SPARTANBURG, SC – If you go on a road trip this summer, you know the good barbecue establishments to whet your appetite for pulled pork, ribs, stew and whatever comes out of a pork. Lucky for you, South Carolina has some unmissable specialties.
Along with ribs and pulled pork, the most well-known red tomato-based barbecue sauce can be found statewide. Corn, unique to Caroline is the barbecue sauce made from golden mustard, which can be found nearing the coast.
We’ve compiled the best South Carolina out there and put them in a list for you. The next time you’re on the road, dive into one of these joints and start your food.
The pride of the south of the belly
2508 Augusta Highway, Lexington
Directly across the Augusta Freeway from Lexington High School, belly has limited dining space and a growing business. Its traditional Midland barbecue, excellent sides and what an independent judge has called “South Carolina’s best ribs.”
Bobby’s barbecue
1301 N. Main St., Fountain Inn
Tay Nelson first formulated a seasoning blend, drawing inspiration from her father’s recipes. Then he fell in love with the Central Texas style barbecue. At Bobby’s, Nelson uses these spice blends to produce popular brisket, pork, ribs, sausage and turkey, and even offers barbecue jackfruit at this popular spot.
Henri’s smoking room
240 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville (multi-location lighthouse)
Henri has spread to Woodruff Road and Simpsonville, but the location of Wade Hampton Boulevard still draws crowds. Award-winning pork and ribs are the main features and are now available in Henry’s new food truck, dubbed the ‘Hog Hauler’.
Hite’s barbecue
240 Dreher Road, Western Colombia
In the South Carolina Midlands, David Hite once said he had never seen a high school football game. He’s too busy cooking whole pigs the old fashioned way this meat / barbecue market. You will need to call and reserve a cut of ribs, you can order skins “on the fly” and it is open from Friday morning “until it’s gone”. A holiday weekend is TT.
Halfway barbecue
811 Main Street, Buffalo
Half-way is legendary in Union County and beyond. A butcher / meat market / restaurant combination, Midway is renowned in the upstate for chicken stew and ground beef, and the restaurant’s pulled pork is fantastic, served with your choice of sauce.
Pig outside
[1945DraytonRoadSpartanburg(oneoftwolocations)[1945DraytonRoadSpartanburg(l’undesdeuxemplacements)
Tucked away next to the Drayton Post Office, the newer of the two Pig Out Locations has a larger menu and a more visible location. The original, at the intersection of New Cut and John Dodd roads in a former gas station, is as old-school as the barbecue is. Venture out for Friday lunch and you’ll often find workers on break and captains of industry sharing a table (and passing the sauce).
Rodney Scott’s barbecue
1011 King Street, Charleston
Nationwide fame and James Beard Award winning pitmaster drew a ton of attention to Scott’s restaurant, and for good reason. It’s really good and ultra traditional, with a barbecue of whole pork cooked over coals in cinder block pits.
Smoking pig
6630 Clemson Blvd., Pendleton (multi-location lighthouse)
Every ESPN Gameday trip to Clemson appears to include Smoking pig, and commentators marvel at the brisket, ribs, chicken and pork. There are places in Easley and Williamston, but it’s Pendleton where the magic begins. Pro tip: Get the banana pudding and say yes to pork skins before your meal.
“Throw the whole card away”: People are speaking out against the best and the worst ranking of barbecue towns
Barbecue road trip: The best regional barbecues in the country
Thin leader line
13241 Asheville Road, Inman
With a former detective from the sheriff’s office as the pit owner / master, Thin leader line has an intensely loyal audience. There’s also a menu that goes way beyond the basics, including smoked steak specials and barbecue lasagna.
Wise barbecue house
25548 US-76, Newberry, South Carolina
Absolutely no frills grill buffet. Turn around the low block building, cross the line and choose from pulled pork, hash and rice, ribs, pork skins, coleslaw, baked beans and gravy. hot mustard. That’s it, and that’s all you need.
The best of the rest
Game barbecue, Duncan
165 W. Main St., Duncan, South Carolina
Former Boiling Springs football coach Bruce Clark produces excellent pork, ribs, chicken and brisket. The sides alone are worth a look, as is the homemade banana pudding.
South Side Smokehouse, Landrum
726 S. Howard Ave, Landrum, South Carolina
A menu of Cajun and Creole specialties and local specialties, as well as a long list of bourbon, features fantastic barbecue. Served with a sauce similar to a Lexington dip, it is not to be missed.
Mike and Jeff’s barbecue
2401 Old Buncombe Road, Greenville, South Carolina
An open fire and a low, slow approach make this almost hidden destination in Greenville worth finding.
The pompous pig
3320 N Main St., Anderson, South Carolina
Slowly smoked dry-rubbed meats and a menu that extends beyond most traditional South Carolina barbecue destinations.
Brown’s Bar-B-Que
809 N., Williamsburg County Road, Kingstree, South Carolina
Local restaurant offering a vinegar based sauce and a popular buffet with traditional dishes apart from pulled pork, if anyone wishes.
Memorial Day BBQ Food Safety Tips: You may be grilling your burgers badly
the duke’s barbecue
1178 Main Hwy., Bamberg, South Carolina
A household name in South Carolina barbecue, Duke’s has spawned other places in the Lowcountry, and it is famous for its “Orangeburg sweet” mustard-based sauce.
Mauritius pig park
1141 Murray Lake Boulevard, Irmo, South Carolina
Wood-fired since 1939 ”, Maurice Bessinger’s namesake barbecue is an enduring tradition of pork and mustard-based sauce that has withstood the controversies generated by its founder’s out-of-pit activities.
Bar-BQ McCabe
480 N. Brooks St., Manning, South Carolina
The best of old school barbecue.
Rogers Bar-B-Que House
2004 2nd Loop Road, Florence, South Carolina
Traditional buffet of barbecues dressed in “secret sauces” and seafood selections, all faithful to Pee Dee.
Sweatman’s barbecue
1427 Eutaw Road, Holly Hill, South Carolina
Family owned and operated that has been serving excellent barbecue since the 1970s with selected wood for the smoke and its own version of the mustard-based sauce unique to South Carolina.
Ward’s Bar-B-Que
1087 Alice Dr, Sumter, South Carolina
It’s not as famous as other places that have received more publicity, but it can handle any barbecue, and the locals swear by it.
This article originally appeared on the Herald-Journal: SC BBQ: The 10 Best BBQ Restaurants To Try In The State
