Slow-cooked pulled pork, ribs and more is calling. But when that craving hits, where do you go for the best barbecue in the Charlotte area?
Our CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice: Best Barbecue poll has answered the question. We asked you for your favorite places to get barbecue , then compiled your favorites — and you voted for the best of the best .
The finalists have each been cooking up North Carolina-style barbecue for years, packing restaurants with hungry customers who keep coming back for more — and bringing their friends.
Here’s the restaurant with the best barbecue in the Charlotte area, according to you:
The best barbecue in the Charlotte area: The Smoke Pit
Location: 796 Concord Pkwy N, Concord NC 28027
Location: 421 Cox Rd, Gastonia, NC 28054
Location: 1507 W Roosevelt Blvd., Monroe NC 28110
Location: 509 Faith Rd, Salisbury NC 28146
The Smoke Pit got its start with co-owner Joey Graham, who wanted to take the leap from backyard barbecue to open a restaurant that he thought would sell out by 2 p.m. every day.
Nearly 10 years later, The Smoke Pit has grown to four locations that are open six days a week into the evenings.
At the restaurant, North Carolina-style pulled pork, Texas-style chopped brisket, chicken and other proteins are cooked in five smokers that can collectively handle 5,000 pounds of meat per day. Kitchen staff pile the plates high with big portions, often ensuring there will be leftovers to take home.
“A lot of new people that come in were brought by friends who have come in before,” general manager Daniel Tucker told CharlotteFive.
“The line might be long at the door, but tables move fast, so don’t be intimidated,” Tucker said. “Come give us a try.”
Finalist for best barbecue in the Charlotte area: Red Bridges BBQ Lodge
Location: 2000 E Dixon Blvd, Shelby, NC 28150
Back in 1946, Red and Lyttle Bridges opened what would eventually become Red Bridges BBQ Lodge on North Carolina Highway 18, slow cooking pork over hickory wood all night long.
After a couple of location changes and more than a couple of decades in business, grandchildren Natalie Ramsey and Chase Webb are keeping the tradition alive 78 years later, packing the Shelby restaurant with regulars.
“My grandfather was a cook in the war, and when he came back, he told my grandmother, ‘Common, we’re opening a barbecue restaurant,’” Ramsey told CharlotteFive.
The original recipes for chopped barbecue, slaw, baked beans and hush puppies are still hitting the tables, served by staff members who have been around for years, too.
“What holds us separate from everybody else is we still pit cook our meat. We have somebody come in and use wood, fire it all night long. And basically, that’s where you get your flavor,” Ramsey said.
Best barbecue in Charlotte
Don’t forget to read about all of the restaurants you nominated for the best barbecue in the area.
And here’s more of the best Charlotte has to offer:
Best of Charlotte: Coffee Shop | Chicken Wings | Doughnuts | Burgers | Ice Cream | Brewery | Pizza | Sushi | Tacos | Food truck | Bar | Ramen | Brunch | Patio
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