Looking for BBQ while traveling


 
B

Bill Sutton

TVWBB Member
Hello all,

The wife and I are planning a trip to visit my brother in Columbia SC and we are looking for some good BBQ joints (or just plain good food joints) to sample along the way. We will be leaving Detroit and heading straight down I75 to Lexington where we’ll make a westerly side-trip to Cookeville, Tn; from there its east on I40 to Ashville, NC and I26 into Columbia. Do you have any recommendations keeping in mind we are doing this on a working mans budget?

Thanks!
 
One of my all time favorite restaurants is in Asheville, NC. It is right in the center of downtown. Here is their webpage:
Salsa's information
The owner/chef is Puerto Rician/Mexican mix. The food is spectacular and different. Big portions and reasonable price. Any time we travel through Asheville, we always plan a meal at Salsa's. You won't be sorry you ate there.
 
Well, just make certain to stop in "The Chili Capital of the World" in Cincinnati for a bowl of "Five Way" at Skyline, GoldStar, or Empress Chili! Or, go to The Montgomery Inn there. Or, there is a place in Sharonville called Burbanks BBQ that has a great Burgoo!!!
 
There really aren't that many BBQ places in Raleigh itself. There is a national chain called "Red Hot and Blue" with a Memphis atmosphere. They have good food but not as good as mine. LOL. Driving to the beach, there is a place called Wilbur's in Goldsboro, NC. I like it too.
 
If Asheville is as far as you're going into NC, you won't get a good sample of proper NC BBQ. You'd be silly not to stop through Lexington, NC. My "go to" place in Lexington is Speedy's, but most people have their own favorite place.

And, if you can swing further East in NC, you can get some legit Eastern style NC BBQ as well before going down into SC for some Mustard style. If you can get Lexington, Eastern, and Mustard style pulled pork BBQ into one trip, you'll be good to go. You may even be able to grab some of that nasty heavy tomato stuff they sell up in the mountains as you pass through Asheville, but I wouldn't recommend it.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by B.Watts:
If Asheville is as far as you're going into NC, you won't get a good sample of proper NC BBQ. You'd be silly not to stop through Lexington, NC. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If only Lexington wasn't 140 miles out of his way.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry D.:
If only Lexington wasn't 140 miles out of his way.
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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

When you're driving 15+ hours (according to Google maps) from Detroit to Columbia with a stop through Cookeville and asking about where to eat BBQ on the way down, a 2 hour detour doesn't seem too big of a deal to hit up the capitol of NC BBQ. Maybe that's just me. I make 2-4 hour drives all of the time, so it doesn't seem too big of a deal.

If he's taking a more direct route back home, it only adds maybe 20-30 minutes to the trip since he'll like go up 77 to Ohio anyway.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by B.Watts:


If he's taking a more direct route back home, it only adds maybe 20-30 minutes to the trip since he'll like go up 77 to Ohio anyway. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You're absolutely right... I hadn't considered going through Lexington on the return trip.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Steve W in NC:
There really aren't that many BBQ places in Raleigh itself. There is a national chain called "Red Hot and Blue" with a Memphis atmosphere. They have good food but not as good as mine. LOL. Driving to the beach, there is a place called Wilbur's in Goldsboro, NC. I like it too. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

So, I'll take it that The Pit and Coopers doesn't really do anything for you?
 
You know, I drove all the way to Lockhart TX just to eat at Kreuz Market, under the guise of a "Family Vacation"
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Yeah we did lots of other stuff, so it wasn't just about me.

This year may be a similar trip to CA, just to go to the Hitching Post II in Buellton CA (also of "Sideways" fame, and probably some roadside stands for tritip.

For me, there is no way I would travel to SC, and not hit every joint in NC or SC that my heart desires. He's just got to do other fun things for the SO(s) to make it worth their while.

In NC: Lexington Barbecue, Wilber's Barbecue (Goldsboro NC), Mitchell's (Wilson NC), to start...

In SC: Maurice's BBQ/Piggie Park in West Columbia SC, to start...

Long sidetrips to Moonlite BBQ in Owensboro KY. Shoot, I would even find a way to Big Bob Gibson's in Decatur AL, Dreamland in Tuscaloosa AL, or Jack's Old South in Georgia.

I'd fit in as many as possible, and if I miss enough, make another trip next year!
 
Hey Doug - The Pit in Raleigh is Ed Mitchell's new place. If you eat there you will be guaranteed to meet him. Pretty friendly he comes out and chats at the bar with you if he's taking a break from chopping up hogs. It's where he hangs out. Don't know if he spends as much time in Wilson anymore since this new place went up. Wilson is probably cheaper though.
 
Hi all,

First let me say thank you for all the replies; I plan to plot them all on the map and stop at the ones I can.

We probaably will be taking the I77 route when we head back north so Lexington NC is not out of the running.

The reason for the Cookeville, Tn side trip is to visit some friends who moved there several years ago.

Thanks again! Post more if you think of any.
Bill
 
Bill,

I have several copies of the Lexington visitor's map from their visitor's center which shows the location of (among other things) 21 of the bbq restaurants. I'll be glad to mail you a copy if you want. You can send your mailing address to nealsville"at"yahoo"dot"com if you're interested. (Please put BBQ Map or something similar in the subject, as that email address gets lots of spam but it does allow me to avoid posting my normal email address, and allows you not to have to post your mailing address).
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry D.:
Bill,

I have several copies of the Lexington visitor's map from their visitor's center which shows the location of (among other things) 21 of the bbq restaurants. I'll be glad to mail you a copy if you want. You can send your mailing address to nealsville"at"yahoo"dot"com if you're interested. (Please put BBQ Map or something similar in the subject, as that email address gets lots of spam but it does allow me to avoid posting my normal email address, and allows you not to have to post your mailing address). </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey Larry, Thats very nice of you and I appreciate it. I'm sending an email with my address right now. Thanks!
Bill
 
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