During my 12 years working as a photojournalist at The News & Observer, I made a concerted effort during my travels across the state to eat local barbecue (ie sandwiches) as much as I could in lieu of fast food. Some sandwiches I sampled during that time are not even worth mentioning, so they do not appear here because the joint ceased to exist or it was so bad I forced their existence from my memory. I included a couple of all-time faves that closed up years ago, just because I miss them so much. And just because you may not see your favorite listed does not mean I am dissing it - I just have not been to all of them (yet). I will have my "Q To-Do List" post in the near future.
That said, here's my official BBQ sandwich* list of all the North Carolina Q joints I have sampled over the years of traveling the roads of my home state:
THE BEST:
Wilber's - Goldsboro
THE BETTER:
Allen & Sons - Chapel Hill
B's Barbecue - Greenville
Parker's - Wilson
Skylight Inn - Ayden
Smithfield's - Various
Bill's Barbecue & Chicken - Wilson
Lexington Barbecue - Lexington
Bunn's Barbecue - Windsor
The Pit - Raleigh
THE GOOD:
Hursey's - Burlington
Danny's - Cary
Stamey's - Greensboro
Clyde Cooper's - Raleigh
Stephenson's Bar-B-Q - Willow Springs
Ole Time Barbecue - Raleigh
Woodlands Barbecue - Blowing Rock
Phil's BBQ Pit - Black Mountain
Red, Hot & Blue - Raleigh
Knightdale Seafood & BBQ - Knightdale
Doug Saul's BBQ & Seafood - Nashville
THE REST:
Ole NC Barbecue - Durham
King's - Kinston
White Swan - Smithfield
Blue Mist - Asheboro
Log Cabin Barbecue - Albemarle
McCall's - Goldsboro
Barbecue Lodge - Raleigh
Bulluck's Bar-B-Cue - Durham
Deano's Barbecue - Mocksville
Whispering Pines Barbecue - Albemarle
Gardner's - Rocky Mount
Evans Famous Bar-B-Cue - Henderson
Abrams Bar-B-Q & Seafood - Tarboro
Wink's - Salisbury
Jackson Brother's - Sanford
The Q-Shack - Raleigh
THE DEARLY DEPARTED & VERY MUCH MISSED:
Buck Overton's - Rocky Mount
Mitchell's - Wilson
A&M - Mebane
Bob Melton's - Rocky Mount
Dillard's - Durham
*And by sandwich, I mean just that - a sandwich. Barbecue on a hamburger bun with slaw, as God intended. Judging based on overall experience: aroma, chop/cut, heat and flavor of the barbecue right off the block (with no sauce added by me), amount of meat served and taste of the slaw (crisp and sweet - oh, and green in color, not red or yellow).
Roger, I'm with you on that 'cue tour of the state while traveling from assignment to assignment.
ReplyDeleteA reporter (don't remember who) once took me to a little place back in the woods, down a dirt road, where I had the best chopped plate ever.
I never have been able to find it again.