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The best BBQ in Morris County comes out of four kitchens: Embark Smoked Meats in Boonton, Pulled Fork BBQ in Long Valley, Daddy Matty’s BBQ in Chatham and Portugalo BBQ in East Hanover. Morris County is not Texas, and real wood-smoked barbecue here is scarcer than great pizza or bagels, so the places that do it right are worth knowing by name. Here is where our team goes for brisket, ribs and pulled pork, plus two spots just over the county line that are worth the drive.
Embark Smoked Meats, Boonton
Embark sits at 811 Main Street in downtown Boonton and keeps the menu focused on what comes off the smoker: brisket by the plate or on a sandwich, ribs and smoked wings. It is the easiest real barbecue in the county to pair with a walk down Main Street, and the brisket sandwich is the order if it is your first visit.
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday. Location and hours. Making a day of it? Our guide to things to do in Boonton covers the falls and the shops nearby.
Pulled Fork BBQ, Long Valley
Pulled Fork at 38 East Mill Road in Long Valley smokes everything on site and has won the Critic’s Pick for barbecue in New Jersey Monthly two years running. The board covers pulled pork, chopped brisket, Texas sausage, pulled chicken, smoked wings and ribs, and the homemade sides carry their weight too: Hell Yeah corn, mac and cheese, cornbread pudding and coleslaw.
Two things to know before you go. Lunch starts at 11 a.m. and the kitchen closes when the meat sells out, so the closing time changes daily and gets posted on the Pulled Fork website and the chalkboard out front. And Wednesday through Friday there is a breakfast window from 8 to 10 a.m. built around pork roll smoked in house. Call 908-319-6359 for catering.
Daddy Matty’s BBQ, Chatham
Daddy Matty’s built its following on Elmer Street in Madison and now cooks from inside the River Grille at 34 River Road in Chatham. It remains one of the top-rated barbecue spots in the county, with ribs, brisket and pulled pork made to order and a combo platter that lets you try all three. The kitchen also caters, including whole pig roasts.
Hours: Sunday through Wednesday from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., with later hours toward the weekend. Check the Daddy Matty’s menu before you head over.
Portugalo BBQ, East Hanover
Portugalo is a different kind of barbecue, and a good one to know about. The East Hanover restaurant at 3 Ronald Drive does Portuguese-style cooking over a wood fire, so think charred chicken and grilled meats rather than low-and-slow brisket, plus Portuguese plates like picadinho and pork with clams. It is open for lunch and dinner with takeout and delivery. Follow Portugalo BBQ on Instagram for specials, or call 973-577-2000.
Worth the drive, just over the county line
The BBQ Pit, Hackettstown. A few minutes past Long Valley in Warren County, The BBQ Pit has been smoking brisket, ribs and pulled pork daily since 2001 and serves until it sells out. Same rule as Pulled Fork: get there early.
J ‘n’ C BBQ, Vernon. If you remember J ‘n’ C from its old spot on Route 23 in Butler, it has moved north and now serves at Alias Brew Works, 17 Old Rudetown Road in Vernon. J ‘n’ C BBQ’s site has the current hours.
More smoke and grill in Morris County
Barbecue traditions from other parts of the world are well covered here too. For tabletop grilling, see our guide to the best Korean restaurants in Morris County, and for rodizio with tableside carved meats, our roundup of Brazilian restaurants near Morris County. If wings are the real goal, start with the best wings in Morris County.
Morris County BBQ questions
Where is the best brisket in Morris County, NJ?
Embark Smoked Meats in Boonton and Pulled Fork BBQ in Long Valley are the two brisket-first smokehouses in the county. Pulled Fork sells out daily, so go early.
Is there BBQ open on Monday in Morris County?
Embark is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Daddy Matty’s in Chatham opens at 4:30 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, which makes it the reliable early-week pick.
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