona and Flagler Area
While Florida doesn’t always come to mind as quickly as Texas or the Carolinas for exceptional barbecue, we certainly have our fair share of exceptional local spots for sizzling, smoked meats and top-notch beer in the Daytona Beach area.
After weeks of sampling everything from pulled pork sandwiches to “low and slow” smoked St. Louis ribs to brisket plates and homemade sides, I’ve rounded up a handful of the most memorable lunch and dinner spots—with a little extra help from locals’ recommendations—from New Smyrna Beach to Palm Coast.
Whether you’re looking for a bite to eat for the 4th of July or just want to enjoy a good old fashioned barbecue feast with friends and family this summer, here are my favorite spots for delicious barbecue in the Volusia-Flagler area.
Captain’s Barbecue
5862 N. Ocean Shore Blvd., Palm Coast; 386-597-2888, captainsbbq.com
It wouldn’t be a barbecue story without mentioning Captain’s BBQ, Hammock’s “true Southern barbecue” whose revolving door of loyal customers, myself included, is a testament to the restaurant’s unrivaled flavors. This waterfront favorite along the Matanzas River was recently named one of Yelp’s top barbecue spots in the U.S., and has been churning out award-winning meats and sides, slow-cooked in Captain’s famous wood-fired smoker, for over a decade.
The Palm Coast restaurant seems to outdo itself with every visit, serving everything from smoked sausages, brisket burgers, and smoked St. Louis beef ribs to my recent favorites, the perfectly charred and seared “meat candy” plate and the combo sampler, layering a generous portion of classic pulled pork and tender, sliced brisket whose deep, smoky notes make it a consistently recommended favorite among regulars. Captain BBQ also offers a plethora of homemade desserts, including its addictive cheesecake.
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Barbecue at the Pumphouse
124 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach; 386-492-7559, thepumphousebbq.com
Pumphouse BBQ and Smokehouse has long been a favorite among Ormond Beach residents, and for good reason. The retro BBQ joint is neighbored by several Granada Boulevard favorites, like Hull’s Seafood, Neighborhood Scoop and 63 Sovereign. It recently expanded with a full-service dining room and bar, featuring 24 beers on tap, according to its Facebook page, live music and a plethora of slow-smoked options to indulge in. Pumphouse’s menu features grab-and-go dishes and bowls, like the “Ruebenator” with house-smoked pastrami and the beefymac bowl, as well as meats by the pound and savory sides.
The restaurant’s entrees, available as a sandwich or appetizer with two sides or as a dinner with three sides, range from Texas brisket and Tennessee pulled pork to St. Louis ribs and Pumphouse pulled chicken. I recently enjoyed the ultra-tender burnt ends dinner—a rich, smoky selection with a sweeter, well-charred caramelized outer crust—along with a serving of mac and cheese and sweet potato casserole, and The Peppered Pig—a Pumphouse signature, featuring slow-smoked pulled pork, crispy fried jalapenos and onion strips, a housemade blackberry-habanero barbecue sauce, and pepper jack cheese on a brioche bun.
Lottie Bell’s BBQ
1452 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond-by-the-Sea; 386-301-5333, facebook.com/BrandBBQ
Lottie Bell’s BBQ, a food truck-turned-restaurant located in the Ocean Shore Plaza in Ormond-by-the-Sea, has become a local favorite for Texas-style barbecue since opening in December. Decked out in vibrant reds, whites and blues, the rustic spot offers a selection of hand-crafted comfort food classics, serving everything from thirds, halves and whole racks of ribs to favorites like the tender smoked chicken plate or brisket sandwich; sides of collard greens and coleslaw; and pecan or peach crumble for dessert.
Some of my current favorites include the mesquite-smoked brisket, whose robust yet slightly sweet and smoky flavor pairs perfectly with a side of homemade baked beans and macaroni and cheese (of which I could have ordered two extra bowls to go) and the pulled pork baked potato (a generous portion, to say the least, generously coated with melted cheese, sour cream, butter and tender, mesquite-smoked pulled pork). Lottie Bell’s also offers draft and bottled beer, soda and wine.
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4 Rivers Smokehouse
Victory Circle 1866, Daytona Beach; 844-474-8377, 4rsmokehouse.com
This beloved barbecue chain opened its first location in Winter Park in 2009 and, for the past four years, has been delighting Daytona-area residents with its lone Volusia restaurant, located in the One Daytona complex across from the speedway. 4 Rivers Smokehouse has previously been featured in Southern Living’s national barbecue best-of rankings, USA Today articles and Food & Beverage magazine, among other publications, according to its website, and is known for its 12-hour smoked pulled pork, signature burnt ends and 18-hour “30-day wet-aged” smoked brisket — a truly melt-in-your-mouth selection with a crispy, flavorful bark, carved right in front of diners and served with (my choice) bread pudding and mac and cheese.
The restaurant’s menu features everything from classic sandwiches, like Angus brisket or pulled chicken, to barbecue platters, pork chops, “house” sides and 4 Rivers baked goods selections. The family-owned chain also offers nationwide delivery through its e-commerce platform, “4 Rivers Smokehouse on the Road,” which launched earlier this year and allows barbecue lovers across the country to purchase the smokehouse’s meats, homemade rubs, sauces and gift boxes.
Uncle Chicken
440 Mary Avenue, New Smyrna Beach; 386-402-7439, unclechickens.com
Uncle Chicken’s, an underrated favorite on this list, is a true testament to the saying that “good things take time,” with a “slow and gentle” approach to its smoked dishes. Whether you’re feasting on a five-hour rack of St. Louis pork ribs or a hearty plate of pulled pork smoked for 12 to 14 hours, the roadside restaurant consistently delivers tender, flavorful meats with a robust smoky flavor that permeates every bite.
While Uncle Chicken’s smoked mac and cheese—easily elevated by the addition of barbacoa beef, brisket, pulled pork or chicken—is a community favorite that recently took home first place in the 2024 New Smyrna Beach Mac and Cheese Challenge, the restaurant’s menu is filled with a plethora of other house-made favorites, like the boneless pork rib sandwich, the pulled pork and smoked BBQ chicken plate served with hand-cut fries, or the smoked chicken ranch and cheesy bacon melt.
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This article originally appeared in The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Best BBQ Restaurants in Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, NSB, Ormond, More.
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