Chopped pork and mustard slaw perfection
Payne's Bar-B-Q, family-run since 1972 out of a converted Lamar Avenue filling station, makes what many Memphians consider the city's definitive chopped-pork sandwich: smoky shoulder piled on a bun, dressed with mustard slaw and a tangy-hot sauce.
Bare-bones, cash-friendly, and beloved, Payne's is a purist's barbecue joint — no frills, no fuss, just one of the great pork sandwiches in a city that takes the subject seriously.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. Open a year for the full citation and verification details.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Barbecue Sandwich in Memphis Memphis, TN · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
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This page is the standing record for Payne's Bar-B-Q (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
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