Best Barbecue 2008 — South: Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue

This is the original location of restaurateur Jack Fiorella’s increasingly beefy barbecue empire. Jack, the son of revered local barbecue operators Russell and Flora Fiorella, broke off from the family to create one of the metro’s first upscale restaurants serving Kansas City’s signature dish. There are now three other venues bearing the Jack Stack name, but the Martin City branch is the most iconic of the quartet. Many of Fiorella’s famous dishes — crown prime beef ribs and the excellent lamb ribs — were introduced here. On weekends this warren of dining rooms is extremely busy with diners hungry for one of the combination dinners, the juicy hickory-smoked prime rib and the best grilled trout in town.

Starts: Jan. 14. Daily, 2009