Memorial Day weekend is fast approaching and there’s charcoal in the air. Food cooked on an open flame is the essence of summertime eating, but the intricacies of proper grilling and smoking make our heads hurt worse than a sixer of Corona. Here’s where we turn to satisfy our barbeque fix.

FOR TAKE-OUT TITANS
When the BBQ addiction calls, we pick up the phone and call Nick’s Charcoal Pit, Snyder Avenue's spitfire 'que house, for the chicken-and-rib combo awash in sweet, smoky sauce. A half-chicken is supremely juicy with crisp, flame-kissed skin, while two rafts of baby-backs pull apart with the lightest pressure. With fries and cole slaw, this bargain is only $11.95 (and you’ll have leftovers for lunch). For the super-lazy, Nick’s delivers.

FOR KIDS WHO USED TO WATCH ALL THAT
Welcome to Goodburger, home of the goodburger. Can I take your orrrrr-der? This N.Y. mini-chain opened its first out-of-state location earlier this month on 17th and Chestnut in a partnership with the guys from Pietro’s. The place is super-spiffy with flat-screens displaying the menu and SportsCenter, white marble counters and a team of three keeping the grill clean between flips of the 5.5-ounce patties served between toasted buns.

FOR PIG FANATICS
For pulled pork, there is no contest in Philly: For Pete’s Sake. This Queen Village tavern was a gastropub before the word was invented, serving up fresh, flavorful bar food alongside a solid beer selection. They smoke their pork shoulder in-house before shredding the meat and applying the succulent sweet BBQ sauce. Served on a fluffy round bun, the sandwich is enormous and messy and the tatters of pig that fall out the sides turn the accompanying thicket of golden spuds into a porky version of chili fries.

FOR PEOPLE WITH SEOUL
Granted, a plate full of raw meat isn’t the most appetizing thing for your waiter to present to you. But at International Smokeless Barbeque, it’s all about the DIY grillin’. Tables are equipped with circular grills and exhaust fans that keep your lungs and clothes clean. The rest of the menu is an amalgam of favorites from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

FOR GRINGOS
It’s hard to call Cantina Los Caballitos authentically Mexican with so many neon taquerias nearby, but it’s possibly the most fun spot in South Philly with its clever cocktails and border-rock atmo. While the kitchen is inconsistent, one dish we can always count on is the tamarind-glazed ribs, sticky, tangy and amazingly tender.