Pitmaster IndexLeonard Heuberger
Founder (Historical)
Leonard Heuberger
Leonard's Pit Barbecue50+ years activeMemphis, TN
“I just wanted to feed people good pork. Turned out the whole city was hungry.”
Signature:The original Memphis pulled pork sandwich on a bun with slaw
Leonard Heuberger opened Memphis's first BBQ restaurant in 1922, creating the template for the pulled pork sandwich that would define the city's BBQ identity. Heuberger is credited with inventing the concept of the BBQ drive-in and popularizing the pork shoulder sandwich served on a bun with coleslaw. His legacy lives on at Leonard's Pit Barbecue, which continues to operate over a century later.
Philosophy
Keep it simple. Smoke the pork low and slow, chop it up, put it on bread with slaw. That's all you need.
Technique
Whole pork shoulders smoked over hickory wood in a brick pit, then hand-pulled and served on a soft bun with tangy coleslaw. Simple, iconic, foundational.
Recognition
- Memphis BBQ Hall of Fame — Founding Member (posthumous)
- Southern Foodways Alliance — Historical Recognition
Influences
Memphis pit tradition (pre-1920s)Southern roadside cookingDrive-in restaurant culture