MONROE UNFILTERED: THE DAILY BUZZ | Sept. 4
StroudFest Turns 20 and Monroe's Best Barbecue Gets Ranked
Friday, September 4, 2026
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WEEKEND WEATHER
Friday holds mostly clear with a high near 83°F and a low around 60°F, just a slight chance of a late shower before it clears out for the evening. Good news if you are getting a jump on weekend errands.
Saturday is the pick of the whole stretch: sunny and dry, a high near 79°F, which lines up perfectly with StroudFest taking over downtown Stroudsburg (this time it's the good kind of takeover).
Sunday and Labor Day itself get murkier. Expect a high somewhere in the mid-70s to mid-80s both days, with a real, if inconsistent, chance of afternoon showers. Pack a light jacket for the cookout just in case.
FIVE BEST OF MONROE: BBQ AND RIBS JOINTS
This one goes out to my mother-in-law, Dorothy, who loves barbecue more than just about anyone we know. With Labor Day weekend practically demanding a plate of something smoked, here are the five best barbecue spots in Monroe County, ranked by Google rating with review volume as a tiebreaker.
Red Barn Village (4.9 ★, 45 reviews). A family restaurant and cafe in Barrett Township where reviewers keep calling the pulled pork and brisket sandwich the best barbecue in the area, even though barbecue is not the whole menu. The highest rating on this list.
6272 PA-191, Cresco, PA 18326
Joe Bosco Authentic Smokehouse BBQ (4.6 ★, 2,335 reviews). The county's best known standalone smokehouse, right on Broad Street in Delaware Water Gap, and by far the most reviewed spot on this list. It's a fast-casual joint with really great food (and at times, the lines to match).
55 Broad St, Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
Bib's Ribs (4.6 ★, 340 reviews). East Stroudsburg's own rib joint is the newcomer to the list. Brought to you by the same owners as Trackside and Taste Café. Reviewers single out the brisket, pulled pork, and burnt ends. Like the funeral home that previously occupied the same space, people are just dying to get in. Dorothy will argue that this should be #1, but rules are rules.
27 Washington St, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
Hickory Valley Farm Restaurant (4.4 ★, 1,812 reviews). A breakfast diner first, not a standalone barbecue joint, but its smoked meats program earns it a spot here. The Smokehouse Sampler and Pancakes is a listed favorite, and reviewers mention smoked meats and kielbasa constantly.
2185 PA-611, Swiftwater, PA 18370
Churrasqueria La Morena BBQ (4.4 ★, 217 reviews). For a different twist on barbecue, this Portuguese, family-owned churrasco style grill is right on Main Street in Stroudsburg. Reviewers frequently highlight the establishment for its cozy, welcoming atmosphere, generous portions, and authentic flavors reminiscent of a home-cooked meal.
620 Main St, Stroudsburg, PA 18360
GET OUT: THE WEEKEND ITINERARY
Thank you to the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau for sourcing our weekend lineups. Their events calendar did the legwork so you do not have to. Here are our picks:
StroudFest, 20th Anniversary at Downtown Stroudsburg. Monroe County's flagship festival turns 20 with an expanded footprint: four stages, more than 170 vendors, and free admission and parking downtown, with overflow shuttle service from Stroudsburg High School. Sat 9/5, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Main Street's road closures run a longer window, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., so do not show up at 7 a.m. expecting vendors.
Artisans on Ann at Ann Street, Stroudsburg. An outdoor artisan market with photography, pottery, fiber, jewelry, soap, glasswork, and woodwork. Sat 9/5.
The Haunted History Labor Day Week Tours at The Haunted Candle Shoppe of the Poconos, Swiftwater. A guided tour through an 1897 building that once housed a doctor's home laboratory, ending in the attic. Thu 9/3 through Mon 9/7, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. $25 per person.
Live Music at Pint Size Park at Barley Creek Brewing Company, Tannersville. Free live music, and this is genuinely the last weekend of the summer series. Sat 9/5 (5 to 8 p.m.) and Sun 9/6 (1 to 4 p.m.).
Rhythm and Brews Live Music at ShawneeCraft Brewing Company, Shawnee on Delaware. Free, family friendly live music at the county's other end, with five sets across the weekend. Fri 9/4: Doc Papa and the Renegade Ramblers (7 to 10 p.m.). Sat 9/5: Spencer Reed (2 to 5 p.m.) and Lonesome Found (7 to 10 p.m.). Sun 9/6: Sol Katana (2 to 5 p.m.) and Andrew Moses (6 to 9 p.m.).
Have a great weekend, Monroe County.