Barbecue in South Carolina is a cherished culinary tradition that showcases a distinctive style and rich historical roots. The state is renowned for its unique approach to barbecue, with a focus on pork and a diversity of flavorful sauces that distinguish it from barbecue towns in other regions. It's right up there with some of the best in Texas such as Austin and Houston BBQ. But what is the best BBQ in South Carolina?
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South Carolina boasts four primary styles of barbecue, each associated with different regions within the state. In the western part, you'll find a preference for smoky, slow-cooked pulled pork, often served with a tomato-based sauce. In the Midlands, the barbecue is characterized by a mustard-based sauce, providing a tangy and slightly sweet flavor to the tender pork. On the coast, particularly in the Lowcountry, a vinegar and pepper-based sauce takes center stage, adding a zesty kick to the barbecue. Finally, the northeastern Pee Dee region often combines all these styles, creating a harmonious blend of flavors.
The history of barbecue restaurants in South Carolina can be traced back to Colonial times when European settlers and enslaved African people brought their own cooking techniques and flavors to the region. Over time, these diverse culinary traditions fused to create the distinct South Carolina barbecue styles we know today.
What makes South Carolina barbecue unique is the variety of sauces and the emphasis on whole-hog cooking. While pork is a staple, the sauces — from mustard to vinegar-based — offer a wide range of taste experiences for barbecue enthusiasts. Whole-hog cooking, especially in the eastern part of the state, is a labor-intensive process that involves roasting an entire pig over an open pit, yielding a tender and smoky meat that's often mixed with different parts for a uniquely rich flavor.
South Carolina barbecue is not just a meal; it's a reflection of the state's history, cultural diversity and culinary ingenuity — making it a culinary treasure and a must-try for anyone exploring the world of barbecue.
Here are 15 essential barbecue joints in South Carolina.
Lewis Barbecue - Charleston
Instagram/lewisbarbecue
Lewis Barbecue in Charleston is a Texas-inspired haven, famous for its melt-in-your-mouth beef brisket. A visit here is more than just a meal; it's a journey into Texas culture. The open breezeway design and custom-built smokers set the stage. You'll enjoy your feast in a light and airy atmosphere, quite the contrast to the heaping trays of mouthwatering food. The diverse tray offerings are abundant, featuring brisket, hot guts sausage, pulled pork and smoked turkey. Don't miss the green chiles corn pudding; it's an essential side that perfectly complements the beef brisket.
City Limits Barbeque - Columbia
City Limits Barbeque/Instagram
City Limits Barbeque, led by pitmaster Robbie Robinson, is a beloved food truck known for its Texas and Carolina-style barbecue. The wood-smoked meats are accompanied by ever-changing scratch-made sides, making it a must-visit for barbecue enthusiasts. Be prepared to arrive early or risk missing out; they sell out quickly. Robinson's beef brisket is a strong contender for the best in South Carolina, so keep an eye on their Instagram or email list to catch the schedule and grab a delicious beef rib when available.
Shealy's BBQ - Batesburg-Leesville
Facebook/Shealy's BBQ
Shealy's Bar-B-Que in Batesburg-Leesville is a legendary landmark, famous for its all-you-can-eat buffet filled with barbecue, fried chicken and home-cooked vegetables. This family-run institution has been delighting patrons since 1969. The Shealys started their barbecue journey by cooking hogs in their backyard, and their secret homemade sauce garnered swift acclaim. The tradition continued to grow; and today, they smoke thousands of pork shoulders each week. Alongside fried chicken, lima beans, creamed corn, collards and mac and cheese, their pulled pork — drenched in sweet, acidic, spicy mustard sauce — is a standout.
Roy's Grille - Irmo
Roy's Grille
Roy's Grille, hidden within a small Exxon station, is a modest spot with a remarkable barbecue reputation. Chef Chris Williams takes pride in serving incredibly smoky, fall-off-the-bone ribs and pulled pork, demonstrating that great barbecue doesn't require a large space. In fact, virtually everything they serve is homemade, including their own bacon. While the menu is diverse, their specialty is unquestionably barbecue. The brisket is smoked for at least 12 hours, seasoned with their unique brisket rub, and sells out quickly. Pair your barbecue with a choice of sauces, including Henry's mild tomato-based BBQ sauce and a spicy mustard-based sauce.
Henry's Smokehouse - Greenville
Henry's Smokehouse
Henry's Smokehouse lives by the motto, "Leanest Butt in town!" Its old-fashioned approach to Southern barbecue, with hickory log smokers, ensures that choice meats are cooked to perfection at low temperatures. Pork butts are smoked for 12 hours, and ribs spend over eight hours in the smoker. Everything is hand-pulled, resulting in tender, moist and flavorful barbecue. Additionally, it offers boneless, skinless chicken breasts smoked to retain maximum moistness. On Fridays and Saturdays, you're in for a treat with its slow-smoked brisket. Don't forget to try it early; it's known to sell out. The barbecue is served with a choice of sauces, including Henry's mild tomato-based BBQ sauce and a zesty mustard-based sauce.
Bessinger's Bar-Be-Que - Charleston
Bessinger's BBQ
Bessinger's Bar-Be-Que in Charleston is where authentic South Carolina barbecue shines, prepared with top-quality ingredients and a personal touch. The Bessinger family has long been revered as the first family of South Carolina barbecue, famous for their timeless mustard-based barbecue sauce, a Carolina classic since the 1930s. Their dedication to customer service and exceptional barbecue has solidified Bessinger's as a true legend. They've faithfully preserved the authentic flavors and vision of family patriarch "Big Joe" Bessinger, attracting patrons who return again and again.
Melvin's BBQ - Mt. Pleasant and James Island
Melvin's BBQ
A South Carolina institution since 1939, Melvin's Bar-B-Que is renowned across the South for its delectable St. Louis-style pork ribs, chicken and "All Ham" Bar-B-Que. Its pulled pork BBQ, smoked for 24 hours over hickory wood coals, is a crowd favorite. The cheeseburgers at Melvin's are often ranked as the best in America. Its menu also boasts mouthwatering ribs and brisket. Try the enormous golden onion rings; they're irresistible. With over 10 Southern sides to choose from and hand-spun milkshakes, Melvin's offers a diverse and delicious barbecue experience.
Swig & Swine - Charleston
Swig & Swine BBQ
Swig & Swine, established in 2014, has grown to four locations in the Charleston area and significantly contributed to the city's barbecue destination status. Pitmaster Anthony DiBernardo, a former Navy submarine cook, takes barbecue seriously, employing all-wood cooking methods. The menu covers everything from pulled pork and ribs to turkey and chicken wings. While the thick-sliced brisket is a reliable choice, don't overlook the hidden gems: tender, smoky pork belly and their take on South Carolina's signature side dish, hash and rice, enhanced with a tangy mustard sauce.
Hite's Bar-B-Que - West Columbia
Facebook/Hite's BBQ
Since 1957, Hite's Bar-B-Que has been a go-to destination for exceptional mustard-based barbecue in the Midlands of South Carolina. More of a meat market than a typical restaurant, it operates with limited hours, open only on Fridays and Saturdays. They never cut corners; David Hite and his team cook whole hogs, ribs and chickens on open pits using oak and hickory wood. This meticulous process infuses every bite with the essence of the wood's smokiness. Don't forget to load up on their bright yellow mustard sauce and grab some of their highly sought-after skins, a unique and flavorful treat.
Home Team BBQ - Charleston
Home Team BBQ
Home Team BBQ, an expanding South Carolina barbecue empire, boasts three restaurants in Charleston and even one as far as Aspen, Colorado. Situated in the heart of Charleston, its Williman Street location provides a blend of traditional and modern barbecue experiences. Founder Aaron Siegel and executive chef Taylor Garrigan bring classical culinary techniques to traditional wood-cooked barbecue. Pork, beef, chicken and more are prepared on Lang and Oyler pits fired with red oak. These smoked meats are served on platters with house-made pickles and incorporated into contemporary creations, such as pit-cooked pastrami sandwiches and ramen with smoked shrimp. Their smoked chicken wings, drizzled with a tangy Alabama-style white sauce, are a highlight.
Big T Bar-B-Q - Gadsden
Big T Bar-B-Q
Big T Bar-B-Q in Gadsden is the mothership of this barbecue operation, where Larry "Big T" Brown cooks the barbecue and hash for three locations. This is old-school South Carolina-style barbecue, with logs transformed into coals in a metal burn box and used to cook pork shoulders on open metal pits. Brown prepares his hash the old-fashioned way, adding liver for rich, earthy notes in the thick, savory stew. Besides the remarkable mustard-based barbecue, there's a range of soul food options, such as fried pork chops and fried whiting, accompanied by delicious sides.
McCabe's Bar-B-Q - Manning
McCabe's BBQ/Facebook
After a brief closure due to family illness, McCabe's Bar-B-Q is back and thriving. Known for its high-quality all-you-can-eat barbecue buffets in the Midlands and Pee Dee regions of South Carolina, McCabe's maintains consistent excellence. The small steam table offers an array of top-notch dishes, including fried chicken, collards, stewed cabbage, hushpuppies and coleslaw. The barbecue stands out, with wood-cooked pork pulled into tender strands and dressed with a peppery vinegar sauce, making it an iconic South Carolina barbecue side.
Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ - Charleston
Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ
Rodney Scott's, the creation of pitmaster Rodney Scott, brings whole-hog barbecue to Charleston. Rooted in the old-school burn barrel method, they cut white oak and pecan trees and reduce them to coals, cooking whole hogs for 12 hours over open pits. The hogs are basted with a vinegar-pepper mop that imparts a fiery and tongue-tingling flavor followed by a subtle smokiness. Their ribeye sandwich, crafted from marinated steak slow-smoked on the pit, is a must-try. Visit the Birmingham location in Alabama for a taste of South Carolina-style burn barrel barbecue.
Sweatman's Bar-B-Que - Holy Hill
Sweatman's BBQ/Facebook
Sweatman's Bar-B-Que, an iconic farmhouse turned barbecue joint in rural Orangeburg County, transports you back to the roots of South Carolina barbecue. They've been cooking whole-hog barbecue fresh every week since opening in 1977. Oak, hickory and pecan trees are cut, split and burned to embers for cooking. Whole hogs are slowly cooked over those hot coals for 12-14 hours. The secret mustard-based sauce is applied continuously while cooking. This old-school approach creates a distinctive barbecue, fiery and mouth-tingling with a unique smoky essence.
Scott's Bar-B-Que - Hemingway
Scott's Bar-B-Que/Facebook
Scott's Bar-B-Que in Hemingway preserves the tradition of wood-cooked whole-hog barbecue. The old-school burn barrel process starts with white oak and pecan trees cut down by the family. The wood is seasoned and reduced to coals in a fire-blackened barrel. Coals are scattered beneath the pork shoulders cooking on open metal pits. After 12 hours, the hogs are flipped and mopped with a pepper-laced vinegar sauce that bubbles and simmers around the meat. The result is pulled pork with a fiery and tongue-tingling front end, followed by a subtle smoky essence. It's a unique barbecue experience, making Scott's stand out from the crowd.
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