East vs. West BBQ in North Carolina: Here’s the real difference between the two
In North Carolina, we have two different types of BBQ: Eastern-style and Western-style. Check out what each entails and where to get the best smoked bites.
Summer is prime BBQ time, though we’d argue that it’s perfect year-round (as any good North Carolinian would). Still, there’s something special about rolling up your sleeves and getting your fingers dirty with a good BBQ meal, the sauce sticky on your hands, and everyone laughing as you eat together.
Food is sacred in the South—just take Calabash-style seafood, which North Carolina has become known for. But we’d be remiss to talk about North Carolina’s food culture and not mention BBQ, which is as beloved as it is storied.
Barbecue sauces are typically characterized by their sweet-and-tangy flavor profiles that pair perfectly with smoked meat, but this style of sauce can vary widely based on the state it hails from (and sometimes even based on different regions within one state). The same goes for the types of wood used to smoke the meat, as well as the cuts of meat used. This creates a lot of possibilities—and leads to everyone having their own strong preference. Sauce on the side? No problem. More vinegar than brown sugar? Right on. Pork ribs over beef ones? You’ve got it.
With this established, it’s time to break down exactly what North Carolina BBQ constitutes, especially because it’s not a clear-cut definition. There are two dominant takes on this mouth-watering dish in the state, and we’re going to help you understand the key differences—plus the best places to try them—once and for all.
What is Eastern North Carolina BBQ?
In North Carolina, you’re more likely to find barbecue restaurants smoking entire hogs in the eastern half of the state. This is one of the differences that sets this style of barbecue apart from its sister style. By using the entire animal and not just specific parts, pitmasters hope to honor the animal, let its true flavors come through and enhance in the BBQ process, and reduce waste.
Eastern North Carolina-style barbecue sauce is also unique. Generally, there are dark-brown sauces, and there are really liquidy sauces—and this style falls into the latter camp. It contains more vinegar compared to other BBQ sauces, giving it an acidic taste and pucker that makes it addictive. You typically won’t find heavy, highly sweet sauces in Eastern North Carolina, and because you get to enjoy both light and dark meat thanks to the whole hog being used, there’s flavor and texture diversity.
Ultimately, this style is perfect for those who enjoy savory flavors more than sweet ones. If you like life on the sweeter side, you may want to check out Western North Carolina-style BBQ.
What is Western North Carolina BBQ?
Unlike Eastern North Carolina-style BBQ, the Western take—also known as Lexington-style barbecue because of the city where it became famous—typically only employs one specific part of the hog: the shoulder. When smoked and slow-cooked, it becomes incredibly tender, making a pretty cheap cut of pork unctuous, especially when coated in a luscious barbecue sauce that couldn’t be more different than its Eastern counterpart.
Where the Eastern-style sauce is looser and vinegar-heavy, the Western North Carolina-style sauce is thicker thanks to being tomato-based. Ketchup is often used as a base, and sugar is added to help bring out its natural sweetness and balance any extra acidity. This take on barbecue sauce gives the meat a perfect sweet-and-salty quality that makes you never want to put it down. We’re not talking overly sweet, though. In fact, many of the Western takes on North Carolina BBQ can lean into spicy territory, and vinegar is still used, just not as much as in the Eastern style of sauce.
Altogether, the Eastern style is more acidic, and the Western style is more perfectly balanced, incorporating sweetness, spiciness, and tartness. Both are finger-looking good, and your mood can really determine which one you want at any given moment. (Just remember that all BBQ recipes are unique and personal to the chef/restaurant, so there will be differences in flavor and viscosity depending on where you eat.)
The best Eastern North Carolina BBQ restaurants
Now that you understand what makes North Carolina’s two BBQ styles so special, it’s imperative that you know where to try them (because if you’re like us, your mouth is watering).
Wilber’s Barbecue
Address: 4172 US-70, Goldsboro, NC 27534
We couldn’t list any restaurants without starting with Wilber’s Barbecue, which earned a spot on Cardinal & Pine’s list of the top spots for Eastern North Carolina-style barbecue a few years ago. Located in Goldsboro—one of the state’s barbecue capitals, if you ask us—Wilber’s is widely beloved, perhaps thanks to its daily preparation that leaves the food freshly smoked, carved, seasoned, and served. Save us a plate!
BBQ King
Address: 2613 E Main St, Lincolnton, NC 28092
If you find yourself in Lincolnton, BBQ King should be one of your immediate stops. This Eastern North Carolina-style joint has been hollerin’ to announce fresh orders—literally—since 1971. You’ll find perfectly smoked pork, as well as a delightfully tangy vinegar sauce. The scenery is also fun because of the restaurant’s long history; photos from over the years adorn the walls, transporting you through local history as you eat.
Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge
Address: 2000 E Dixon Blvd, Shelby, NC 28152
Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge smokes its pork throughout the night to let the hickory flavor really penetrate its pork, but that’s just one reason why folks love this restaurant so much. Smoked hog not your thing? The fried chicken here is to die for, according to loyal fans online. This restaurant is another that makes homemade vinegar-based BBQ sauce so good that you’ll want to drink it. (But maybe don’t do that.)
The best Western North Carolina BBQ restaurants
Western North Carolina-style BBQ has some hallmark characteristics that everyone needs to experience at least once. To get your fill, check out these standout vendors.
Stamey’s Barbecue
Address: 2206 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27403
Western North Carolina-style barbecue is also called Lexington-style barbecue, and we largely have Stamey’s Barbecue to thank for that. According to the restaurant’s website, Warner Stamey popularized this type of BBQ in Shelby after learning how to make and sell it in Lexington. The name came with the trade, and this style of barbecue has been famous ever since. Stamey’s now has multiple locations, as well as a legacy that will shine for years to come.
Lexington Barbecue
Address: 100 Smokehouse Ln, Lexington, NC 27295
True to its name, Lexington Barbecue slices and dices hot, fresh BBQ six days a week (the crew takes Sundays off). This restaurant employs not only the common hickory but also oak, and it smokes everything in-house, never turning to gas. With these old-school secrets, Lexington Barbecue satisfies customers with ease.
Barbecue Center
Address: 900 N Main St, Lexington, NC 27292
Last up is Barbecue Center, another Lexington staple that’s been open for decades. You can go sauceless or extra saucy here, and we recommend the latter. From the juicy chicken to the shredded pork, every meat here is perfectly complemented by the Western North Carolina-style sauce that the restaurant prepares fresh daily. Plus, the prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you receive!
The best North Carolina-style BBQ sauces you can try anywhere
Getting out to a BBQ restaurant in North Carolina is always unforgettable, but sometimes you need to eat at home—or you might be reading this from out of the state. If so, fret not, as there are plenty of small businesses making North Carolina-style barbecue sauce that you can support online. This way, you can indulge in your favorite dish anytime.
One of our favorite options is the Original BBQ Sauce from George’s, a small business based out of Nashville, N.C. This Eastern-style sauce gives you the vinegar punch you’re looking for without being overwhelming, and with 50 years in the BBQ-sauce game, it’s safe to say that this brand has stood the test of time. Plus, there’s a spicy option for those who want a little heat with their tang.
Next, we have the Carolina BBQ sauce from the Pennsylvania-based small business Burning Hell Hot Sauce. Though “hot sauce” is in the name of the company, the Carolina BBQ sauce isn’t spicy; rather, the sauce embraces the classic tangy-sweet flavor profile of North Carolina-style BBQ, with the business noting that its product was “rigorously tested and approved by BBQ enthusiasts in the [South].” It has a 4.9-star rating on Etsy, so we’re inclined to believe that!
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