Cherry Street Bar-B-Que

With views of the downtown skyline and construction sites on all sides, this popular Port Lands joint feels far from the rest of the city. In a way, it is. Pitmaster Lawrence La Pianta brings the barbecue traditions of the American South to Hogtown in this 1920s brick building that was once home to a bank. After years of competing and judging with the Kansas City Barbeque Society circuit, he knows his way around a broad range of tastes ranging from Texas-style brisket to St. Louis-style ribs. Lightly charred wings and snappy, finely spiced sausage links are sleeper hits. Everything is smoked on the patio inside of a redesigned shipping container and saucing is kept to a minimum. Stopping by on a weekend? Know that meats are prone to sell out.