City Barbeque — Lafayette

The business started in 1999; this Lafayette outpost is one of several across the region. On-site smokers run low and slow on local hickory, turning out brisket, ribs, and pulled pork with the bark and smoke ring that competition judges look for.

The menu is straightforward — meat by the pound, sandwiches, sides — and the kitchen doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is: a smokehouse that knows its fuel and its pace. Order at the counter, fill your tray, and sit down to food that earned its reputation one brisket at a time.