Perhaps you heard the news: Truth BBQ is expected to open a barbecue restaurant in downtown Charleston.
The Houston-area stalwart, known for richly barked brisket, smoked boudin, beef ribs and more, will be located just half a mile from Lewis Barbecue, the decade-old smoked meat emporium led by John Lewis. The two restaurants share a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand distinction and an affinity for Texas-inspired barbecue, which was once a foreign concept in a state filled with whole hog and mustard-style barbecue sauce.
There was no shortage of excitement when the news of Truth BBQ’s forthcoming debut dropped last week. Readers also reached out for suggestions on where to find classic Carolina-inspired barbecue amid this recent wave of Lone Star State influence. That’s where we’ll start today in Tip Jar.
Submit your restaurant, dining and food questions, along with your first name and the neighborhood where you live, to tipjar@postandcourier.com.
Another Texas barbecue restaurant coming to the peninsula. Is there any interest left in good old Eastern Carolina whole hog barbecue?
— Greg
The popularity of Lewis Barbecue, coupled with the buzz surrounding Truth BBQ, may make it seem like there is an outsized number of Texas-inspired joints in Charleston. But the majority of the barbecue establishments in the area — Bessinger’s BBQ, Melvin’s BBQ, Swig & Swine — still lean into Palmetto State traditions.
Others, though, are pairing the items South Carolinians know and love with flavors inspired by places far from home.
Palmira Barbecue, for instance, serves some of the best whole hog in the area. But owner Hector Garate infuses his South Carolina-raised pigs with a Puerto Rican touch, an aromatic sofrito mop, before letting them simmer 12 full hours on the pit. Once pulled and chopped, the long, tender strands get a little extra kiss from Pee Dee-style vinegar and red pepper sauce.
At King BBQ in North Charleston, meats are cooked low and slow in a set of Lang offset smokers. Using various proteins, from pork to duck, chef Shuai Wang and his team produce creations inspired by Chinatown and Southern smokehouses — and delicious ones at that.
However, as Greg mentioned, you may be looking for barbecue reminiscent of what you had growing up in South Carolina. For that, check out one of Swig & Swine’s locations in West Ashley, Mount Pleasant, Summerville or Moncks Corner, where whole hog is served as a special every Thursday. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint on James Island is also cooking whole hog that, while rooted in Tennessee, will feel familiar for fans of Carolina ‘que.
What’s the status of Rodney Scott’s barbecue restaurant?
— Kay
My colleague John McDermott laid out the current situation at Rodney Scott’s BBQ on Aug. 15. According to a note taped to a side window along Grove Street, Rodney Scott’s is “temporarily closed,” but a real estate sign recently posted along King Street is marketing the space as “available.”
After news dropped that the restaurant was caught up in a slew of lawsuits tied to restaurateur Nick Pihakis, Scott briefly began hosting pop-ups around Charleston at places like Munkle Brewing Co. As far as I know, he hasn’t cooked anywhere locally since June.
The only forthcoming event on Scott’s docket that I’m aware of will take place in Australia, where, in November, the James Beard Award-winning pitmaster will participate in Western Australia’s 2026 Pair’d Margaret River Region Festival.
When I traveled to Thailand last year, I fell in love with a Northern Thai dish called khao soi. I was so excited to continue ordering it when I returned home, but I don’t see it on many menus. Are there any Thai restaurants here that serve it?
— Taylor, Park Circle
For those who haven’t tried it, khao soi is a rich, creamy, slightly spicy curry dish originating in Northern Thailand. It’s also prevalent in the northern Laos city of Luang Prabang, where noodles are paired with an herby broth infused with tomato and fermented bean pastes.
With so many noteworthy Thai restaurants in Charleston, I’m surprised that it’s not more widely available. I see it on the menu at Thai Palm Restaurant in North Charleston and Thailicious Thai Cuisine and Hotpot, which has locations in West Ashley and North Charleston, though I have yet to try either of their renditions.
I wonder what might happen if you inquired about the dish at your favorite Thai restaurant. Given the friendly service at places like Sirinna’s Thai Kitchen in Summerville, Pho & Pad Thai Vietnamese-Thai Cuisine in West Ashley and Jasmine Thai Kitchen in Mount Pleasant, I have a feeling they may be able to whip up something similar that helps take you back to Thailand.
Dining and Cooking