Follow the Smoke: 15 Must-Visit Barbecue Joints in the Carolinas

Christopher Prieto, owner of Prime Barbecue in Knightdale, North Carolina, celebrates the role O.G. pitmasters had in building barbecue traditions and developing a strong fan base. But he’s also excited about the next generation of chefs, of which he’s part, who are exploring new flavors and techniques, often influenced by chefs from around the world through social media.

“The world shrunk,” says Prieto, a 2025 James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef in the Southeast. “Now I can see someone else cooking barbecue a different way. That started the evolution of barbecue, which I call, ‘bringing down the borders of barbecue.’”

For decades, barbecue across North Carolina and South Carolina has been defined by cooking techniques, seasonings, cuts of meat, and sauces. Carolinas’ Eastern-style barbecue is whole hog, slow-cooked over coals with a built-in vinegar-based sauce.
“After they chop it,” Prieto explains, “they season the hot meat with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and maybe a touch of sugar. Then they dump vinegar on it, and they fold it together. They’re blooming the spices inside of the meat. They build their flavor profile.”

Barbecue joints based in and out of Lexington, North Carolina, serve pork shoulder with dip, a thin sauce with vinegar, ketchup, salt, and pepper. South Carolina’s twist on barbecue is adding mustard sauce or vinegar-pepper sauce for a spicy bite. Diners expect the traditional sides such as baked beans, coleslaw (red or white), and potato salad. South Carolina’s specialty is hash, a blend of ground meat, vegetables, and sauce, served over rice.

Prieto loves to watch YouTube videos of people’s reactions to eating barbecue. They have an emotional response, he says.
“Kids from South Korea, people from London, people from Indonesia just eating a slice of brisket or beef ribs for the first time,” he says. “That’s the beauty of this cuisine, no matter how many borders we put up, everyone loves it.”

It would be impossible to mention every barbecue joint in the Carolinas; there are too many award-winning pitmasters and hall of fame inductees. We chose 15 restaurants that demonstrate a variety of new and old techniques and styles of Carolina barbecue. Before making the trip, check the restaurant's website or social media for hours, cash-only policy, and whether it's sold out for the day—it happens more than you think.

NORTH CAROLINA

Grady's BBQ
Dudley

Gerri and Steve Grady (pronounced with a short a) began serving eastern-style chopped barbecue, mayonnaise-based slaw, and green beans in 1986. Although Steve died in 2025, the restaurant continues its traditions with Gerri at the helm. Barbecue chicken, pork, fried chicken, hamburger steak, and on Saturdays, barbecue turkey. Be sure to bring cash.

Lexington Barbecue
Lexington

Wayne Monk opened Lexington Barbecue in 1962, with chopped, coarse-chopped, and sliced barbecue with a choice of sides including ketchup-based slaw, hush puppies, and onion rings.

Picnic
Durham

Picnic has been reimagining old-fashioned eastern-style barbecue with pasture-raised local pigs since 2016. The pulled barbecue plate includes hush puppies, slaw, and two sides. Choose from baked beans, collards, fried okra, and pimento cheese. Add Pig Whistle, Picnic’s proprietary vinegar-based sauce—i’s a staple on the table or buy it by the bottle. Leave room for banana pudding, bourbon cake, or chess pie.

Prime Barbecue
Knightdale

When Prime Barbecue opened in 2020, owner and pitmaster Christopher Prieto wanted the brisket, pulled pork, and turkey to showcase different styles of barbecue. He enjoys blending bold flavors while paying tribute to the people and places that inspire dishes such as sweet potato salad, barbecue rice, and big boss beans. The chef’s table set up in the kitchen is reserved for military Veterans and their families.

Sam Jones BBQ
Raleigh, Winterville

As a fourth-generation pitmaster, Sam Jones honors the legacy his granddad Pete Jones built at the Skylight Inn, cooking wood-fired whole hogs. Sam has since added burgers, catfish, chicken tenders, turkey, and wings to the classics on the menu. Choose from vinegar and sweet sauces; add a baked potato, collards, homemade mac and cheese, fries, or salad to your order. (Head to page xx for the full interview)

Skylight Inn BBQ
Ayden

When Pete Jones was 17, he turned his hometown of Ayden into a barbecue destination by opening Skylight Inn BBQ in 1947. Always whole hog cooked over wood with a simple menu: Pig and Yard Bird (chicken) with options for baked beans, corn bread, potato salad, and slaw. Bring cash for purchases. The James Beard Foundation recognized this family-owned restaurant as America's Classics, independently owned restaurants with timeless appeal, in 2003.

Stamey's Barbecue
Greensboro

Brothers Chaz and Craver Stamey, fourth-generation pitmasters, learned how to cook Lexington-style barbecue, pork cooked over hardwood coals and served with dip, when they were kids. Their great grandfather, Warner Stamey, opened his first barbecue joint in 1930. They still light the fire at dawn to cook the pork for eight to ten hours. In a hurry? Both locations in Greensboro offer drive-thru windows; don’t forget to order the homemade cobbler!

SOUTH CAROLINA

City Limits Barbecue
West Columbia

Open only on Saturdays and Sundays, City Limits Barbecue’s scratch kitchen often sells out. The Texas-style barbecue, brisket, beef rib, and house made sausages are cooked over indirect heat in an offset smoker. The Carolina barbecue gets it rich flavor from mixing the pork shoulder and pork belly, cooked over direct heat. Add hash and rice to your order. On Sundays, dig into an all-beef hotdog, made on site.

Elliott's BBQ Lounge
Florence

Elliott Moss, best known as the pitmaster at Buxton Hall BBQ in Asheville, North Carolina, returned to his hometown to bring whole hog barbecue, smoked over pecan wood on custom-made open brick pits. Moss delivers pit-smoked salmon, baby back ribs with a brown sugar rub and sweet red sauce, and Pee Dee-style whole hog barbecue, chopped and pulled, with a vinegar and pepper mop (thin sauce). Sides include Altman Farms cheese grits, hash and rice, and pit baked beans.

Hite's Bar-B-Que
West Columbia

Since 1957, Hite’s Bar-B-Que has been building a reputation for its Southern barbecue sandwiches, plates, and hash. David Hite, who has been cooking since he was a young kid, shared his father’s story about dedication to barbecue and the kettle-cooked slow simmered hash on the TV show, “America’s Test Kitchen.” Stop by on Fridays and Saturdays for chopped barbecue, mustard-based or ketchup-based spare ribs, and traditional sides.

Bessinger's BBQ
Charleston

Brothers Michael and Tommy Bessinger, third-generation pitmasters and owners of Bessinger’s BBQ, learned how to cook South Carolina style barbecue from their father. When their grandfather Joe Bessinger opened the restaurant in 1939, he brought mustard-based sauce to the forefront. The siblings carry on Joe’s legacy with the Original Golden Recipe, a mustard-based sauce with sweet and sour flavors. Locals know to order the doughnut-like onion rings in a sweet batter, while always leaving room for banana pudding, brownies, or cakes.

Lewis Barbecue
Charleston

Ten years ago, pitmaster John Lewis made a name for himself by blending his talent for designing Texas-style pits with cooking Certified Angus Beef and pork over aged wood. Beef brisket, pulled pork, and Texas Hot Gut Sausage pair well with one of seven sides such as green chile corn pudding and cowboy pinto beans. When Lewis Barbecue expanded to Atlanta, Georgia, and Greenville, South Carolina, the house-made icebox pies, inspired by Lewis’ grandmother, were made available at all the locations.

Scott’s Bar-B-Que
Hemingway

In 1972, Ella and Roosevelt “Rosie” Scott started cooking whole hog in a converted garage in eastern South Carolina. Today, family members operate the well-known spot, serving chicken, ribs, and barbecue, mopped with a vinegar-pepper-based sauce. Try the house-made pork rinds, too.

King BBQ
Charleston

Husband and wife team Corrie and Shuai Wang launched King BBQ in 2023, just before Shuai competed as a cheftestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef.” The menu is influenced by Shuai’s Chinese heritage and boasts specialty items featuring chicken, duck and pork. Order the Big Mama, chopped smoked pork with sausage, pickles, onion, creamy slaw, and Chinese hot mustard sauce.

Carolina Events to Add to Your Calendar This Fall:

Oct. 24: 42nd Annual Lexington Barbecue Festival

Since 1984, thousands of people have been gathering to eat Lexington-style barbecue from the Barbecue Center, Speedy’s BBQ and Stamey's Barbecue of Tyro in downtown Lexington, North Carolina. Listen to live music, wander through the car show, shop for regional products, capture a photo in front of the pig-themed sand sculpture, and watch the Dare Devil Dogs, an action-packed dog show. On this day only, Amtrak makes a special stop at the Lexington Hospitality Center. Free admission at www.thebarbecuefestival.com

Nov. 14: Holy Smokes BBQ Festival

More than 50 chefs and pitmasters set up grills, smokers and tables at the Riverfront Park in North Charleston, South Carolina, for a day of barbecue-themed foods and live music along the Cooper River. Four distinct barbecue villages—Texas, Traditional, New School and Coastal—will highlight the regions’ styles and techniques. The festival’s mission is to raise awareness and funds for families affected by pediatric brain cancer. This ticketed event includes food during the event. Please visit www.holysmokeschs.com

Bert WoodAugust 24, 2026