Who has the best barbecue in Iowa? Food & Wine gave this restaurant a shout out
Everyone seems to have an opinion on barbecue. Last week, Yelp released its list of top barbecue restaurants across the country. Now Food & Wine magazine compiled its list of the best barbecue in every state.
“Pitmasters are like photographers — the very best equipment will only take you so far. If there's passion, heart, and anything like love and commitment, it will shine through,” the magazine gushed.
In Iowa, the magazine gave props to Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ + Brews, the barbecue restaurant in Luther.
“Whatcha Smokin BBQ comes off a bit slick at first but has quickly become one of the closest things Iowa has to a proper, rural barbecue pit stop,” the magazine wrote, specifically calling out the pulled pork sandwich. “It comes down, very quickly, to the meat, beginning with shreds of bark-flecked pulled pork, stacked simply on a bun with no sauce, which, for this part of the world, is kind of a big deal.”
Indeed, in 2020, Whatcha Smokin’ won the best pulled pork sandwich contest held by the Iowa Pork Producers Association.
What’s on the menu at Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ?
The restaurant serves a Central Texas-style barbecue smoked daily since Steven Perlowski and Tanya Doyle opened the 2,400-square-foot restaurant in 2017 along Highway 17. In 2021, Gwen Page purchased the barbecue restaurant.
Last year, the restaurant brought Iowa Twinkies to the Iowa State Fair, selling out of the bacon-wrapped jalapenos stuffed with pulled pork, corn, and cheese, and served next to the Iowa Craft Beer Tent. The dish competed for Best New Food honors with the Grinder Ball from The Bacon Box and deep-fried bacon brisket mac-n-cheese grilled cheese from What’s Your Cheez, which took the top honors, as voted by fairgoers.
In Luther, diners can sit on the patio, feel the breeze when the garage doors are rolled up, check out the motorcycle memorabilia, and order from a grain bin.
Specialties here include double-smoked sausage, Iowa pork loin, brisket and pulled pork or chicken as well as sides such as campground beans, jalapeno creamed corn, corn bread and cheesy potatoes. By night, Whatcha Smokin’ serves burnt ends, smoked turkey, and prime rib as specials.
Where to find Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ & Brew
Location: 403 Iowa Ave., Luther
Contact: 515-257-7490 or whatchasmokinbbq.com
Hours: Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, X, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Food & Wine says Luther's Whatcha Smokin' has the best barbecue in Iowa
