New barbecue restaurants are popping up around Phoenix. Here are 3 to try soon

July 4 may be the most popular barbecue holiday of the year, but no one said you’ve got to be the one working the coals. Satisfy your carnivore cravings with two new, and one soon-to-arrive, spots around Phoenix.

By Sara Crocker

June 23, 2023

Image: A loaded tray from Caldwell County BBQ in Gilbert. The Texas-style smokehouse will add a second location in Queen Creek in September.

A loaded tray from Caldwell County BBQ in Gilbert. The Texas-style smokehouse will add a second location in Queen Creek in September. Tirion Boan

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July 4 may be the most popular barbecue holiday of the year, but no one said you’ve got to be the one working the coals to enjoy smoked meats and all the trimmings. Luckily for metro Phoenix residents, there are a duo of new 'cue destinations to try this summer, and another coming to the Valley in the fall.

Here are three new metro Phoenix barbecue restaurants to try soon.

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Cryin Coyote BBQ will open in Cave Creek on the biggest barbecue holiday of the year.

Sara Crocker

Cryin’ Coyote BBQ

6130 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek
480-575-7155 Starting the business off with a bang, Cryin’ Coyote BBQ will open on July 4 in the former location of Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue in Cave Creek. The Edgin family is opening their first restaurant together to share favorites from regional barbecue – Central Texas-style brisket, South Carolina-inspired pulled pork and Memphis-style spare ribs – with southwestern flavors infused into sides and sauces, like their chile relleno rice casserole, esquite-style street corn and a sweet and spicy chipotle barbecue sauce.

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JL Smokehouse is now serving Tennesee-style smoked meats and sides in Phoenix and a new location Mesa.

Chris Malloy

JL Smokehouse

2650 E. University Drive, Mesa
2010 E. Broadway Road
602-620-5132 Pitmaster James Lewis has been serving Tennesee-style barbecue in Phoenix since 2017. Last month he opened a second location of JL Smokehouse in Mesa. The smokehouse offers quintessential barbecue standards like brisket and pork, hand-pulled to order, that Lewis argues is the best in the country. But, it’s some of the less expected items, like smoked bologna and Alene, a smoked sausage topped with cabbage and peppers a la a Chicago-style hot dog, that stood out to our former food critic.

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Caldwell County BBQ's homemade smokers, with names like Mr. Big and Little Boy, are fueled by mesquite and pecan wood, imparting flavor and aroma to the meats inside.

Tirion Boan

Caldwell County BBQ

18324 E. Nunneley Road, Gilbert
Coming soon to: 25002 S. 206th St., Queen Creek
480-892-0512 The stalwart Gilbert smokehouse will bring a second location to Queen Creek in September. Caldwell County BBQ shared the news on Instagram in May. While the Gilbert location is like stepping into a friend’s home for a backyard barbecue, Queen Creek looks to be a trip to the farm, where it will be part of a new barn-like building next to the Queen Creek Botanical Gardens. All the better to continue serving Texas-style barbecued brisket, turkey and St. Louis-style ribs, topped with a housemade sauce of your choosing and piled high next to corn casserole and lemon poppyseed coleslaw.

Need more barbecue inspiration? Check out our 10 favorite barbecue joints around the Valley.

Sara Crocker is a staff writer for Phoenix New Times where she focuses primarily on food. She began freelancing for New Times in July 2022 and joined the staff in February 2023. Prior to New Times, Sara worked for publications such as The Denver Post, Phoenix Magazine, Phoenix Home & Garden and Colorado Life Magazine. When she’s not reporting on the Valley’s dining scene, Sara brews beer at home and is an avid cook.

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