Where’s the Triangle’s best barbecue? Vote now for the ultimate spot
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Reader poll highlights 27 local barbecue restaurants across the Triangle area.
- Poll format features five voting rounds from August 11 through August 22, 2025.
- Restaurants range from historic establishments to newcomers with modern twists.
You know when you’ve found a special barbecue spot.
There’s the smell of smoke in the air, maybe a line out the door, or maybe you’ve found a best-kept secret. Barbecue is the signature food of North Carolina. And like North Carolina, it’s quickly changing.
Where there was once just Eastern and Western style barbecue, the difference of whole hog and smoked pork shoulders, there’s now an exciting smoky scene. Like the rest of the country, the Triangle is in the midst of a barbecue moment.
We’ve seen a revival of North Carolina’s proudest culinary tradition in the last few years, with new restaurants showcasing old techniques and new flavors. But that doesn’t mean the old school joints have been left behind. Classics are classics for a reason.
But who serves the best barbecue in the Triangle?
For our August food and dining poll, we’ll looking to find the Triangle’s favorite barbecue joint. Readers shared some of their favorites, we added a few can’t-miss spots of our own.
In all we have a collection of 27 barbecue restaurants. We excluded large national chains, and we didn’t quibble over cooking methods. If you’re calling it barbecue, that’s good enough for us.
Now, let’s dig in. Here are the details:
- The first round will determine the Top 12. It will be live from 2 p.m. Monday, August 11 until 2 p.m. Wednesday, August 13.
- The second round will determine the Top 8. It will live from about 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13 until 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15.
- The third round will determine the Top 4. It will live from about 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15 until 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18.
- The fourth round will determine the Top 2. It will be live from about 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18 until 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20.
- The fifth and final round will determine the winner. It will be live from about 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20 until 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22.
Top 2
- 1. Picnic
- 2. Lechon Latin BBQ & bar
Top 4
- 1. Picnic
- 2. Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue
- 3. The Original Q Shack BBQ
- 4. Lechon Latin BBQ & Bar
Top 8
- 1. Picnic
- 2. Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue
- 3. The Original Q Shack BBQ
- 4. Dampf Good BBQ
- 5. Lechon Latin BBQ & Bar
- 6. And Also With ‘Cue
- 7. Sam Jones BBQ Restaurant
- 8. Stephenson’s Bar-B-Q
Top 12
- 1. Picnic
- 2. The Original Q Shack BBQ
- 3. Dampf Good BBQ
- 4. Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue
- 5. Lechon Latin BBQ & Bar
- 6. And Also With ‘Cue
- 7. Sam Jones BBQ Restaurant
- 8. Hillsborough BBQ Company
- 9. Byrd’s BBQ Restaurant & Catering
- 10. Lawrence Barbecue
- 11. Prime Barbecue
- 12. Stephenson’s Bar-B-Q
Top 27
Location: 5650 US-15, Pittsboro, NC 27312
Location: 99 N Salisbury St, Raleigh, NC 27603
Location: 5122 NC-55, Durham, NC 27713
Location: 4120-135 Main at North Hills St, Raleigh, NC 27609
Big Mikes BBQ Restaurant & Craft Beer Shop
Location: 1222 NW Maynard Rd, Cary, NC 27513
Location: 709 Washington St, Durham, NC 27701
Location: 3330 Quebec Dr, Durham, NC 27705
Byrd’s BBQ Restaurant & Catering
Location: 2816 Cheek Rd, Durham, NC 27704
Location: 210 E. Six Forks Rd, Raleigh, NC 27609
Location: 327 S Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
Location: 6800 Good Hope Church Rd, Cary, NC 27519
Location: 236 S Nash St, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Location: 2419 Guess Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Location: Moving to new restaurant in Cary, NC
Location: 5959 Triangle Town Blvd Ste. 2121, Raleigh, NC 27616
Location: 300 E Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Location: 900 W. Main St., Durham, NC 27701
Location: 409 W. Johnson St, Raleigh, NC 27603
Location: 6309 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27606
Location: 2510 University Dr, Durham, NC 27707
Location: 1647 Cole Mill Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Location: 630 Weaver Dairy Rd #101, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Location: 328 W Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Location: 403 Knightdale Station Run, Knightdale, NC 27545
Location: 12101-B NC-210, Benson, NC 27504
Location: 502 W Lenoir St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Location: 11964 NC-50, Willow Spring, NC 27592
This story was originally published August 11, 2025 at 2:45 PM with the headline "Where’s the Triangle’s best barbecue? Vote now for the ultimate spot."
