{"id":2047,"date":"2026-06-23T19:33:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T19:33:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=2047"},"modified":"2026-06-23T19:33:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T19:33:54","slug":"these-4-barbecue-joints-across-nc-rank-among-the-nations-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=2047","title":{"rendered":"These 4 barbecue joints across NC rank among the nation\u2019s best"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

North Carolina takes its barbecue seriously, and our taste buds are forever grateful.<\/p>\n

Read more Sergeant\u2019s hunch about BMW leads to duo suspected in 100 burglaries, NC police say<\/a><\/p>\n

Now, four barbecue joints<\/a> in the state rank among the nation\u2019s best places to savor smoked meats. Here\u2019s where the restaurants landed on the top 100 list from the review website Yelp:<\/p>\n

A post shared by Jon G’s Barbecue (@jongsbbq)<\/a><\/p>\n

Yelp published the list in mid-May after it studied barbecue joints across the country. It then \u201cranked those spots based on the volume and ratings of reviews\u201d left over time<\/a> from Elite users, those who are active on the platform.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what we know about the most-loved barbecue joints in North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Though our state has longstanding barbecue traditions, all of its top-ranked restaurants have ties to Texas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of the North Carolina barbecue joints<\/a> that earned spots on the list, The Smoke Pit<\/b> ranked the highest at No. 16. The restaurant has six Charlotte-area locations<\/a>, but the one in Concord received the honor as several Yelp users said it was worth the visit.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuests pile their plates high with tender brisket, pulled pork, and fall-off-the-bone ribs, each smoked low and slow for that signature flavor,\u201d the review website wrote in its report, which also praised the restaurant\u2019s \u201clively, casual\u201d atmosphere.<\/p>\n

A post shared by The Smoke Pit (@thesmokepit)<\/a><\/p>\n

Landing at No. 50 on the list was Jon G\u2019s Barbecue<\/b> in Peachland, a roughly 40-mile drive southeast from uptown Charlotte. The restaurant, which also serves Texas-style favorites<\/a> such as sausages and beef ribs, received nods from Yelp for its \u201ccreative sides like jalape\u00f1o cheese grits, street corn salad, and brisket fried rice, making every plate a nod to tradition with a playful twist.\u201d<\/p>\n

But plan ahead if you want to visit. Jon G\u2019s Barbecue is only open on Saturdays and always sells out, its website says.<\/p>\n

Rounding out the list of North Carolina fan favorites were Prime Barbecue in the Raleigh suburb of Knightdale<\/a> and Haywood Smokehouse in the Western North Carolina town of Dillsboro. Pulled pork and burnt ends were listed among the most popular dishes<\/a> on both of the restaurants\u2019 Yelp pages.<\/p>\n

Read more Charlotte father of quadruplets, who also owned Jamaican restaurant, dies at 35<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Haywood Smokehouse (@haywoodsmokehouse)<\/a><\/p>\n

The results are sure to re-stoke the longstanding barbecue debate in North Carolina, where pit masters are known for making two different styles<\/a> of smoked meat.<\/p>\n

For years, Southern Living magazine<\/a> readers have voted Lexington Barbecue No. 1 in North Carolina<\/a>. The restaurant is in Lexington, a city known for the \u201cPiedmont\u201d or \u201cWestern\u201d style of barbecue, which uses meat from the pork shoulder and sauce with ketchup.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Eastern-style barbecue uses the \u201cwhole hog\u201d and skips tomatoes in its sauce, The News & Observer previously reported.<\/p>\n

On the latest Yelp list, it might not come as a surprise that some of the other top-ranked restaurants are in the U.S. barbecue hubs of Kansas City and Texas.<\/p>\n

But the nation\u2019s No. 1 barbecue joint is in a more unexpected location. Little Miss BBQ-University in Phoenix was crowned the winner, results show.<\/p>\n

Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea you\u2019d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.<\/p>\n

You can submit your question by filling out this form<\/a><\/b>. <\/p>\n

This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 3:12 PM<\/span> with the headline “These 4 barbecue joints across NC rank among the nation\u2019s best.” <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Read more New NC poll shows Roy Cooper and other Democrats gaining big ground in midterms | Opinion<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Where\u2019s the best barbecue? Texas-style restaurants in Concord, Peachland, Knightdale, Dillsboro NC make Yelp list of most-loved, fan-favorite places to eat BBQ.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nThese 4 barbecue joints across NC rank among the nation\u2019s best - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=2047\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"These 4 barbecue joints across NC rank among the nation\u2019s best - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Where\u2019s the best barbecue? 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