Top 5 Barbecues Served At Non-Traditional Barbecue Joints

Roam Artisan Burgers
1923 Fillmore St.
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 800-7801
www.roamburgers.com

The BBQ is all about the burger at Roam and the meat is all about sustainable, organic, and top quality. Choose between 100 percent grass-fed beef, free-range turkey, all-natural bison, and all-natural elk burgers for your main dish. The BBQ burger features aged white cheddar, BBQ sauce, caramelized onions, jalapeño relish, and oil and vinegar slaw. Add applewood smoked bacon, truffle parmesan fries, and a Blue Bottle Coffee Straus Family Creamery shake. The Roam philosophy as expressed by owners Josh Spiegelman and Lynn Gorfinkle is a compelling one, also found on Union Street and in Lafayette, the newest location.

Brown Sugar Kitchen
2534 Mandela Parkway
Oakland, CA
(510) 839-7685
www.brownsugarkitchen.com

What's cooking in West Oakland? At Chef Tanya Holland's Brown Sugar Kitch, her vision of soul, Southern and BBQ comes together over breakfast and lunch everyday but Monday. Go for the Creole BBQ shrimp and grits, jerk spiced pineapple glazed baby back ribs, a pulled pork sandwich with spicy cabbage slaw, and Fulton Valley jerk coated with a special blend of spices. All meats cooked on the smoker out back. Chef Holland frequently shares a few secrets in stints as a regular guest on the Today Show and The Talk, as well as on the pages of her two cookbooks, "New Soul Cooking: Updating a Cuisine Rich in Flavor and Tradition" and "Brown Sugar Kitchen Cookbook." Bay Area soul food BBQ lovers are just lucky to have her so near, serving signature dishes beginning at 7 a.m. most mornings.

4505 Meats Burger (credit: Ryan Farr/4505meats.com)

4505 Burgers & BBQ
705 Divisadero St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 231-6993
www.4505meats.com

"Pig in or pig out," says the Ryan Farr-led team, credentialed not by their own butcher shop and Kansas City roots, but also one of the area's last remaining historic wood-fired barbecue pits at the restaurant that opened in May 2014. Recently rated a top spot for burgers by several San Francisco chefs, crowds are soaking up both sauce and sunshine at picnic tables and benches at the corner of Grove. Three smoked meat combo plate choices might include pulled pork shoulder, pulled smoked chicken and beef brisket accompanied by sides of baked beans and potato salad. When it comes to beef, pork and lamb, trust your meat to expert Ryan Farr, the author of "Whole Beast Butchery" and "Sausage Making."

What to do when you want your BBQ after midnight? Head for the bottom of the hill at Ghirardelli Square where Scott Broccoli's (also Dobbs Ferry and Aces Bar) place is open until 1:30 a.m. seven nights a week. The Big Daddy Antiques newly remodeled space with bay views serves Pete's pot roast - center cut, grass fed beef, slow braised for five hours with cabernet - and the American cassoulet - a meaty dish containing smoked pork and brisket. St. Louis-style BBQ ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, crispy Buffalo wings, teriyaki glazed pork wings, house made hot links, and a jambalaya of Andouille sausage, chicken and shrimp that comes across with a Cajun kick. Some of the best cocktails in the city are coming out from behind the bar these day. It's not fair to leave all that yumminess to the tourists.

Steins Beer Garden & Restaurant recently pulled in crowds to celebrate their second anniversary with a live music and BBQ party on the private patio. The response was so good that owner Ted Kim says the Chef Colby Reade team will do more BBQ events this summer. As one of the best and biggest spaces for watching the game or hosting a party, Stein's will start a regular BBQ tailgate special before 49er home games once the season starts up, keeping an eye on Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016. A 10-minute walk from Caltrain is this sunny beer garden, 31 drafts on tap, and an amazing Bloody Mary elaborately garnished.