Ridgewood Barbecue

Ridgewood Barbecue has been smoking pork over hickory coals in Bluff City since 1948, and the line out the door tells you everything you need to know. This is Tennessee barbecue at its most authentic, pit-smoked meat, tangy tomato-based sauce, and sides that taste like somebody's grandmother made them. The restaurant has earned recognition from national food media, but what matters more is that three generations of Sullivan County families consider Ridgewood their barbecue home. Don't leave the county without eating here.

Jim and Grace Proffitt opened the Ridgewood Inn, a country roadhouse serving steaks, chops, and beer, in Bluff City in 1948. After Sullivan County went dry in 1952, Jim took sole ownership, built a cinder-block pit, and reopened as Ridgewood Barbecue, inspired by a restaurant he had seen on a Florida trip. Unlike most barbecue joints, Ridgewood smokes hickory-cooked hams rather than shoulders. The Proffitt family has run the restaurant across three generations, with Jim's granddaughter Lisa leading it today.

Visitor Tips

• ›Bring cash, they prefer it and the line moves faster
• ›Go early or go late, the noon rush is real
• ›The pork sandwich with their signature sauce is the essential order
• ›Only open Thursday through Saturday, plan your Sullivan County itinerary accordingly
• ›Pair with Holston Heritage Museum in Bluff City for a heritage-and-BBQ day

Featured in Routes