Everybody is always talking meat. Brisket gets all the glory. Ribs get all the Instagram likes. But sides? Sides live in the background. Like unpaid interns. Yet every real pitmaster knows the truth…

A plate lives or dies by its supporting cast.

Tasting Table just put out a list of BBQ chain side dishes that rival the meat itself. That alone tells us something important. People are paying attention to sides. They’re no longer filler. They are power players.

Which raises the real question:

What are the best BBQ sides of all time?

Chains With Cult Sides

Per Tasting Table, these sides are GOATed at chain BBQ spots:

  • Green chile stew at Rudy’s

  • Cornbread with honey pecan butter at Smokey Bones

  • Fried okra at Dickey’s

  • Wilbur beans at Famous Dave’s

  • Hush puppies at City Barbeque

But thinking outside of the franchise sides…

What Makes a Side Elite?

Great BBQ sides do three jobs.

First, they balance the plate. Rich meat needs acid, crunch, and contrast.

Second, they carry their own weight. A side should not disappear next to brisket.

Third, they create memory. Nobody reminisces about a mediocre potato salad.

The Universal Greats

Across regions, styles, and smoke philosophies, these sides never fail:

  • Mac and cheese

  • Baked beans

  • Potato salad

  • Cornbread

  • Slaw

  • Pickles

  • Street corn

These exist in every serious BBQ ecosystem for a reason.

They work. And to save you a little time, we went out and found some new ways to upgrade your side game.

Recipe Upgrades

Smoked Jalapeño Cornbread

Cornbread is already a winner. Golden, sweet, tender enough to soak up smoke juice. But winners don’t stay winners by staying the same. Here’s the upgrade…

Charred Vinegar Slaw

Every great BBQ plate needs something sharp enough to cut through smoke and fat. This is where slaw earns its keep. Here’s the upgrade…

Anyone can smoke a brisket. (Well, not anyone.) But a true pitmaster builds a plate.

Make sure to choose your sides accordingly.