The Joint

Though many a backyard barbecue warrior has been told “You should really open up your own restaurant,” few have the skills to actually pull it off. Allow us to introduce Pete Breen, who—with his wife Jenny—turned an abandoned corner building in New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood into one of the best spots for ribs anywhere. Using a menacing black smoker that sits only a few feet from hungry locals, Pete cranks out ribs so tasty and perfectly rubbed with spice that his sauce, although incredible, is a mere afterthought. Hurricane Katrina did her best to put out the Breens' fire, but their spot survived and turned the couple into local heroes. “We weren’t supposed to be open after the storm, but we couldn’t just stay away and wonder what was happening to our business,” Jenny says. “So we would drive to Pensacola, Florida, pick up all of the meat we could and bring it back to cook free meals for the neighborhood.” It’s that kind of love that goes into every item on the menu, including the barbecue beans that have us counting the days until our next trip to America’s favorite food city.

Photos: Sean McCusker