ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Barbecue lovers rejoice: A Southeast Georgia restaurant has (once again) made Southern Living’s “The South’s Top 50 Barbecue Joints.”
Southern Soul Barbeque, located at 2020 Demere Road on St. Simons Island, is on the list at No. 23.
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Southern Living once again heaped on the praise like mac and cheese: “The sweet honey-basted ribs are long-time crowd pleasers, and Southern Soul’s rich, tangy version of Georgia’s classic Brunswick stew is a delight."
Southern Soul’s has been around since 2006, and the building used to be a gas station in the 1950s. The restaurant has come back from adversity after a fire destroyed the building in 2010.
“Our mission to make the best damn barbecue you’d ever had changed that day and grew into something so much bigger,” its website said.
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The restaurant became “17% cooler in 2022, when founders Harrison Sapp and Griffin Buffkin added the Channel Marker bar and stocked it with tiki favorites like Jungle Birds and Goombay Smashes,” Southern Living wrote.
Southern Soul Barbecue is no stranger to recognition. They’ve racked up the titles over the years, including:
- “The South’s Best BBQ of 2017” by Southern Living magazine
- “The South’s Top 50 Barbecue Joints" for 2022
- Georgia’s “best hole-in-the-wall restaurant” in 2023
Of this latest honor, the restaurant wrote on social media that it was “honored.”
We are honored to be included in this latest Southern Living Magazine list of Top 50 BBQ Joints in the South 🔥Firebox...
Posted by Southern Soul Barbeque on Wednesday, September 17, 2025
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Southern Living magazine last published its Top 50 Barbecue Joints list in 2023.
“The economics of barbecue are increasingly challenging, and the past few years have seen a half dozen former Top 50 restaurants close their doors for good,” the magazine said.
Indeed, Jenkins Quality Barbecue in Jacksonville, which came in at No. 50 on that last list, announced that it would sadly be closing on September 30 after 68 years in business.
Southern Soul Barbecue is open Wednesday - Saturday from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Sunday - Tuesday from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
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