I have visited countless Q joints in the Carolinas and here’s my two-cents worth. The best in NC is Wilbers in Goldsboro. It’s an institution serving over twenty-five hogs daily and forty on the weekend days. I’ve never been impressed with so-called "Lexington" BBQ. In SC my favorite is Sweatman’s in Holly Hill. But, like others have mentioned, it’s only open on Friday and Saturday. The best BBQ sandwich I’ve ever eaten was just last month at Duke’s in Walterboro, SC. The meat was excellent and the mustard sauce indiscribable! We pulled in for a couple of sandwiches to go and can’t wait to sit down for the whole deal. Unless you’re a racist I’d implore you to avoid Piggy Park in Columbia, SC or any of their outlets. The Q is not that good and the politics are a hundred and fifty years passee.

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Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

Garner’s little book is a classic. The reviews are good, but the overall understanding of the whole spirit of BBQ is described so well that just picking it up trigger’s my hunger reflex!![:p]

Back to an old post–
I was living in Raleigh (or rather Cary, just outside of Raleigh) when Garner’s book came out and we went to his presentation/book signing at Ridgewood shopping center. Obviously, we bought the book.
BUT–he did a lot more than just introduce us to his book. He arranged for "Pete’s Skylight" from Ayden and "Allen & Sons" from Chapel Hill to set up cookers in the parking lot and gave all in attendance a chance to compare eastern NC and western NC Q on the spot. Quite an experience!

pa3ckb,
You’re to be commended for trying to stick with the real barbecue joints. Unfortunately, that takes a little work these days. Parker’s and Melton’s gave up wood cooking years ago. Mitchell’s in Wilson, NC was still at it the last time I was there about 20 months ago. Their soul/country food is not to be missed. A trip over to Wilber’s Barbecue in Goldsboro is well worth it. If you’ve got the time, a side trip to Ayden and a visit to The Skylight Inn is a real treat. They do barbecue the way its been done for over 300 years in this part of NC. Tiny bits of fat are chopped into the meat to add moisture and richness.(Hams are drier than shoulders and fat is needed.)Tiny pieces of skin are also added for an additional blast of porcine flavor. The accompanying cornbread consists of cornmeal, water and pork fat. You WILL need a nap after a meal at Skylight. D&H Barbecue in Manning, SC is quite good. If you’ll be through on a Friday or Saturday, Sweatman’s outside of Holly Hill, SC is a must. If you get to Skylight and Sweatman’s, you’ve hit two of the best 5 or 6 barbecue joints in the country.

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Originally posted by pa3ckb

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Originally posted by Michael Stern

For NC, Parker’s in Wilson is a classic. In SC, Sweatman’s in Holly Hill is the best (if you’re passing through on a Friday or Saturday, the only days it’s open). Then in Georgia, the GA Pig in Brunswick is just a bone’s throw from the highway.

I heard (read, actually) that Parker’s now uses gas (egad!) on their pit. Any truth to that rumor? My preference is to try wood- or charcoal-fired pit joints.

[V]Yes, Parker’s went to gas[V]. [:)][:D]BUT–Wilber’s in Goldsboro, NC still does it the old fashioned way-They burn the wood and then use the hot coals under the meat[:D][8D]. Lexington # 1 (in Lexington), Stamey’s (Greensboro) and Allen & Sons (Chapel Hill) are others that still use the coals unless thy have changed in the last year or so. Note that Wilber’s is "eastern" and the others are "western" NC joints.

For barbeque, Sgt. White’s in Beaufort, SC. is not to be missed. The restaurant offers barbeque, fried fish and pork chops, as well as Southern-style vegetables. Definitely worth a detour.

I love D&H in Manning, SC. It was one of the first places we tried out of Michael and Jane’s first ROADFOOD book. The place is a lot different than it was back then in the 70’s but the food is still as terrific as ever. Another place that I love is Moore’s at Exit 107 in Kenley, NC. It is an ez on and ez off and they have a really neat little drive thru where you can get one of the best pulled pork sandwiches ever for under $2.00. Also, do not order the large sweet tea or you will have to make a "neccessary stop" within a few miles………it is huge!

Garner’s little book is a classic. The reviews are good, but the overall understanding of the whole spirit of BBQ is described so well that just picking it up trigger’s my hunger reflex!![:p]

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Originally posted by pa3ckb

Thanks for all your replies. It seems from browsing the pages of Roadfood, a few names come out often; Parker’s, Sweatman’s, Duke’s, and Melton’s. I’ll try to visit each one before I head back home on the Jersey Shore, where a good q is as scarce as a hen’s tooth.

Hillbilly- I’ve read about (the legendary) Stamey’s and Lexington in Bob Gardner’s book, North Carolina Barbeque. Maybe on another chance, I’ll to swing by the piedmont area and find out for myself what the ‘war’ is all about. Thanks again.

You can get a pretty good taste of western NC style at home if you put some pork shoulder on the grill and use the sauce recipe (the one with brown sugar and ketchup added) from Garner’s book. You can even get a fair representation by slow cooking a pork tenderloin in a crockpot and topping off with Garner’s sauce. His western style sauce tastes mighty close to what Wayne Monk puts on the meat at old Lexington # 1.

Highly recommend Ralph’s in Rocky Mount, NC. for great "Q" and hush puppies.

There is a place in Georgia that we visit on every trip to Florida,called Don’s Famous BBQ in Pooler, Ga. He serves "Lexington Style" pulled pork BBQ and it is excellent (I think it’s more chopped than pulled) . It’s a little place in what looks like an old Dairy Queen , The service is fast and friendly and the locals who frequent the place are an outgoing lot. Also serve sweet ice tea in quart containers.
Pooler (pronounced PULL- er) is at the exit for the Savannah airport, 2 minutes off I-95, about 15 miles from the S. Carolina border.

I also recommend you get off 95 at Manning (get onto Hwy 261) and go to D&H B-B-Q. Excellent food !

Where are you leaving from? If going through Richmond, VA (and it’s not rush hour, you stay on 95, rather than the longer 295 bypass) get off at the Boulevard exit for Bill’s Barbeque. Pretty decent vinegar based slaw topped eastern NC Q. Very good chocolate cream pie and real limeade. It’s just across from the Richmond Braves Ballpark. Easy back on to highway too. You can’t miss it, right at the end of the exit ramp.

If it’s still open, Melton’s in Rocky Mount is not too far from 95.

Parker’s is good, but my personal preference for eastern NC Q is Wilber’s in Goldsboro. (20 miles east of I-95, on the US70 bypass around Goldsboro). Too bad you won’t be passing by the Lexington BBQ on old I-85 in Lexington or Stamey’s in Greensboro or Bridges in Shelby. I am a native western North Carolinian and am definitely parital to the way they prepare Q in Lexington, Salisbury, Greensboro, Shelby and Lenoir.