In a new ranking of the best Carolina-style barbecue restaurants, Raleigh’s The Pit came out on top.
2014 News & Observer File Photo
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In barbecue, Carolina-style usually means one of two things: vinegar or tomato.
In bridging the barbecue divide, there’s a new ranking of Carolina-style joints that puts a Raleigh icon in the top spot.
Raleigh’s influential smokehouse The Pit Authentic Barbecue was named the country’s best Carolina-style barbecue, according to USA Today’s 10Best. In compiling its rankings 10Best barbecue experts nominated top spots and readers voted for their favorites.
The Pit helped brighten the spotlight on North Carolina’s most famous culinary tradition when it opened in downtown Raleigh. Co-founded by legendary pitmaster Ed Mitchell and now solely owned by Greg Hatem, The Pit serves up whole hog and Lexington-style barbecue, covering all the Carolina-style bases. The 10Best writers praised The Pit’s ability to cater to all tastes.
“Whole-hog barbecue is the main event at The Pit, a Raleigh favorite housed inside a restored 1930s-era warehouse,” the story said. “In addition to pork, the venue offers a diverse range of other proteins including beef brisket, chopped barbecue turkey, and Southern fried chicken — and there are even barbecue soy nuggets for the meat-averse.”
Though Carolina-style could mean either state, the rankings show a clear superiority. Of the top 10 Carolina-style spots, seven are in North Carolina, two in South Carolina plus one in Virginia.
Packing the top 10 are many of North Carolina’s most historic and legendary barbecue spots. Red Bridges BBQ Lodge in Shelby is number 2, Sam Jones BBQ in Winterville and Raleigh is number 4, B’s Barbecue in Greenville is number 5, Skylight Inn in Ayden is number 6, Camel City BBQ Factory is number 7 and Lexington BBQ is number 9.
Smoke billows from a pit room chimney over Lexington Barbecue on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 in Lexington, N.C. The popular barbecue restaurant prepares their pork shoulders over wood coals. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Most of the North Carolina picks serve Eastern-style whole hog, known for the puckery blend of vinegar sauce with the chopped pork. Lexington and Red Bridges carry the flame for Western-style barbecue and its signature tangy tomato-based sauce, tinged with red.
In taking the Carolina-style crown, The Pit’s lore continues to grow. The downtown Raleigh smokehouse was included for a second year in the Michelin Guide for the American South region, including it among the South’s top restaurants.
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Drew Jackson
The News & Observer
Drew Jackson writes about restaurants and dining for The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun, covering the food scene in the Triangle and North Carolina.
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