Best 4 BBQ Joints in Cape Girardeau

If you’re craving the rich, savory kick of barbecue, Cape Girardeau is a great place to be. You’ll find ample options in the area, from house-smoked meats to gourmet southern dinners. From pulled pork to saucy ribs, it really does have it all. Below are our top picks for a barbecue feast when you’re ready to settle in for a celebratory meal over your new vehicle from John Sinclair Nissan.

Port Cape Girardeau Restaurant and Lounge

Image by José Ignacio Pompé | Licenced with Pixabay License

Port Cape Girardeau Restaurant and Lounge uses a combination of charcoal and wood smoke to imbue its barbecue with a rich, savory flavor. It smokes its ribs for a full seven hours to get deep smoke penetration; the pork and beef cook in the pit for up to 12 hours for incredible tenderness. The menu includes barbecue pork shoulder, smoked sausage, barbecue chicken, smoked wings, brisket, catfish, pork steak, pork tenderloin, original ribs, and baby back ribs. If you’re not in the mood for barbecue, the menu also includes gourmet burgers, fried shrimp, grilled salmon, and hand-breaded catfish.

Pair your entree with sides such as baked beans, potato salad, grilled asparagus, broccoli salad, coleslaw, fried okra, mac and cheese, onion rings, and more. Complete your feast with a sweet dessert such as blackberry cobbler or bread pudding with amaretto sauce. Port Cape also has an ice cream parlor on-site with 16 flavors of hand-dipped ice cream.

Location:  19 N. Water St., Cape Girardeau.

Hours:  11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Mary Jane Bourbon + Smokehouse

Named for the owner’s grandmother, Mary Jane Bourbon + Smokehouse delivers the kind of warm hospitality you’d expect from grandma’s house. The menu focuses on flavorful pairings of rich smoked meats and hand-crafted bourbon cocktails. The restaurant smokes its meats daily and often runs out, so you’ll need to dine early to make sure the best bites are still available. The menu includes dry rub St. Louis spare ribs, pulled turkey, pulled pork, hand-sliced brisket, smoked sausage, pulled chicken, and smoked bologna.

You can order your favorite barbecue meats on a sandwich, as a platter, or atop a hearty salad. Meals come with one or two sides, and the options include plenty of classics, such as pit beans, collard greens, mac and cheese, potato salad, and coleslaw. You’ll also find some more innovative options, such as crispy sprouts, “off the cob” street corn, green chili, and hash.

On Saturday and Sunday, you can stop in between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for a barbecue brunch that features dishes such as a rustic hash with trashed ribs and smoked sausage, breakfast tacos with your choice of smoked meats, or smoked benedict topped with pulled pork. Mary Jane proves that barbecue is a delicious pick for any meal of the day.

Location:  1107 Broadway St., Cape Girardeau.

Hours:  11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Dexter Bar-B-Que

Dexter Bar-B-Que is a small local chain proudly serving customers in six locations around Missouri. The Cape Girardeau restaurant has spacious seating for 244 guests as well as a convenient drive-thru for carry-out orders. You can even book a private banquet room for up to 110 people to make your event that much more special.

The menu features plenty of barbecue favorites, such as ribs, chopped pork, pulled pork, turkey, and brisket. On Wednesdays, you’ll find chicken on the menu as well. Dinners come with your meat of choice, two sides, and a hearty slice of Texas toast. Choose from classic comfort food side dishes, including potato salad, baked beans, okra, green beans, fried corn, coleslaw, and baked potato.

If you don’t have room for a full dinner, you can also order your favorite meat on a sandwich or salad. Make it cheesy with a BBQ melt, or add some crunch to your lunch with the pulled pork nachos. If someone in your party isn’t in the mood for barbecue, Dexter serves burgers, grilled cheese, and nacho fries. The Cape Girardeau location is one of just two Dexter restaurants that also serve catfish.

Location:  236 S. Broadview, Cape Girardeau.

Hours:  11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The Southerner

At The Southerner, you’ll find classic Southern food and warm Southern hospitality in one welcoming package. The menu includes a wide variety of delights. If you’re in the mood for barbecue, you’ll want to consider a dish such as the Piggy Mac with smoked pulled pork. It’s served over house-made gouda mac and cheese, drizzled with BBQ sauce, and topped with sweet potato ribbons. Another tasty barbecue option is the Alabama BBQ chicken wrap. This flavor-packed pick features fried chicken bites in a white BBQ sauce along with sharp cheddar, red onion, lettuce, and tomato.

If you’re looking for something beyond barbecue, The Southerner is a great choice. You’ll find distinctive options such as a fried green tomato BLT, smoked gouda-stuffed meatloaf, baja-smothered chicken, and blackened redfish with Cajun cream sauce. You can pair your meal with southern sides, such as brick-red bacon and onion green beans, cast iron Brussels sprouts, Mammaw’s Hushpuppies, and cheddar bacon grits.

If you can save room for dessert, you’ll find two decadent options waiting for you. The bread pudding is made with real cream and seasonal flavor combinations. The gooey butter cake features seasonal flavor variations, a buttery crust, and a cream cheese filling.

Location:  3351 Percy Drive, Cape Girardeau.

Hours:  Lunch is available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Dinner is available from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Did we include your favorite barbecue joint on our list? If you know of another outstanding barbecue restaurant in Cape Girardeau, contact our team at John Sinclair Nissan, and let us know. We love hearing your suggestions so we can pass along the best local recommendations to our customers.