Looking for new spots to try? During Dining Month, Lori Fredrich is dishing out must-tries in 20 different dining categories, from brunch to BBQ and everything in between. Here's what she's recommended so far!

People often ask me: What’s the best barbeque in the city? I’m more than happy to answer that question based on the quality of the meat used, combined with technique and execution. 

But, more often than not, what people really want to know is: What barbeque tastes the best? And that, my friends, is largely based on what style of barbeque you like. (Alabama, fire-smoked with white sauce; the Carolinas: smoked meat, vinegar-based sauce; Kansas City: variable, served with sweeter sauce alongside; Memphis: pit-smoked with tangy sauce; West Texas: wood-smoked with tomato-based sauce...I could go on). 

Here, in my list of must-trys, I'm showcasing a couple of the distinctive BBQ styles you can find in Milwaukee, all of them executed with a high level of technique and attention to detail. It might be useful to note that my baseline for judging a BBQ spot is always its brisket. It's a cut that requires time, patience and (due to variables like the size of the brisket and the weather), a true knack for the craft.

Heaven’s Table BBQ 

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5507 W. North Ave., (414) 732-7109
heavenstablebbq.com
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Milwaukee’s BBQ game has gotten stronger over the past few years. And one of the contributors has been Heaven’s Table, which moved into its own location at the end of 2021.  

I'm including them on my "must try" list one last time before they close their doors on Oct. 7, 2025.

Chef Jason Alston's meats are hickory-smoked and served up sans sauce with sides including house-baked beans, macaroni and cheese, delicious greens (weekends only) and some of the best cornbread I’ve had in the North. 

Highlights include the Texas-inspired smoked brisket, juicy smoked chicken and St. Louis-style ribs.  Be sure to place your order early; like all good BBQ joints, when Heaven's Table is sold out, they're sold out.  

K&L's BBQ

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Food truck, (414) 739-6739
instagram.com/klsbbq

K&L’s has been building its fan base over the past couple of years, popping up around town at breweries and wine bars around town. And I’m pleased to say that – after watching them find their groove – it’s time to pull them onto this list.

I’ve fallen under the spell of their Texas-inspired menu, which runs the gamut from the usual brisket, pulled pork and pork ribs to housemade sausages, turkey, flat iron and… something truly special, their crispy skin pork belly.

More commonly found in Asian BBQ, pork belly is among my favorite indulgences with its salty, crisp exterior and unctuous mix of flavorful meat and pork fat beneath. K&L’s comes with a sweet sauce that complements the pork. Suffice it to say, it’s worth it to seek out K&L’s just for their take on this memorable dish. 

Definitely try their brisket, which is nearly always on par, and which doesn’t need the assistance of BBQ sauce to be delicious. It’s a great accompaniment to their mac & cheese, which is some of the creamiest I’ve found off of a food truck. Add a sprinkle of their pickled red onions and you’ve got a cheesy, smokey dish that benefits from the balance of a bit of vinegar.

I’m looking forward to trying more of K&L’s creations… including their burger, which rumor reports to be pretty darn amazing.

Check their Instagram page for their monthly schedule. And, if you can, catch them this weekend at the Battle of The Chefs: Fast Food Reimagined event. A few precious tickets are still available online.

Firewise Barbeque Co.

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Food truck, (414) 403-1375
firewisebbq.com 
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Who's got BBQ chops? Count Alex Obradovich among those who do. This certified Kansas City Barbeque Society judge, competitor and pitmaster left his job behind to launch his food truck in 2016. And he's never looked back.  

Meats like beef brisket, pork belly, turkey breast, pulled pork and chicken, spicy Polish sausages and bologna are smoked with fruitwoods (and sometimes a touch of hickory) and served with sides like smoky baked beans, creamy mustard potato salad, crisp vinegar-based slaw and cornbread.

But you'll also find fun offerings like BBQ nachos and Moinks, housemade beef and pork meatballs (hence the "moo" and the "oink") that have been wrapped in bacon, smoked and glazed with sweet BBQ sauce. Be warned: they're delicious, so they sell out quickly!

Definitely go for Firewise's flawlessly tender brisket, which needs no sauce to be delicious. And don't sleep on the full-flavored, garlicky Polish sausage. It's perfect alongside Firewise's flavorful baked beans. Oh! And if you enjoy heat (serious heat), be sure to try the Fire Sauce. It takes everything to a seething new level (it even adds a really nice kick to the beans).

Sweet Smoke BBQ

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Food truck, (414) 253-3553
sweetsmokebbqmke.com
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It was a desire to replicate the masterful barbeque at Franklin BBQ in Austin, Texas, that led to the birth of Sweet Smoke, a mobile barbeque operation that popped onto the scene in 2022.

While offerings vary based on where the truck is serving (and could include BBQ tacos, burgers or seared bologna sandwiches), Sweet Smoke’s foundational offerings include hickory smoked pulled pork, sliced brisket, pork spare ribs, chicken thighs and house sausages along with sides like cornbread muffins, smoked baked potatoes, baked beans, cucumber salad, coleslaw and potato salad. 

Highlights include the fattier cuts of their Texas-style brisket, which is tender and flavorful in its simplicity (or daubed with a bit of their vinegar-forward sauce); and their spare ribs, which are seasoned with a blend that reminds me a bit of pastrami. Leftover ribs were even sublime when rewarmed (in the oven at 250 degrees F for 20 minutes) and eaten with one of Sweet Smoke's delicious jalapeno corn muffins!

Ah yes, and it would be irresponsible not to mention that Sweet Smoke also serves up a phenomenal smoked brisket burger, which holds its own against many of the best burgers in the city.

Double B's BBQ

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7412 W. Greenfield Ave., (414) 257-9150
doublebs.com
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This family-friendly West Allis staple has been turning out smoked meats, sandwiches and sides since 2015. Largely inspired by Memphis-style barbecue, meats at Double B's are pit-smoked with hickory, giving them their distinctive flavor.

Highlights include their St. Louis spare ribs and brisket, although I'm especially fond of their smoked wings, which are tender with a nice little exterior snap. And their smokehouse beans (made with drippings from the smoker) are delicious enough that the side portion always feels too small.

Looking for an indulgence? Try the brisket burnt ends sandwich featuring bite-sized pieces of smoked brisket points, coated in Kansas City-style sauce and double-smoked. They're topped with crispy onions.