Vincent Mangual of Empire BBQ did it again. Hundreds of barbecue fans filled Industry City on Memorial Day weekend 2025, and when the judges finished, Mangual’s Creekstone Farms spare ribs with sweet BBQ sauce, pickles and jalapeño peach cornbread crumbs took the Rib King NYC™ crown for the second year in a row.
The judges called first and second a toss-up. Runner-up went to Anthony Scerri of Smoke Sweats, cooking with Achilles Heat: “The Bride,” a St. Louis cut rib smoked four hours over almond cabernet wood, dressed in an “Ala-Brooklyn” white sauce and finished with diamond dust and Achilles Heat chili crisp. Scerri had already won Brisket King NYC 2025 a month earlier and was runner-up here in 2024 too.
The 2025 awards
- Rib King NYC™ Champion: Vincent Mangual, Empire BBQ
- Runner-up: Anthony Scerri, Smoke Sweats x Achilles Heat
- Friends of Firefighters People’s Choice and Make Mama Proud Award: Brothers Barbecue, for “Mama’s Sticky Ribs,” built on the sauce the Farella brothers’ mother made
- Oink of Excellence: Morgan’s Brooklyn BBQ
- Tongue Thai-ed: KAM RAI THAI
- Good for Business: Bad for Business
- Welcome to the Show: Just Ribs
The full lineup also included Darlene Lawrence of Sands Jerk Hut, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Oak Marprasert of KAM RAI THAI, Cenobio Canalizo of Morgan’s Brooklyn BBQ, Fefe Anggono of Taste of Surabaya, Jose Perez of Archie Moore’s and The Meat Truck, Samuel Alleyne of Fire & Smoke BBQ, the Mike’s Hot Honey team and Francis Maling of Bad For Business Popups, with masa from Masienda, country ham from Dakota Ham, grilled vegetables from Jimmy’s No. 43, Sauce King™ NYC hot sauces, and desserts from Tejas BBQ, Tipsy Scoop, Aurelia and MuMsKitchens NYC.
Thanks to Friends of Firefighters, our community partner, and to Creekstone Farms, who supplied the ribs. Read Sean Ludwig’s full recap and see his photos at NYC BBQ.