Sanders BBQ Supply Co.

Sanders is Texas-style barbecue running through a Beverly neighborhood spot, and the case for it is made dish by dish. The rib tips, sauced heavy and sweet, earn the "meat candy" nickname regulars give them. The gumbo carries smoked oxtail so tender the meat falls off the bone on contact. The sweet potato cornbread is good enough that people order it as a side and then order it again as dessert.

The brisket is the one place the kitchen slips — it can run dry — but the salt-and-pepper bark is strong enough to cover for it. Service and portions can wobble on a crowded weekday, and the dining room fills fast with lunch regulars and takeout orders. None of that undercuts the meat itself, which is the whole point of a barbecue joint.

The outside world has caught up to what the neighborhood already knew: a James Beard semifinalist nod for the chef, a spot on the New York Times restaurant list, and repeat appearances on national roundups. Sanders doesn't need the room or the polish. It needs you to order the cornbread and not skip it.