Smokin Pete's has been climbing the FLX Finest BBQ rankings with the steady patience of a proper low-and-slow cook — Silver in 2022, Silver in 2023, Silver in 2024, and finally Gold in 2025. That four-year arc from contender to champion tells you everything about the operation at 5286 West Lake Road in Geneva: this is a pitmaster who kept refining, kept smoking, and kept getting better until the voters had no choice but to hand over the top spot.

The barbecue is the headliner, but what sets Smokin Pete's apart from the standard BBQ joint is the bourbon collection. An extensive selection of bourbons and whiskeys elevates the bar program from an afterthought to a genuine draw, and the pairing of properly smoked meats with quality brown spirits creates an experience that feels more intentional than your typical roadside smokehouse. The menu leans traditional Americana — brisket, ribs, pulled pork, the classics — but executed with the kind of care that separates competition-quality 'cue from the stuff that just tastes like liquid smoke and sugar.

Sitting on the west side of Seneca Lake between Geneva and the wine trail, Smokin Pete's occupies a sweet spot both geographically and culinarily. After a day of Riesling tastings and winery cheese plates, the antidote is a rack of ribs and a pour of bourbon in a place that does not take itself too seriously. Pete's also has roots as a food truck — Gold for Best Food Truck in 2022 — which means the operation knows how to hustle and how to cook under pressure. That food truck DNA shows in the efficiency and consistency of the brick-and-mortar.