Unearth The Voyage
North Carolina takes its barbecue seriously, with two distinct styles dividing the state: Eastern whole-hog with vinegar sauce and Western (Lexington-style) pork shoulder with tomato-vinegar sauce. From humble roadside joints to celebrated institutions, NC pitmasters have perfected the art of slow-smoking pork. I’ve sampled countless BBQ sandwiches across the Tar Heel State to bring you this definitive ranking, celebrating both tradition and taste.
Hursey’s Bar-B-Q – The Basic But Satisfying Sandwich
Family-owned since 1945, Hursey’s offers a straightforward Eastern-style chopped pork sandwich that won’t knock your socks off but delivers reliable comfort. The meat comes properly smoked but sometimes lacks the depth found at more dedicated smokehouses.
Their vinegar-pepper sauce adds necessary tang, though it can occasionally be applied unevenly. What Hursey’s lacks in wow-factor, it makes up for in consistency and accessibility with three locations serving hungry locals.
The sandwich arrives simply dressed on a standard bun – nothing fancy, just honest BBQ that satisfies a craving without breaking new ground. A decent introduction to North Carolina BBQ for newcomers, but veterans might find it merely passable.
Little Richard’s – The Hometown Hero Sandwich
Don’t let the modest surroundings fool you – Little Richard’s in Winston-Salem serves a chopped pork sandwich that punches above its weight class. The pork shoulder emerges from the smoker with a beautiful mahogany bark that gets chopped into the tender interior meat.
Locals swear by the balanced sweet-tang of their Lexington-style sauce that complements rather than masks the natural pork flavor. The sandwich comes dressed with their distinctive red slaw – cabbage transformed by that same signature sauce.
What makes this sandwich special is its unpretentious authenticity. No fancy presentation or artisanal pretensions – just generations of smoking expertise packed between two soft buns, representing the heart of everyday North Carolina barbecue traditions.
Picnic – The Farm-to-Smoker Innovation
Picnic brings modern farm-to-table sensibilities to traditional BBQ techniques. Their sandwich features heritage-breed pork raised on local farms, honoring the meat’s quality through careful smoking and minimal intervention.
Unlike old-school joints, Picnic offers choices – their Eastern-style sandwich comes with either classic vinegar slaw or a seasonal slaw that might incorporate unexpected ingredients like watermelon rind or apple. The brioche bun is a departure from tradition but cradles the juicy chopped pork beautifully.
What keeps this sandwich from ranking higher is its occasional drift toward refinement at the expense of rustic BBQ intensity. Still, it represents an exciting direction for North Carolina BBQ, proving tradition and innovation can coexist deliciously.
Buxton Hall BBQ – The Hip Mountain Town Twist
Nestled in Asheville’s trendy South Slope district, Buxton Hall has reimagined Western Carolina barbecue for the craft beer crowd. Pitmaster Elliott Moss smokes whole hogs over hardwood for nearly 24 hours, producing exceptionally moist meat with subtle smoke penetration.
Their sandwich arrives on a buttered and toasted bun – a simple upgrade that makes a world of difference. The house-made Eastern-style vinegar sauce packs a surprising kick, while their mustard-forward slaw adds complexity not found in traditional versions.
What drops this sandwich to seventh place is its occasional inconsistency and pricing that reflects its tourist-friendly location. When firing on all cylinders, however, Buxton Hall proves that respecting tradition doesn’t mean refusing evolution.
Grady’s BBQ – The Time Capsule Sandwich
Step into Grady’s and you’ve entered a living museum of Eastern Carolina BBQ traditions. Since 1986, the Gradys have wood-smoked whole hogs the old-fashioned way – no gas assistance, no shortcuts. The resulting sandwich offers meat with remarkable complexity from the varied cuts that make up a whole hog.
The finely chopped pork comes dressed with a pepper-forward vinegar sauce that bites just right. Served on plain white bread that soaks up the juices without pretension, this sandwich represents BBQ at its most elemental.
What prevents a higher ranking? Limited hours and remote location make this a destination rather than an everyday option. The bare-bones presentation also lacks the textural contrast that more evolved sandwiches offer, though purists will argue that’s exactly the point.
Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge – The Perfectly Balanced Classic
The sandwich at Red Bridges achieves what few others manage – perfect harmony between meat, sauce, and slaw. Their pork shoulders smoke unhurriedly over hickory until they develop a pronounced smoke ring and pull apart with minimal effort.
What makes their sandwich special is the red slaw – finely chopped cabbage dressed with their signature Western-style sauce that brings subtle sweetness to counter the vinegar tang. The soft white bun doesn’t distract from the star ingredients but provides just enough structure.
Family-owned since 1946, Red Bridges maintains remarkable consistency despite serving crowds that form lines out the door. Their sandwich represents the platonic ideal of Western Carolina style – not the most innovative but executing traditional elements with such precision that improvement seems unnecessary.
Stamey’s Barbecue – The Lexington Standard-Bearer
Warner Stamey didn’t invent Lexington-style barbecue, but his namesake restaurant perfected it. Their sandwich showcases pork shoulder with an exceptional bark-to-meat ratio, maintaining ideal moisture while delivering concentrated smoky flavor in every bite.
The meat comes chopped or sliced (chopped provides the better sandwich experience) and dressed with their balanced tomato-vinegar sauce that never overwhelms the pork. Their signature red slaw adds crucial acidity and crunch.
Founded in 1930, Stamey’s has maintained quality while expanding to multiple locations – a rare feat in BBQ. What keeps this sandwich from the top three is its somewhat conservative approach that prioritizes consistency over transcendence. Nevertheless, it represents the Lexington style so perfectly that it remains the measuring stick against which others are judged.
Lexington Barbecue – The Pilgrimage-Worthy Sandwich
Known simply as “The Monk” to locals (after founder Wayne Monk), Lexington Barbecue has been drawing BBQ pilgrims since 1962. Their sandwich exemplifies why people drive hours for authentic Piedmont-style barbecue.
The pork shoulder smokes over exclusively hickory coals until it develops a concentrated flavor that balances smoke, meat, and seasoning perfectly. Order it “coarse chopped” to appreciate the full textural experience – tender interior meat contrasting with chewy, flavor-packed outer bark.
Their distinctive vinegar-ketchup dip cuts through the richness while their finely-minced red slaw adds just enough cabbage crunch. The sandwich arrives unadorned on a standard bun, letting the meticulously prepared meat remain the undisputed star. This is BBQ that needs no gimmicks – just time, fire, and expertise.
Sam Jones BBQ – The Heritage Evolution Sandwich
When Sam Jones branched off from his family’s legendary Skylight Inn, he brought century-old techniques into the modern era. His whole-hog sandwich maintains the traditional Eastern Carolina approach but with subtle refinements that elevate the experience.
The meat comes perfectly chopped – fine enough to appreciate the varied textures of a whole hog but not so pulverized that it loses character. The vinegar-pepper sauce penetrates deeply rather than just coating the surface, while the mayo-based coleslaw adds crucial creaminess.
What distinguishes this sandwich is balance – smoke that complements rather than dominates, acid that brightens without overwhelming, and a pillowy bun that holds everything together without interference. It honors tradition while acknowledging that even perfection can evolve, representing the best of contemporary Eastern Carolina barbecue.
Skylight Inn BBQ – The Undisputed Chopped Pork Champion
Since 1947, Skylight Inn has defined Eastern North Carolina barbecue so definitively that they crowned their building with a replica of the Capitol dome. Their sandwich represents BBQ at its most elemental and profound – whole hogs smoked over oak and hickory, chopped with cleavers while still hot, and seasoned with nothing but salt, pepper, vinegar, and crushed red pepper.
The meat arrives finely chopped with crackling bits mixed in, creating textural magic between tender pork and crunchy skin. Served on basic white bread with a splash of their legendary vinegar sauce, this sandwich achieves transcendence through simplicity.
What makes Skylight Inn’s offering the undisputed champion is its purity of purpose – no distractions, no innovations needed. This is barbecue reduced to its essence, a direct line to traditions that predate the United States itself.
