UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.
#10. Cumming
What put Cumming, GA, on this list is its incredible ratio of barbecue restaurants to residents. There is a barbecue restaurant for nearly every 1,000 residents (based on numbers from Yelp and the U.S. Census). It just doesn’t get much easier to find ‘cue than that. And while the restaurants may not have national prestige, locals find them mouthwatering good. It’s their little secret, and it might just get out.
Cumming is hosting the National BBQ Cup in November. The winner of the pro division of this Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned event can pocket $4,000 in prize money. Cumming is located at the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains and just minutes from Lake Sidney Lanier.
BBQ restaurant to resident ratio: 1:1,045
Don’t miss:
‘Cue: Owned and operated by local families, this restaurant serves up hickory-smoked meats and a variety of sides. As the name implies, this place has a hip, urban vibe.
Smokejack BBQ: Customers rave about the burnt ends, pulled pork shoulder and chopped beef brisket. Ribs come dry rubbed, but there are also sauces to splash on.