Where to get barbecue in Chattanooga: St. Elmo to Hamilton Place

Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Refreshed every three months.

Chattanooga’s barbecue is spread across the city, not packed in one district: two places in St. Elmo at the foot of Lookout Mountain, one each downtown, on the North Shore and near Amnicola Highway, two around Hamilton Place and others on Highway 58 and in Hixson.

How we made this list. The places come from OpenStreetMap records inside Chattanooga’s city limits, the same data behind our local directory, checked against each place’s own website on Oct. 18, 2026, and every address was checked against the U.S. Census Bureau’s city-limits map. Korean barbecue is on our sushi and Asian list. The list is alphabetical. It is not a ranking or a recommendation, and nobody paid to be on it. Run one of these places? Write to us to correct your entry.

The list

The places

Buddy’s bar-b-q is a Tennessee barbecue chain cooking low and slow. Its Hixson restaurant on Northgate Mall Drive, off Highway 153, has indoor seating, outdoor dining and a drive-thru.

Chatt’s Smoke House on East M.L. King Boulevard is owned by James Massengill and has been at the same location for more than seven years, its site says.

Choo-Choo Bar-B-Que is on Appling Street off Amnicola Highway. Its site shows barbecue plates, sandwiches and a menu page, with catering, but no hours.

Edley’s Bar-B-Que is a Nashville barbecue group with a Chattanooga restaurant on Manufacturers Road on the North Shore.

Highway 58 BBQ calls itself a real pit barbecue restaurant, with ribs and wings, casual dining and catering for weddings and events.

Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q is the Southern barbecue chain’s Hamilton Place restaurant, with to-go ordering and a separate catering line, 423-498-6967.

Little Coyote in St. Elmo is chef Erik Niel’s restaurant for meats smoked over hardwood, house-made corn tortillas and agave spirits. It has a covered patio, the Sunporch, and a to-go menu for two.

Mission BBQ on Gunbarrel Road closes on eight major holidays and closes early six days a year, its location page says.

Off The Grill by Chef Q on Hixson Pike serves smoked meats and fresh sides with a focus on low-fat, low-cholesterol, heart-healthy cooking.

The Purple Daisy Picnic Cafe is a St. Elmo barbecue cafe. Its site offers catering, online ordering and party bookings, including holiday parties.

Related lists: wings, pizza, Mexican and Tex-Mex, breakfast and coffee, burgers, sushi and Asian, ice cream and desserts, bakeries, patios and outdoor dining and every list by category. Also: brunch, the business directory and restaurant inspection scores.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get barbecue in Chattanooga?

Barbecue restaurants inside the city limits include Little Coyote and The Purple Daisy Picnic Cafe in St. Elmo, Chatt’s Smoke House on East M.L. King Boulevard, Edley’s Bar-B-Que on the North Shore, Jim ‘N Nick’s and Mission BBQ near Hamilton Place, and Highway 58 BBQ.

Which Chattanooga barbecue places are open on Sunday?

Buddy’s bar-b-q in Hixson, Edley’s Bar-B-Que, Jim ‘N Nick’s, Little Coyote and Mission BBQ list Sunday hours. Chatt’s Smoke House, Highway 58 BBQ, Off The Grill by Chef Q and The Purple Daisy Picnic Cafe are closed Sunday.

Is there a barbecue drive-thru in Chattanooga?

Buddy’s bar-b-q at 568 Northgate Mall Drive in Hixson has a drive-thru, indoor seating and outdoor dining, and it is open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Where can I eat barbecue on a patio in Chattanooga?

Little Coyote at 3950 Tennessee Ave. in St. Elmo has a covered patio it calls the Sunporch, and Buddy’s bar-b-q in Hixson offers outdoor dining.