I have very few regrets in life, but one of the biggest to date might just have to be: not carrying the rest of the meal pictured above on the plane back home to NYC. Dramatic? Not if you’ve had it. A pretty nondescript shack in a nondescript area right off the Perimeter, Heirloom Market BBQ pumps out piles of meat – brisket, pulled pork, chicken, turkey, sausage, and ribs – in platter style or sandwich style, but either way it’s kicking-myself-for-not-inhaling-the-whole-plate style.
Many of the dishes are really Korean-style Southern, but they don’t mess with the classic here. My bite (make that many, many bites) of the moment (maybe the year?): a side of kimchi coleslaw, a brown paper bag filled to the brim of some of the best fries I’ve ever had (no joke), and a ridiculous heaping plate of incredibly tender slash charred slash smoky brisket slathered in Classic sauce. I think I maybe was able to down a third of everything, and I can normally down it all. This meal sets you back a mere $16-18 bucks, nearly half of what you’d normally pay in NYC (and probably not as good). I’ve been out of the South for over a week and I’m still falling asleep with visions of brisket dancing its way down my stomach. Now, that’s more than an excuse to buy another Atlanta-bound ticket.
Heirloom Market BBQ
2243 Akers Mill Road
Atlanta, GA 30339