Food experts have made their claim of the best BBQ spot in Iowa!

My first question is...how do you become a food expert? What an awesome job. If you're like me and you're pretty good at eating food, maybe we should apply for this position.

This small-town Iowa BBQ place has been known to locals, its neighboring cities, and BBQ enthusiasts for some time but now it's starting to see some national attention. Grills around Iowa are getting fired up for summer and if you're looking for the BEST BBQ in the state, it's located in Luther, Iowa, off Highway 17.

View this profile on Instagram

Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ + Brew (@whatchasmokinbbqbrew) • Instagram photos and videos

Whatcha Smoking BBQ

Food and Wine recently went through the best BBQ places in every state and the number 1 location in Iowa is Whatcha Smokin BBQ. Food and Wine described Whatcha Smokin BBQ as a proper, rural BBQ pit stop.

Get our free mobile app

"Facing outward into the cornfields on the fringes of tiny Luther, where the star attraction prior to 2017 was the grain co-op, Whatcha Smokin BBQ comes off a bit slick at first but has quickly become one of the closest things Iowa has to a proper, rural barbecue pit stop. It comes down, very quickly, to the meat, beginning with shreds of bark-flecked pulled pork, stacked simply on a bun with no sauce, which, for this part of the world, is kind of a big deal."

According to KCCI, Gwen Paige bought Whatcha Smoking in 2021 and she realized pretty early on that they had something special. To receive attention from a national magazine takes a team effort and one of the goals of Whatcha Smoking is to give people a reason to visit Luther, Iowa.

"A mission here in our company is to create raving fans and a destination for people to come to visit Luther Iowa. It's worth it. Once you try those brisket burnt ends."

If the food tastes as good as it looks in these Instagram pictures, I don't think Whatcha Smoking BBQ will have any problem gaining new patrons and keeping the ones they already have.

Next time you're craving some BBQ, you might have to grab the family and make a trip to Luther.

With this list of restaurants, you could plan an entire summer around trying different restaurants in Iowa!