Eastern North Carolina

Keith Allen splits his own oak. Old-school chopped pork, hush puppies, and homemade pie.

The Jones family's reservation-only popup arm of Skylight — sliced beef brisket alongside the whole hog.

Across town from Parker's, Bill Ellis ran an all-you-can-eat shrine to Eastern NC pork until his last day.

Cinderblock joint at the corner of B's Barbecue Rd. Sells out every day.

Three blocks from Skylight, Bum Dennis's quieter shrine to Eastern NC whole hog. Family-run since '63.

Stephen and Geraldine Grady's wood-fired hog out in Dudley. Pulled pork, vinegar pepper, no shortcuts.

Coastal-plain mainstay since 1945. Eastern NC vinegar style with a side of sweet tea by the gallon.

Open since 1946 — chopped pork, Brunswick stew, hush puppies, served by waiters in white paper hats.

Wyatt Dickson and Ben Filippo went all-in on whole-hog. Beard nominations followed.

BBQ at the airport — literally. Watch single-engine planes land while you eat pulled pork on the patio.

Skylight's grandson, going whole hog with a city dining room.

Pete Jones built a domed-capitol roof to honor whole-hog. Still doing it the only way that matters.

Out in the country southeast of Raleigh. Whole-hog, served on dollar plates, with sweet tea by the pitcher.

Greg Hatem and Ed Mitchell's Raleigh dining room. Whole-hog tradition meets a city wine list.

A Goldsboro institution back from the brink. Vinegar-pepper, no sugar.