Everywhere
We've Been
From a small town in the Arkansas Delta to County Clare, Ireland — every place that shaped Jim Quessenberry BBQ, plus every store that carries Sauce Beautiful today.
58
Total Places
30
Retail Locations
10
BBQ Restaurants
4
Comp & Intl Venues
Get It Today
Where to Buy Sauce Beautiful
Available at 30 stores across Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee — plus online delivery.
Instacart
Same-day delivery from Harps stores
Amazon
Ships nationwide — 2-packs available
Order Direct
Shop our full championship lineup
Harps & DoorDash: Many Harps stores also offer delivery through DoorDash Grocery — search for Sauce Beautiful in your local Harps store on the DoorDash app.
Harps Food Stores
Hays Food Stores
Edwards Food Giant
Food Smart
Other Locations
Where It All Started
Heritage Sites
Birdeye, Arkansas
The small Arkansas Delta town where Jim Quessenberry grew up. Born in Memphis, Jim's family moved to Birdeye in Cross County — the heart of the Mississippi Delta lowlands, where whole-hog barbecue has been a way of life longer than anyone can remember.
Where Jim Quessenberry grew up. Home of Arthur Lee McDaniel and the early years of the Arkansas Trav'ler story.
Wynne, Arkansas
Cross County seat and the town central to Jim Quessenberry's story. Home of Donna Quessenberry (kindergarten teacher), Tom B. Smith (Pig Tails attorney), Johnny Surgeoner (the sauce maker whose recipe died with him), and Wayne Martin (New Orleans Saints). Sauce Beautiful was hand-bottled here.
Home of Donna Quessenberry, the Pig Tails team, and several figures in Jim's story. Two Hays grocery stores here carry Sauce Beautiful.
Coldwater, Arkansas
A small community in the Arkansas Delta where Jim Quessenberry remembered B.B. King playing guitar on front porches in his youth — drawing workers out of the fields to listen. One of the blues landmarks of the Mississippi Delta world Jim grew up in.
Jim remembered B.B. King playing on front porches here as a young man.
Beedeville, Arkansas
Small Jackson County community where Shorty Owens operated a hunting lodge. Jim Quessenberry cooked here in the winters, feeding hunting parties and lodge guests — an important part of his off-season cooking life.
Jim cooked at Shorty Owens' hunting lodge here during the winters.
Floyd, Arkansas
Small Arkansas community where Alice Marie Webb Choate — known as "Aunt Ree" and called "Mum" by Jim — hosted the Webb family reunions. As Jim's mother-in-law and Donna's mother, she was the keeper of the family's gathering traditions across generations.
Home of Alice Choate ("Aunt Ree"), Jim's mother-in-law, who hosted the Webb family reunions that kept generations connected.
Jonesboro, Arkansas
The Northeast Arkansas city where Lee and Michael Quessenberry carry on their father's legacy. Home base of the Sauce Beautiful brand and the headquarters of Jim Quessenberry BBQ.
Home of Lee and Michael Quessenberry. Headquarters of the Sauce Beautiful brand.
Cherry Valley, Arkansas
Cross County community near Birdeye where Jim Quessenberry spent time and is closely associated with his early years in the Arkansas Delta.
Associated with Jim Quessenberry's early years in Cross County, Arkansas.
Blytheville, Arkansas
Mississippi County city and home of Ray 'Red' Gill — the champion showman who competed alongside Jim Quessenberry at the 1985 Irish Cup Invitational and famously taught the Irish crowd how to 'call the hogs.'
Home of Ray 'Red' Gill, Jim's 1985 Ireland teammate.
Little Rock, Arkansas
Arkansas state capital. Jim Quessenberry cooked for Bill Clinton's early political fundraisers here, back when Clinton was building his political base in Arkansas before his presidential run.
Jim cooked for Bill Clinton's early political fundraisers in Little Rock.
Olive Branch, Mississippi
DeSoto County city in North Mississippi and home of Beth Renfro, Jim Quessenberry's younger sister.
Home of Beth Renfro, Jim Quessenberry's younger sister.
Parkin, Arkansas
Cross County community and site of the Parkinfest BBQ contest, where Lee and Michael Quessenberry competed. Lee famously beat the Budweiser-sponsored team here — a story told with great relish in the family.
Site of Parkinfest, where Lee Quessenberry beat Budweiser's team.
Magnolia, Arkansas
Columbia County city in southwest Arkansas and site of the World Steak Cooking Championship, where Jim Quessenberry won the People's Choice Award and showmanship honors.
Jim won the People's Choice Award and showmanship honors at the World Steak Cooking Championship here.
Nashville, Tennessee
Tennessee state capital where Lee and Michael Quessenberry competed as "The Little Ribbers" in 1989, their first contest as children under Jim's guidance.
Site of the Little Ribbers' first contest — Lee and Michael competing as children in 1989.
Houston, Texas
Site of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, one of the major stops on Jim Quessenberry's expanded national BBQ tour during the 1990s.
Jim competed at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as part of his expanded national circuit.
Daytona Beach, Florida
Site of the Florida State BBQ Championship, one of Jim Quessenberry's stops as the Arkansas Trav'ler expanded his national circuit through the South and Southeast.
Jim competed at the Florida State Championship in Daytona on his national tour.
The Circuit & Beyond
Competition Venues & International Sites
Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
The largest pork BBQ competition in the world, held annually on the banks of the Mississippi River in Memphis. Jim Quessenberry competed here on the circuit throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Jim Quessenberry competed at Memphis in May.
Visit siteAmerican Royal World Series of Barbecue
One of the world's largest BBQ competitions, held in Kansas City, Missouri. Jim Quessenberry placed Top 3 at the American Royal. The 2019 class of BBQ Hall of Fame semi-finalists — including Jim — was announced here.
Jim Quessenberry placed Top 3 at the American Royal. The 2019 BBQ Hall of Fame semi-finalist announcement included Jim.
Visit siteJack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue
Prestigious invitation-only BBQ competition held at the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Ardie Davis served as a featured judge at the 20th Annual event in 2008.
Ardie Davis — lifelong friend of Jim Quessenberry — served as featured judge at the 20th Annual event (2008).
Visit siteInternational Cooking Competition — Lisdoonvarna, Ireland
The small spa town in County Clare, Ireland where Jim Quessenberry won the inaugural Irish Cup Invitational in 1985 and the 3rd International Cooking Competition in 1987 — becoming a two-time World BBQ Champion.
Jim Quessenberry's two World Championship wins: 1985 (1st/inaugural) and 1987 (3rd International).
The Joints
Notable BBQ Restaurants
Charles Vergos' Rendezvous
Memphis, TN
The legendary downtown Memphis BBQ institution founded by Charlie Vergos in 1948. Pioneered the Memphis dry-rub rib style using a Greek-inspired spice blend. Operating from a basement on Monroe Avenue for over 75 years.
Founded by Charlie Vergos, whose Memphis dry-rub tradition influenced the regional style Jim Quessenberry cooked in.
Visit →Franklin Barbecue
Austin, TX
Aaron Franklin's James Beard Award–winning Austin institution. Opened as a trailer in 2009, moved to brick-and-mortar in 2011. Named the best BBQ in the country by Bon Appétit (2011) and #1 in Texas Monthly's 50 Best BBQ Joints (2013, 2017).
Aaron Franklin — 2019 BBQ Hall of Fame co-nominee alongside Jim Quessenberry — operates this restaurant.
Visit →17th Street Barbecue
Murphysboro, IL
Founded by the late Mike Mills — "The Legend" — 3x Memphis in May Grand World Champion. A southern Illinois BBQ institution built from a century-old building into a nationally acclaimed restaurant.
Mike Mills — Memphis tradition peer of Jim Quessenberry — founded and operated this landmark.
Visit →McClard's Bar-B-Q
Hot Springs, AR
Founded in 1928 and still family-owned. Arkansas's most famous BBQ restaurant, known for pork ribs, pork shoulder, and the signature "tamale spread." A lifelong favorite of Bill Clinton, who grew up in Hot Springs.
Featured in the Arkansas BBQ History guide. A landmark of the Arkansas BBQ tradition Jim Quessenberry cooked in.
Sims Bar-B-Que
Little Rock, AR
A Little Rock institution specializing in ribs and chopped pork with a distinctive thick, vinegar-and-tomato sauce with heavy black pepper — considered one of the most distinctive sauces in Arkansas BBQ.
Featured in the Arkansas BBQ History guide as a landmark of the Arkansas tradition.
Whole Hog Cafe
Little Rock, AR
Opened early 2000s by a competition BBQ team with real KCBS experience. Now an Arkansas institution with multiple locations, selling sauces and rubs commercially in addition to the restaurant.
Featured in the Arkansas BBQ History guide as part of the modern Arkansas BBQ tradition.
Wright's Barbecue
Johnson, AR
A buzzed-about Northwest Arkansas BBQ joint featured on national lists, known for brisket and pork belly burnt ends in addition to traditional Arkansas pork.
Featured in the Arkansas BBQ History guide as a standout modern Arkansas BBQ joint.
Craig's Bar-B-Q
DeValls Bluff, AR
A small-town Delta legend in the middle of the Arkansas Delta, serving old-school pork BBQ for generations with a distinctively thin, spicy, black-pepper Delta sauce.
Featured in the Arkansas BBQ History guide as a genuine Arkansas Delta BBQ landmark.
Jones Bar-B-Q Diner
Marianna, AR
One of the oldest Black-owned BBQ joints in the country, dating to the early 1900s in Marianna, Arkansas. A James Beard Foundation American Classic Award winner and a living piece of the Delta BBQ tradition.
Featured in the Arkansas BBQ History guide as one of the deepest roots of the Arkansas Delta BBQ tradition.