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I was just looking at the website for The Pit in Raleigh... my husband and I are moving to the Triangle soon and we're looking for a good place to go to try some real NC Barbecue for the first time. Any of you folks been here? We are looking at the menu and DROOLING! The menu and pictures look fantastic... The Pit
Oh my, now you've done it - opened up the great NC BBQ debate. I hope you're prepared to accept responsibility for what follows.
There are LOTS of good BBQ places in NC. The Pit is one of them, although I'm not sure it's the first place I would recommend. It's unique, perhaps, among BBQ joints in that it offers some traditional NC BBQ in a nicer, more traditional restaurant setting. While the food is good, I tend to think you can get as good or better BBQ at lots of other locations too - although probably none as nice.
You might look at this thread for some other local suggestions:
Actually, i read in the paper that the Pit will now be open on Sundays, with a lunch buffet and dinner. The Pit is, I believe, the only bbq place in Raliegh that still cooks on wood fire. I think they make great barbecue.
I ate there about two months ago. Was a weekday lunch. I found it very good..had the brisket. I'm not an Eastern Carolina BBQ fan, which is why I went for the brisket. Others I was with had just about everything though (the pork, the turkey, etc) and everyone loved it. It was a party of 12 with a nice mix of southerners and yankees. Not sure if that helps, but I'd at least give it a shot once...can't hurt, right?
...looking for a good place to go to try some real NC Barbecue
Obviously opinions will vary on this subject, but if you want "the real thing", I suggest a more traditional place. B's over near Greenville would be my first recommendation, or Skylight in, which is also somewhere "east". Wilburs near Goldsboro is good. All worth the day-trip.
I believe that Allen and Son's in Chapel Hill (not the one on 15/501, but the one on 86, North of I-40) still cooks on wood, and has good que.
Before we had our Daughter (now 9 years old) my wife and I used to go for Saturday rides and try new places, just for something to do. Lots of good stuff in Eastern NC. If you don't get hung up on appearances, and if you are willing to forego a cold beer for a sweet-tea, there is plenty around to keep you busy.
I have been to and love all of the classic, old school ENC cue joints including Ed Mitchell's old place in Wilson. The Pit is not your traditional NC barbecue joint, but Ed Mitchell is a pitmaster that cooks whole hog eastern style cue as well as anyone out there today. I highly recommend The Pit. I have eaten at over 50 NC barbecue places in addition to several hundred pig pickins and I know great cue when I taste it. You don't win all the awards and contest that Ed has without your barbecue being great. If you don't like his cue, then you don't like traditional NC barbecue.
It's a great place for new / out of towners to visit and be introduced to the NC style. Kind of upscale restaurant meets NC BBQ.
It was featured on episode 17 of Man v Food (North Carolina). I'm a newb to the area (been here 2 1/2 years) and LOVE going to The Pit...been several times, look forward to going back again, and soon!
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