13 North Carolina BBQ Joints So Legendary Lines Start Early

Barbecue in North Carolina hit me first through the smoke, sharp, sweet, impossible to ignore, and then through the arguments that seem to follow it everywhere. On the coast I found vinegar cutting clean through chopped pork, while farther west I tasted shoulders glossed in sauce that clung to the bun.

Each stop felt like stepping into someone’s family history, with recipes guarded as tightly as stories. I stood in lines beside farmers, students, travelers, all waiting with the same hungry patience, and realized the wait itself was part of the ritual.

Trays arrived piled with slaw and hushpuppies, meat steaming through paper, and every bite carried both place and pride. These thirteen stops are the ones that stayed with me.

1. Skylight Inn BBQ (Ayden)

The cleaver hits the chopping block in a steady rhythm, filling the room with the sound of tradition. The scent of hickory smoke curls through the air before you see the tray.

Here, whole hog gets chopped fine and tossed with shards of crackling skin, kissed with vinegar sauce. It’s Eastern style in its purest form, unchanged since 1947.

People call it the “Capitol of BBQ,” and standing in line under the white dome, it feels less like hype and more like heritage.

2. B’s Barbecue (Greenville)

Woodsmoke drifts over the parking lot before sunrise, announcing that the pits are already alive. By midmorning, cars snake around the block.

Since the early 1970s, B’s has run on a first-come-first-served system, selling out nearly every day. Once the trays are empty, the doors close.

The tip is simple: go early. Locals treat it like a morning ritual, and if you arrive past lunch, you’ll likely leave empty-handed.

3. Jon G’s Barbecue (Peachland)

The first thing that hits is the peppery bark, blackened but fragrant, clinging to thick slices of brisket. The second is the hum of families unpacking trays in the open-air space.

Adam and Jocelyn Hughes turned a food truck into this Peachland destination, and the craft shows in every detail, from the ribs to the house-made sides.

I drove an hour out of my way once, and the brisket justified every mile. Jon G’s doesn’t feel like a detour; it feels like a pilgrimage.

4. Southern Smoke BBQ (Garland)

Smoke rolls across the gravel lot, mingling with laughter and the shuffle of boots. The setup is simple, screen door, woodpile, and a line that curves early.

Matthew Register’s pit cooks pork shoulders low and slow, blending tradition with a few flourishes, like inventive sides that change with the season.

The food feels both rooted and playful, carrying a small-town ease that makes Garland a destination. Eating here feels like joining a family picnic where the grill never stops.

5. Wilber’s Barbecue (Goldsboro)

The taste of tangy vinegar sauce meets soft shreds of whole hog, balanced by a crunch of slaw. Plates land heavy with hushpuppies and tea.

Since 1962, Wilber’s has been a Goldsboro landmark. Even after closing briefly in 2019, the community rallied to bring it back, and the pits relit in 2020.

Locals suggest pairing pork with the Brunswick stew. It’s a match that shows why Wilber’s stayed irreplaceable for decades.

6. Lexington Barbecue (Lexington)

Woodsmoke greets you before the sign does, drifting down the hill into the parking lot. Inside, tables hum with chatter and Styrofoam cups clink full of sweet tea.

Pit-cooked shoulders with tomato-based dip define the “Lexington style,” and the red slaw alongside makes the flavor unmistakable.

I ate here on a chilly afternoon, and the tangy sauce cut right through the cold. It felt like eating warmth, the kind that sticks long after you leave town.

7. Stamey’s Barbecue (Greensboro)

Rows of hickory wood line the yard, feeding pits that have smoked since 1930. The building smells of history before you step inside.

Known for spreading the “Lexington style,” Stamey’s keeps shoulders over live coals, chopped fine and topped with a tangy red dip.

Visitors often talk about the hushpuppies, crisp outside and fluffy within, as much a draw as the barbecue itself. The plate here defines what Greensboro calls comfort.

8. Grady’s Barbecue (Dudley)

The chopped pork carries a spark of vinegar heat, softened by slaw and flanked by fried chicken if you ask for both. It’s a menu that respects balance.

Founded in 1986 by Stephen and Gerri Grady, the family-run spot has stayed small and steady, unbothered by trends.

The advice is clear: bring cash and an appetite. Grady’s doesn’t need extras, their whole-hog barbecue and fried chicken speak plenty loud on their own.

9. Sam Jones BBQ (Winterville)

The shine of new wood and steel contrasts with the deep heritage of Eastern North Carolina barbecue inside. Whole hog is still the heart here, chopped with skill.

Sam Jones, grandson of Skylight Inn’s Pete Jones, opened this spot in 2015, carrying a family tradition into a modern space.

I tried the turkey as a curveball, but the pork still stole the show. The crisp bits of skin mixed in made it impossible not to finish every bite.

10. Parker’s Barbecue (Wilson)

The dining room hums with fast-moving trays and waitresses balancing more plates than seems possible. The clatter is part of the Parker’s rhythm.

Open since 1946, Parker’s built its fame on whole-hog barbecue paired with fried chicken, hushpuppies, and a spread of sides. Families and busloads still come.

The volume is astonishing, over a ton of pork cooked daily. Parker’s feels less like a single restaurant and more like an institution that feeds half of Wilson.

11. Prime Barbecue (Knightdale)

The brisket bark glistens, almost black, its spice mix locking in smoke. Ribs and turkey join the line, each slice careful and deliberate.

Christopher Prieto, pitmaster and barbecue champion, opened Prime in 2020, merging Texas technique with Carolina sensibilities. The result is demand that hasn’t slowed.

The advice from locals is simple: preorder when possible. By midafternoon, the brisket often runs out, and no one leaves happy when it’s gone.

12. Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge (Shelby)

Woodsmoke drifts from the blockhouse, settling over picnic tables and cars parked along the highway. The smell alone explains the line.

Opened in 1946 by Red and Lyttle Bridges, this Shelby landmark still runs pits with oak and hickory, chopping pork the old way.

I stopped here once on a road trip, and the tray of chopped barbecue with red slaw felt like a welcome. It was simple, smoky, and every bit worth the pause.

13. 12 Bones Smokehouse (Arden)

The line forms early, winding past murals and the smell of fruitwood smoke. This isn’t quiet barbecue, it’s bold, layered, and often unexpected.

12 Bones became famous in Asheville for ribs glazed with blueberry-chipotle and brown-sugar rubs, while still holding firm to slow-smoked tradition. Even presidents have stood in that line.

I tried the ribs on a weekday afternoon, and the sweet heat surprised me. It felt like barbecue that understood history but refused to stop playing.