Unearth The Voyage
North Carolina takes its BBQ seriously, with a rich tradition dating back generations. From tangy Eastern-style whole hog to the tomato-tinged Lexington variety, the Tar Heel State offers some of America’s most distinctive barbecue experiences. These seven legendary pit stops represent the best of North Carolina’s smoky heritage, where time-honored techniques meet mouthwatering results.
Skylight Inn BBQ — Ayden
Crowned with a replica Capitol dome, this no-frills temple to Eastern-style BBQ has been smoking whole hogs since 1947. The formula remains beautifully simple: pork slow-cooked over oak and hickory, chopped to incorporate crispy bits of skin, then dressed with a vinegar-pepper sauce that cuts through the richness. Locals call it “Pete Jones’ BBQ” after the founder whose descendants still run the pits. The cornbread is legendary—dense, crisp-edged, and slightly sweet. Cash only and often crowded, this James Beard Award winner serves everything on paper trays with zero pretension. The chopped meat, kissed with smoke and brightened by that signature sauce, represents the purest expression of Eastern Carolina barbecue tradition.
Sam Jones BBQ — Winterville
Barbecue royalty runs through Sam Jones’ veins. The grandson of Skylight Inn’s founder took the family tradition and built his own legacy with this airy, modern tribute to whole-hog cooking. The spacious dining room might be contemporary, but the methods remain gloriously old-school. Whole pigs cook overnight over smoldering oak wood in custom-built brick pits. The meat emerges succulent and smoky before being hand-chopped, skin and all. Sweet potato biscuits with honey butter provide the perfect companion to the tangy pork. Unlike his grandfather’s cash-only operation, Sam embraces modern conveniences while honoring tradition. The restaurant’s signature Turkey BBQ—a nod to healthier options—somehow manages to be both innovative and authentic.
Lexington Barbecue — Lexington
“The Monk” stands as the quintessential ambassador of Piedmont-style barbecue. Founded in 1962 by Wayne Monk, this hillside institution draws pilgrims from across the country. The specialty? Pork shoulders smoked over hickory coals for hours until meltingly tender. Red-tinged “dip”—a vinegar sauce with ketchup—distinguishes this regional style. The iconic red slaw, made with the same sauce instead of mayonnaise, provides the perfect tangy complement. Choose between “coarse chopped” or “sliced” depending on your textural preference. During the annual Lexington Barbecue Festival, when over 200,000 visitors descend on this small town, The Monk remains the standard-bearer. No wonder the James Beard Foundation named it an American Classic.
Stamey’s Barbecue — Greensboro
Since 1930, four generations of the Stamey family have perfected the art of Lexington-style barbecue in the heart of the Triad. What began as a roadside stand has evolved into a Greensboro institution where time seems to stand still in the best possible way. The pitmasters arrive before dawn to tend the hickory coals, patiently cooking pork shoulders until they develop that characteristic pink smoke ring. The meat gets a gentle chop rather than being pulverized, preserving its texture and allowing the smoke flavor to shine through. Their distinctive hush puppies—crisp outside, fluffy inside—have inspired countless imitators. Located near the Greensboro Coliseum, Stamey’s feeds hungry concertgoers and locals alike with unchanging excellence.
Old Hampton Store & Barbecue — Linville
Hidden among the Blue Ridge Mountains, this 1920s general store-turned-barbecue joint offers a glimpse into Appalachian food traditions. Mountain-style barbecue differs subtly from its eastern cousins, and Old Hampton showcases these nuances brilliantly. Housed in a rustic wooden building that still functions as a country store, the restaurant slow-smokes pork butts over local hickory and apple woods. The resulting meat gets piled high on house-baked sourdough bread—a mountain tradition rarely seen elsewhere. During summer months, live bluegrass on the porch creates the perfect soundtrack for enjoying their signature barbecue with a side of mountain storytelling. The banana pudding, made from a recipe passed down through generations, provides the ideal sweet finale.
Grady’s Barbecue — Dudley
A cinderblock building with a simple sign belies the treasure within this Eastern North Carolina landmark. Steve and Gerri Grady opened their doors in 1986, but their barbecue methods date back generations. The couple, now in their 80s, still arrive before sunrise to tend the wood-fired pits. True to Eastern tradition, whole hogs cook slowly over oak and hickory before being hand-chopped and dressed with a pepper-vinegar sauce. The collard greens, cooked with fatback until silky, might be the best in the state. Their sweet potato pie—made from Gerri’s grandmother’s recipe—has earned as much fame as the barbecue itself. Despite its remote location outside Goldsboro, barbecue aficionados make pilgrimages just to experience this authentic, unchanged slice of Carolina culinary history.
Hog Heaven Smokehouse — Greenville
First-timers might drive right past this unassuming spot tucked behind a gas station on the outskirts of Greenville. Those in the know, however, recognize it as one of the last authentic ground-pit cooking operations in Eastern North Carolina. Unlike modern barbecue joints with stainless steel smokers, Hog Heaven still digs pits in the ground, lines them with oak coals, and slow-cooks whole hogs overnight. The resulting meat carries a distinctive earthiness impossible to replicate with above-ground methods. Their vinegar sauce has just enough heat to complement rather than overwhelm the pork’s natural flavor. Family-owned for three generations, this humble establishment eschews publicity in favor of consistency. The banana pudding, served in Styrofoam cups, provides the perfect cool contrast to the smoky meat.
