10 Hidden North Carolina BBQ Joints Serving Some Of The State’s Best
North Carolina is packed with BBQ treasures that only locals seem to know.
Tucked away behind unassuming storefronts or down quiet country roads, these hidden joints serve smoky, tender, and perfectly seasoned barbecue that keeps people coming back for more.
From tangy sauces to slow-cooked meats that melt in your mouth, each stop feels like discovering a secret worth sharing. These spots prove that the best BBQ often isn’t in plain sight.
1. Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge — Shelby, NC
Family recipes dating back to 1946 make this Shelby institution worth the drive. The Warner family still slow-cooks pork shoulders over hickory wood for 10 hours, creating that perfect smoke ring barbecue aficionados dream about.
Their red slaw (made with ketchup instead of mayo) provides the perfect tangy complement to the tender, chopped pork.
Housed in a charming red building with wood-paneled walls covered in local memorabilia, eating here feels like stepping into a delicious time capsule.
2. Stamey’s Barbecue — Greensboro, NC
Since 1930, Stamey’s has perfected the art of Lexington-style barbecue in Greensboro.
Founder Warner Stamey learned from barbecue legends Jess Swicegood and Sid Weaver before establishing this Piedmont classic that still uses brick pits.
The chopped pork sandwich comes with their signature vinegar-pepper sauce that strikes the perfect balance between tang and heat.
Don’t skip the hush puppies, golden-brown, slightly sweet cornmeal delights that locals consider mandatory with any barbecue order here.
3. Wilber’s Barbecue — Goldsboro, NC
Rising from the ashes after temporarily closing in 2019, Wilber’s triumphant comeback story is as satisfying as their whole-hog Eastern-style barbecue.
Local investors rescued this 1962 landmark when they couldn’t bear losing such an important piece of North Carolina culinary heritage.
The meat here is chopped fine and dressed with a peppery vinegar sauce that’s simple yet profound.
Sides of Brunswick stew and collard greens round out a meal that’s worth traveling across state lines to experience.
4. Parker’s Barbecue — Wilson, NC
Walking into Parker’s feels like stepping back to 1946 when it first opened. White-uniformed servers still hustle between tables in the sprawling dining room that seats over 300 people but somehow always seems busy.
Their Eastern-style whole hog barbecue comes finely chopped with that signature vinegar-pepper kick.
The fried chicken rivals the pork for menu supremacy. Many locals order the combination plate. Save room for their legendary corn sticks, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside.
5. Little Richard’s Bar-N-Que — Winston-Salem, NC
Tucked away in Winston-Salem, Little Richard’s (no relation to the rock star) has been perfecting Lexington-style barbecue since 1991.
Pork shoulders smoke over hickory coals for 12 hours in their traditional pits, developing a flavor that keeps locals coming back. The slightly sweet red slaw cuts through the rich meat perfectly.
Their banana pudding might be the best dessert in Winston-Salem, creamy, with just the right amount of vanilla wafers that maintain their texture without getting soggy.
6. Keaton’s Barbecue — Cleveland, NC
Prepare for a barbecue curveball at this 1953 roadside spot. Keaton’s serves barbecue chicken unlike anywhere else in North Carolina.
First fried, then dipped in a secret spicy barbecue sauce, this unique approach creates a crispy-yet-saucy texture that defies categorization.
Located in a former gas station in tiny Cleveland, the unassuming building hides culinary magic.
The sauce recipe remains a closely guarded secret, though rumors suggest a vinegar base with mustard and red pepper. Cash only, limited hours, and absolutely worth planning your schedule around.
7. Bum’s Restaurant — Ayden, NC
Third-generation pitmaster Larry Dennis carries on family traditions at this Eastern North Carolina institution.
The whole-hog barbecue gets chopped to include the prized crispy bits from the skin (what locals call “outside brown”) mixed with tender interior meat.
Unlike many competitors, Bum’s grows their own vegetables for sides on a nearby family farm.
The collard greens and corn sticks have a homegrown quality you can taste. Their hand-chopped coleslaw offers the perfect cooling counterpoint to the vinegar-spiked pork.
8. Lexington Barbecue — Lexington, NC
Locals call it “The Honeymonk” (a nickname derived from its original name, Honey Monk’s Barbecue), but whatever you call it, this 1962 institution defines Lexington-style barbecue. Pork shoulders, never whole hog, smoke over hickory coals until meltingly tender.
The slightly sweet red slaw and vinegar-tomato dip sauce create perfect harmony with the smoky meat.
Their building sits on a hill overlooking Lexington, a fitting position for a restaurant that many consider the gold standard. Go early on Saturdays or prepare for a line out the door.
9. The Pik-N-Pig — Carthage, NC
Barbecue with a runway view? Only at The Pik-N-Pig, where your meal comes with the entertainment of small planes landing and taking off at Gilliam-McConnell Airfield. Pilots regularly fly in just to grab lunch at this rustic spot that opened in 2007.
Their St. Louis-style ribs break the Carolina chopped pork tradition but remain faithful to low-and-slow smoking principles.
The twice-baked potato salad has achieved cult status among regulars. Outdoor picnic tables provide the perfect spot to enjoy your meal while watching aviation enthusiasts come and go.
10. Bar-B-Q Center — Lexington, NC
Originally an ice cream stand in 1955, the Bar-B-Q Center evolved into one of Lexington’s most beloved smoke joints. Their chopped barbecue sandwich topped with red slaw exemplifies Lexington-style simplicity and perfection.
The banana split that nods to their ice cream stand origins is legendarily enormous, a full pound of ice cream plus toppings that can easily feed a family.
The hand-cut fries, cooked to golden perfection, might be the best barbecue accompaniment in the Piedmont. Family-owned for three generations, the warmth here extends beyond the pits.