About NC ’Cue

NC ’Cue is an independent field guide to North Carolina barbecue. It helps people discover smoke stops, understand what makes the state’s traditions different, and plan trips worth the drive.

The guide is independently run by Bryan. It is not affiliated with the restaurants listed, and restaurants cannot pay for placement, ranking, or map order.

Why this exists

Barbecue in North Carolina is a place, not just a plate. Family pits and independent rooms keep wood, time, and local taste alive. This site exists to connect hungry people with those places—and to keep local fires burning by showing up with accurate information.

We offer this guide with gratitude, hoping to steward attention toward the independent pits that keep the tradition alive—and to do the work in a spirit of thanksgiving.

What you will find

• A curated map of smoke stops across the state
• Plain-language notes on Eastern and Lexington traditions
• Regional field guides for planning a barbecue run

Contact

For general questions, privacy requests, or corrections, email [email protected]. To tip a restaurant we missed, use the suggest a spot form on the homepage.