Find barbecue restaurants and BBQ food trucks in Rhode Island. Browse 17 listings by town and style, then check each spot's address, hours and website before you go. Looking beyond Rhode Island? Browse the full New England BBQ list or pick another state below.
About the data: compiled in October 2026 from public truck directories, local press, and operators' own pages. Hours came from third-party listings and sometimes disagree, and trucks move or close, so confirm before you go. Cards without hours had no reliable fixed schedule. Map pins are approximate home bases.
17 spots
RestaurantMulti-regional
Smoke House
Newport, RI
Known for: 12-hour slow-cooked pit BBQ
31 Scotts Wharf, Newport
🕒 Mon-Sat 11:30am-10pm (per Yelp, Aug 2026). Seasonal, confirm for winter
Tap a pin to jump to its card. Uses the same filters as the directory. Orange = food truck, red = restaurant.
Tap a pin to open that listing. Pins are approximate.
Field Notes
Reading a BBQ menu: four styles in one minute
Texas leans on beef, especially brisket, with salt-and-pepper rubs and post oak smoke. Carolina is pork, either whole hog or shoulder, finished with a vinegar-forward sauce. Memphis is known for ribs, served dry-rubbed or wet. Kansas City is the sweet, tomato-based sauce style and the home of burnt ends. Many New England smokehouses blend these, so the menu usually tells you where the pitmaster's heart is.
How to chase a food truck
Trucks move, so follow them on social media before you drive, and arrive early since popular items sell out. Bring cash as a backup, and check weather, because many trucks skip rainy days. Brewery parking lots, farmers markets and town events are common stops.
A South Coast road trip idea
Pair Dartmouth, Massachusetts with Newport, Rhode Island for a smoke-and-sea weekend. Start with lunch at one, walk the waterfront, and finish dinner at the other. Both appear in our directory, so check hours before you set out.
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