The winners of the Alabama Tourism Department’s Barbecue Battle have been chosen competition garnered more than 1 million votes on-line This contest was held in conjunction with The Year of Alabama BBQ.
And the Winners are…
Legends category …the winner is: Lannie’s of Selma
In a big upset, little Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot, which first opened in Selma’s Tuxedo Park neighborhood in 1947, beat out Decatur’s award-winning Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, perhaps the most famous barbecue restaurant in the state.
Multi-Locations category …the winner is: Jim ‘N Nicks
In a battle between two heavyweight chains, Birmingham-based Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q pushed the limit with votes to surge past North Alabama’s LawLer’s Barbecue.
Mom and Pops category …the winner is: Rusty’s of Leeds
Rusty’s Bar-B-Q, a family-run smokehouse that Jonathan “Rusty” Tucker and his wife, Beth, opened in Leeds six years ago, blasted Johnny’s Bar-B-Q, a Cullman institution that has been in the same family for three generations.
Dives category …the winner is: Charlie’s of Odenville
Charlie’s BBQ, Odenville’s own edged out Blount Springs’ own dive Top Hat Barbecue.
Rookie category …the winner is: Saw’s of Homewood
In a real hot competition that swayed from one to the other up until the very final votes were counted, Birmingham favorite Saw’s BBQ, which owner Mike Wilson opened in Homewood in 2009, slipped by 306 Barbecue in Athens.
The Numbers:
Rusty’s received 28,637 votes to 21,369 for Johnny’s of Cullman to win the Mom and Pops category and Charlie’s got 12,867 votes to the 9,644 votes received for Jim’s Hwy 82 Barbecue of Billinglsey.
To see how your favorite stacked up in the competition HERE
“Alabama is not only home to the world’s best barbecue, but also to fierce competition,” said Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department. “This was clearly a competition between the fans of each restaurant. The five winning restaurants certainly have a lot to celebrate, but this competition turned out to be great exposure for everyone involved.”