Shelby, NC · Foothills

Pork shoulder · hickory smoked

Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge

A western NC institution serving hickory-smoked pork with red slaw and house sauce.

Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge in Shelby has slow-cooked pork over hickory since 1946, carrying shoulder-and-red-slaw tradition into the foothills.

More about this stop

Make Shelby its own day unless you truly want a long western drive after Lexington.

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Before you go

  • Closed Monday and Tuesday. Sunday closes mid-afternoon.
  • Pit-cooked fresh daily; occasional early sellouts happen.
  • Treat this as a separate trip from a Lexington lunch.

On the routeRed Slaw Country

From the trail

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From the guides

Farther west, this long-running lodge carries the shoulder-and-red-slaw tradition toward the foothills.

Tip. Make Shelby a separate day trip unless you genuinely want a long barbecue drive.

Read Red Slaw Country

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Plan the stop

Confirm hours, then hit the road.