ABOUT River King BBQ

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Denver. Pittsburgh. Memphis.  

On the surface, these three cities don’t have much in common. Yet all of these cities have rich cultural histories that you can still feel today. Gold. Steel. Cotton. The Mile High City. The Steel City. The Bluff City. Each city unique yet finding common ground in the heart and soul of the people, industries and sports teams that call the city home. 

River King BBQ was born out of a love for all regions of American BBQ, along with an appreciation for the heritage of the three cities that our founder has called home - 

Denver, Pittsburgh and Memphis - 

and the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.

Owner and pitmaster Elliot Pope was born and raised in Memphis, called Pittsburgh home for 15 years and has now put roots down in Denver. An avid student of the craft and history of American BBQ, Elliot uses elements of BBQ from Texas, the Carolinas, Kansas City, and of course Memphis in his food. Smoking with locally sourced cherry and oak wood on indirect reverse flow Lang BBQ Smokers, you’ll taste the difference.  

River King BBQ competes in BBQ contests along with selling food at the occasional pop-up cooks at events. And taking a page from the Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and his Backbeat BBQ, River King BBQ donates food to church events, homeless shelters and first responders.  

There’s only one King.