In North Carolina, barbecue is king. Pig pickins’ are an unparalleled experience for Southerners—synonymous with hot summer days, tailgates, family gatherings and all-around pure joy. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as shoveling down a loaded (or, as the industry calls it, “slutty”—yes, for real) pulled pork sandwich—topped with coleslaw and sauce, of course—in between bites of mac and cheese, collard greens, hush puppies and other comforting signature Southern sides. (Hungry yet?) Barbecue brings people from all walks of life together—regardless of race, creed, social standing, gender or political belief, we can all agree on the Q (well, until we start hashing out sauce…). Barbecue isn’t just a method of cooking meat—it’s a celebration of time and place. It’s a tradition.
2020 was supposed to be the year of barbecue in the Triangle—but pandemic. Now, we’re finally starting to see some of those slated Q spots bow, joining the ranks of such time-honored joints as Clyde Cooper’s and Ole Time Barbecue. Enter Sam Jones BBQ, a long-awaited resto from one of the most prominent pitmasters in the state; Prime Barbecue from Christopher Prieto, a champion on the competition barbecue circuit who’s pumping out a style of ’cue that’s all his own—not to mention the forthcoming The Preserve from barbecue legend Ed Mitchell, with his son and the Moshakos family (of LM Restaurants fame—ya know, Taverna Agora, Vidrio, Carolina Ale House, to name a few).
Translation: It’s going to get a lot harder to choose your go-to Q spot now (and no one is complaining). Read on to get schooled on the new joints in town—and decide if you wanna try something new or kick it old school—or ’cue-hop to try them all (our rec!). Either way, there promises to be something (potentially sloppy, definitely delish) for everyone.
Once a lawyer, Wyatt Dickson now lays down the law of traditional barbecue at PICNIC in Durham, with executive chef Chris McLaurin by his side. Dickson’s main mission is to preserve time-honored North Carolina-style barbecue, which, to him, means oak-smoked, locally raised, whole heritage-breed hog (sourced exclusively from Green Button Farm in Durham) that’s handpicked—never chopped—and served with Pig Whistle sauce (or “the Great Carolina Compromise,” as Dickson calls it), the ideal combination of Eastern and Western style sauces. Southern sides round out a truly mouthwatering plate that we dare you to leave a crumb on.
“Every culture has its food, and in the South, it’s barbecue,” says Greg Hatem, owner of famed The Pit, where you’ll find the Eastern NC traditional style of cooking barbecue that dates back hundreds of years (whole hog over a hot charcoal pit), only in a more elevated and upscale environment—think valet parking and a bourbon menu. Additionally, Hatem takes great pride in working with local farmers to source AWA-certified hogs (no added chemicals or hormones) and vegetables for The Pit’s delectable scratch-made sides—Brunswick stew, fried okra and heirloom cabbage collard greens are fan faves.
Preserving the art, history and love of North Carolina barbecue is the main pillar of The Preserve, a premiere barbecue smokehouse from the Moshakos and Mitchell families—Ed Mitchell is a legendary pitmaster, and Lou Moshakos is the dining and hospitality titan behind LM Restaurants. Now, Ed’s son, Ryan, and Lou’s daughter, Amber, are taking the reins and opening The Preserve in the original Carolina Ale House location off Wake Forest Road. While there’s not an official opening date yet, Ryan promises that once the doors open, The Preserve will stay true to tradition, serving up whole-hog, Carolina-style chopped barbecue prepared with no added sugar and clean-ingredient sauces.
The BBQ Lab
North Hills Main District (4120 Main Street at North Hills, Ste. 135) The Redneck BBQ Lab: 12101 NC-210 B, Benson | theredneckbbqlab.com
Johnston County’s The Redneck BBQ Lab will debut its first franchise model, The BBQ Lab, in North Hills (opening date TBD). The new location will serve the same competition-style barbecue (including the rubs, “sawses” and techniques) that has won The Lab many BBQ competitions and awards over the years, plus offer up alcohol and a menu that will allow it to stay open for dinner. Founder Jerry Stephenson will keep the “redneck” in JoCo, but promises the North Hills location will continue to honor The Lab’s customer service-oriented mindset and core belief that “we are spreading love to each and every person we are honored to share our food with.” Amen!
Sam Jones has known barbecue his entire life. He grew up working at his grandfather’s iconic barbecue restaurant, Skylight Inn, before opening his own barbecue restaurant, Sam Jones BBQ, in Winterville in 2015. The integrity of true Eastern North Carolina barbecue that Jones and his family hold so near to their hearts is further preserved at Jones’ new Raleigh location, which officially opened in March. Jones’ signature style of chopped barbecue integrates crispy skins, which adds a nice, textured bite to a sandwich or tray of ’cue—and don’t forget the Skylight Inn-style cornbread. “That’s the way [barbecue’s] always been done in my family—and the way I’ll always do it,” says Jones.
Prime Barbecue
403 Knightdale Station Run, Knightdale | prime-bbq.com
When it comes to barbecue, owner and pitmaster Christopher Prieto is all about breaking the rules—and making his own. A former professional competition barbecue cook, Prieto traveled the country studying different techniques and barbecue-cooking methods until eventually creating his own fusion style consisting of sweet notes of Kansas City competition-style ’cue, what he calls “Texas pepper simplicity,” North Carolina vinegar and a light touch of his Puerto Rican heritage. His meats, sides and desserts are completely his own—a one-of-a-kind barbecue experience that’ll keep you driving back to Knightdale for more. “Our food is steeped in tradition but given new life,” Prieto adds. “No matter what you grew up with, good barbecue speaks for itself.”
According to co-owner Ben Hart, Ole Time Barbecue has been doing barbecue “since before it got cool.” It was always his dad and great-grandfather’s dream to open a BBQ joint—and though Hart’s great-grandfather passed away in the ’70s before he could see that dream realized, Hart’s father was able to take over Ole Time from its previous owner in 1993. The bright yellow restaurant is nothing fancy, but the barbecue is dependable and the tight-knit community vibe makes everyone who enters feel right at home. “We’re a little roadside barbecue joint, and that’s all we claim to be—and that’s all we’ll ever be,” says Hart. “We believe in giving the best product for a fair price and treating everybody with kindness.”
Although Marc Russell and Adam Cunningham aren’t looking to reinvent the wheel when it comes to barbecue, their forthcoming restaurant is sure to keep things fresh and interesting. “We like to say if the traditional NC BBQ plate is Hank Williams, we try to be a little more Johnny Cash,” says Cunningham. Russell, Longleaf Swine’s pitmaster, delivers a Texas-meets-Carolina-style ’cue that’s influenced by his Puerto Rican background. Longleaf 2.0 (the original location was slated for Transfer Co. Food Hall) is a place not just for food, but experiences. Grab a pulled pork sando and stick around afterward for drinks with friends.
Jake Wood’s almost-famous barbecue is rooted in his family’s tradition and recipes—served with the laid-back escapist vibe that has become his signature. At Lawrence Barbecue, he offers simple ’cue that anyone and everyone can enjoy, no matter the occasion. A sweet selection of sandos runs the gamut from pulled pork doused in equal parts Lawrence Leisure Sauce (tomato-based) and OG vinegar sauce to Texas-style brisket to fried chicken. Served with a side of Wood’s to-die-for mac and cheese, deviled egg potato salad or ’cue beans and an alcoholic icee from Lagoon Bar (which is housed upstairs from Lawrence Barbecue in Boxyard RTP), the entire experience is like something out of (pitmaster) paradise.
Cooper’s is one of the longest-standing barbecue joints in Raleigh. Clyde Cooper opened the spot in 1938, and his original recipes have been passed down to his two successors—with some occasional updates. Current owner Debbie Holt moved Cooper’s to a new location around the corner from the premiere spot in 2014 but managed to take everything she could to retain the restaurant’s iconic vintage-looking feel, from the wooden booths to the green awning that now sits over the service counter. Today, the famed Q house’s chopped pork, traditional sides, decadent banana pudding and addicting sweet tea have stood the test of time for more than 80 years. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
WEB EXCLUSIVE Aw shucks, another Lawrence Barbecue pop-up is coming to Raleigh! The forthcoming barbecue resto from chef Jake Wood—who has been teasing taste buds with his ever-popular ’cue with pop-ups at multiple spots around town for months now—has been tapped by St. Roch for the return of the New Orleans-inspired oyster bar and restaurant’s Friends With Benefits monthly dinner series (pop-up perfection that began last January, but was cut short due to the pandemic), now in its second installment, on April 8.
Jake Wood (left) of Lawrence Barbecue and Sunny Gerhart (right) of St. Roch
St. Roch chef/owner Sunny Gerhart says the goal of the series is to celebrate all of the amazing talent in the Raleigh food scene while providing guests with unique experiences. And Wood’s barbecue is sure to be a bold complement to Gerhart’s oysters. In short, St. Roch brings in the friends, and you get all the delicious benefits. So, the world is your oyster, so to speak…
“After this past year, it feels more important than ever to celebrate each of our anniversary milestones,” adds Gerhart. “So, we’re bringing this series back to give us a chance to cook with our megatalented chef pals and create some unique experiences here at St. Roch.”
During April’s Friends With Benefits dinner, Wood will be previewing dishes from Lawrence Barbecue, including his famed bacon-cured brisket sando, Lawrence family grilled oysters, classic pulled pork platter and Mary Tilley’s tres leches milkshake. St. Roch’s full menu will also be available. Who’s pumped?
Lawrence Barbecue brisket sando
St. Roch oysters | Photo by Food Seen
Jake Wood of Lawrence Barbecue
The pop-up provides just one more reason for locals to get excited about Lawrence Barbecue’s highly anticipated opening in Boxyard RTP this summer. You may have been lucky to already get a taste during Wood’s previous pop-ups at Whiskey Kitchen, J. Lights Market & Cafe, Standard Beer + Food and Wye Hill, to name just a few. Lawrence Barbecue also recently took home the W on Discovery Channel’s new competition show, “Moonshiners: Smoke Ring.”
So, if you haven’t had a chance to try Lawrence Barbecue, you’re in for a real treat. Reservations recommended, walk-ins welcome; strochraleigh.com
WEB EXCLUSIVE In North Carolina, there’s no better duo than oysters and barbecue (except maybe barbecue and mac and cheese). According to Sunny Gerhart, chef/owner of St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar, it’s a longstanding tradition for pitmasters to snack on oysters while their pigs cooked overnight. So it only made sense for Gerhart to collaborate with Picnic’s pitmaster Wyatt Dickson and co-owner and pig farmer Ryan Butler on a whole hog barbecue pop-up at St. Roch every Saturday in October.
“We thought we’d make this incredible combination available to our guests this fall,” says Gerhart, whose oysters are favored by many in Raleigh and throughout the Triangle. His Louisiana-inspired restaurant features raw, roasted and fried oysters from North Carolina, as well as some rotating varieties from throughout the East Coast. During weekend brunch, St. Roch also serves a unique oyster hotcake with eggs, crispy chili, creole cane syrup, whipped cream cheese and chives.
BBQ Sandwich from Picnic | Photo by Forrest Mason
During the pop-ups on October, 17, 24 and 31, St. Roch’s full brunch and dinner menus will be available, in addition to Picnic’s $9 barbecue sandwiches and plates with slaw, of which all proceeds will support downtown’s pay-what-you-can cafe A Place at the Table. “We’re stoked to now be serving our friends in Raleigh as well as Durham,” said Dickson, who is also delivering barbecue to his forthcoming Wyatt’s Whole Hog Barbecue location at Raleigh’s Gateway Plaza every other Thursday until the spot officially opens this Spring.
To get your hands on Dickson’s barbecue and Gerhart’s oysters during the Saturday pop-up series, make a reservation through Resy, call 919-322-0359 or visit their website for curbside pickup, or walk-in from noon to 4 p.m.—or until the pig runs out, which we’re thinking may not take too long.
In spite of COVID, chefs are still bringing the art of backyard pig picking to the City of Oaks.
Raleigh foodies billed 2020 as “the year of barbecue,” with excitement brimming over several new barbecue restaurants slated to open in town. And, though the coronavirus shutdown threw a wrench in some pitmasters’ plans, not even an international pandemic can stand between Raleighites and their beloved barbecue for very long.
North Carolina has long been known as a barbecue destination, and the battle between the state’s Eastern and Western styles has raged for decades. Now, with celebrity chefs and famous pitmasters flocking to the Triangle, Raleigh is looking to make its name as a barbecue capital.
Before we all go hog wild, we wanted to find out whether plans for various, much-hyped barbecue joints were smoking hot or on the back burner. To be sure, the cloud of COVID-19 still looms (an estimated 60 percent of restaurant closures nationally are feared to be permanent). Will this year still usher in a barbecue revolution for Raleigh? Dig in and see for yourself.
Lawrence Barbecue
Expected Opening Date: Winter/Spring 2021
Jake Wood likes to think outside of the box. Bringing Lawrence Barbecue to Boxyard RTP, he plans to unite two popular, local pastimes: eating barbecue and slurping oysters. Boxyard RTP, a modern retail hub that looks to transform what it means to eat, drink and shop local in the Triangle, is a unique setup of food and retail vendors, utilizing shipping containers to house businesses such as Fullsteam Brewery and Medicine Mama’s Farmacy. Wood has been busy not only preparing to open to the public this fall, but serving more than 500 free meals to service industry and frontline workers throughout the COVID pandemic. With ample outdoor seating to allow for social distancing, whether you’re seeking pulled or shucked, Lawrence Barbecue will surely hit the spot.
Sam Jones Barbecue
Expected Opening Date: TBD
You just can’t talk about North Carolina barbecue without mentioning the name “Sam Jones.” Part of a six-generation barbecue family, the James Beard Award finalist is bringing his renowned skills to the former Dusty’s Garage space near Boylan Heights in downtown Raleigh. Jones’ grandfather opened the famed Skylight Inn in Ayden, North Carolina in 1947, and in 2015, the first Sam Jones Barbecue opened its doors in Winterville. “We take great pride in the tradition of cooking whole hogs over wood, which is something that had almost become a thing of the past,” Jones says. As he does at the Skylight Inn, Jones will smoke his meats in a detached smokehouse; but unlike at Skylight, Sam Jones Barbecue will serve a full bar of cocktails, beer and wine. With an opening date fast-approaching, we won’t have long to wait before we’re enjoying some legendary Sam Jones ‘cue.
Wyatt’s Whole Hog Barbecue
Expected Opening Date: 2021
Photo by Forrest Mason
It’s no surprise that barbecue fans are eagerly awaiting the opening of Wyatt’s Whole Hog Barbecue in the newly revitalized Gateway Plaza off of Capital Boulevard. Wyatt’s sister restaurant, PICNIC in Durham, was named one of Time Magazine’s “Eight Best BBQ Spots in the Carolinas” in 2016. “This is my first solo venture, so I’m excited to have more creative control, though my goal is to not stray too far from my roots,” says owner and pitmaster Wyatt Dickson. “I’m really proud of what [co-owner] Ryan Butler and I have created at PICNIC over these last four years and this is an opportunity to expand on that.”
We can look for Wyatt’s to be larger than PICNIC, both in terms of space as well as the overall experience. Smokers will be in full view for guests, adding to the restaurant’s look and feel, as well as to “reinforce our mission to preserve and honor the Eastern North Carolina whole hog barbecue tradition and showcase these beautiful pastured pigs that [Butler] raises exclusively for us at Green Button Farm,” Dickson says. Dickson’s restaurant will utilize the whole hog, serving house-made sausage and South Carolina style hash as well as traditional pulled pork. Wyatt’s is partnering with its Gateway neighbor, Union Special bakery, to use its buns for those hankering for a barbecue sandwich. While we hungrily await Wyatt’s official opening next year, customers can make orders a week in advance from PICNIC to be delivered to the Wyatt’s site every Thursday.
The Preserve
Expected Opening Date: TBD
Photo by Felicia Perry Trujillo
Ed Mitchell, a name that became synonymous with barbecue when he brought the crowd-pleasing joint The Pit to downtown Raleigh, is bringing his talents to a new venture. The Preserve, to be be located on Creekside Drive in the old Carolina Ale House building, is joining LM Restaurants’ Lou Moshakos (owner of Carolina Ale House and Vidrio) with plans to showcase Mitchell’s cooking front and center. Though this powerhouse duo was hoping to open the doors to the public this year, COVID has curtailed plans for an opening in the near future. The team is currently shifting resources and working to get the kitchen space finished so that takeout and catering orders can begin to bring the ’cue to Mitchell’s fans on the double.
Longleaf Swine
Expected Opening Date: 2021
The popular food truck Longleaf Swine is heading to its first brick-and-mortar location in the old Oakwood Café space on East Edenton Street. Diners will enjoy delicious barbecue, cooked with the whole hog, all-wood method, in a unique setting in the heart of the Oakwood Historic District. As the owners work to renovate the building, they plan to first set up the kitchen in hopes of serving guests in an outdoor space, as well as offering takeout. Pitmaster Marc Russell brings a hint of Puerto Rican flair to some of his dishes, such as local smoked whole fish with poblano rub, and esquites—the Longleaf take on corn off the cob with Cotija cheese.
Friendship Barbecue
Jason Howard, owner of The Cardinal Bar and the underground Atlantic Lounge, had hoped to open Friendship Barbecue on North West Street last year, but, due to COVID, he’s decided not to move ahead with the restaurant. Instead, Howard says, he is excited to continue work on the Rainbow Luncheonette and The Pink Boot, a bar, in the Rainbow Building at 911 North West Street, with plans to open as soon as dining and drinking restrictions are lifted.
Goldsboro’s legendary Wilber’s Barbecue will keep on smoking.
More than a year after the state Department of Revenue shut the restaurant down due to unpaid taxes, the aroma of whole hogs smoking over hot coals still lingers in the open pits, unsurprising for a restaurant that had been in business for nearly six decades.
Opened in 1962 by Wilber Shirley, Wilber’s is one of the most famous barbecue joints in eastern North Carolina and one of the only to still cook its barbecue over hardwood coals in open air pits. For decades, Wilber’s served as a pit stop for folks traveling along Route 70, and, during the summertime, it was a tradition for many a North Carolina family to stop in at Wilber’s on the way to the crystal coast. Wilber’s has been lauded by national publications including The New York Times, Garden & Gun and Southern Living and many former presidents made it a priority stop at the restaurant on their campaign trails. Some might even consider Wilber’s the best barbecue restaurant in the state—Goldsboro resident Willis Underwood certainly does.
Underwood has been dining at Wilber’s his entire life. He recalls eating there with his family after church on Sundays and ordering takeout for friendly gatherings. “It’s the best barbecue all around,” Underwood says. When the restaurant closed, he banded together a group of Goldsboro natives, residents and barbecue enthusiasts to form Goldpit Partners. The group is refurbishing and restoring Wilber’s into the iconic space that Underwood and so many others grew up cherishing.
Instead of being replaced with a brand new building, Wilber’s’ bones will remain, with a thorough cleaning and a few coats of paint on its exterior. The same beautiful, knotty pine-paneled walls will stay, along with the nostalgic checkered tablecloths sure to bring back fond memories for longtime regulars. The dusty, dark floors will be replaced with new red and white checkered tiles to bring color to the space and the register will move to the left of the front door in order to create a better flow within the restaurant.
Most importantly, Wilber’s will continue the old-fashioned style of cooking whole hogs over oak wood embers in the original open pits that Shirley built when the restaurant first opened, a 12- to 14-hour-long method that’s both difficult and expensive; but Underwood assures that it is the best way to maintain the classic flavor and tradition.
“The pit is the heart and soul of the restaurant,” Underwood says. “It’s where the magic happens.”
The same hardworking pit team will return to shovel in coals from the now-functioning chimney throughout the night in order to produce the signature chopped whole hog barbecue Wilber’s is famous for. Whole hog will be available every day, either on a sandwich or as a plate served alongside Wilber’s classic sides such as coleslaw, mac and cheese, Brunswick stew and hushpuppies—made with the same old mix, of course. Fried chicken and “Wilber’s Barbecue Chicken”—baked chicken with gravy—will also be available daily, as well as homemade desserts including banana pudding and pecan pie.
An insurance salesman at Underwood Insurance Services and a passionate fan of eastern North Carolina-style barbecue, Underwood dedicated a lot of time to reopening Wilber’s because he didn’t want to see such an important part of North Carolina’s heritage and culture disappear. Pit-cooked barbecue is a dying breed and Underwood made it his mission to keep the craft alive at Wilber’s. “We’re saving Wilber’s for North Carolina and for barbecue,” Underwood says.
Shirley, now almost 90 years old, is excited to see his restaurant up and running again. Although he will no longer work the day-to-day operations at Wilber’s—his son-in-law, Dennis Monk, will assume that role—he’ll remain a welcome presence at the restaurant. “I’m proud to know that Wilber’s will not disappear, and that [Underwood] and my son-in-law will be here to help guide it into the future,” Shirley says. “It grew beyond my wildest dreams and is part of our culture.”
Come spring, the familiar smell of whole hog barbecue emanating from Wilber’s pits will be stronger than ever and a time-tested tradition ingrained in North Carolina’s history will carry on.
For updates on Wilber’s Barbecue’s spring 2020 opening follow @WilbersBBQ on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
