Here in North Carolina, we are serious about our BBQ. Not only that we pride ourselves on it. Whether it’s eastern or western NC, we do it well. And yes there are other areas of the country that think they are better, but we know the truth. While there are countless places to get mouth-watering bbq across the state one city that comes to mind first, at least for me, is Lexington. And shockingly they did not make this list. But before you go grab your pitchforks there is a good reason for that. This list is based on the 200 largest US cities, which is a category Lexington doesn’t fall into. There are other nearby locales that are eligible for these rankings though! The list was created by LawnLove and ranks cities based on their BBQ, though North Carolina didn’t rank as high as my biased opinion says it should have.

According to LawnLove rankings were based on award-winning barbecue restaurants, experience hosting a “master-level” competition, multiple barbecue festivals, and high ratings, among others. The highest ranking NC city was actually Raleigh, NC. And as a former resident who still considers the city my second home I can probably see it. The Pit is a Raleigh staple BBQ restaurant. But if we are talking quantity I think Charlotte outshines them. And then there’s the triad. Where did the NC cities rank? Keep reading to see the top 20 BBQ Cities (according to LawnLove) and where each of the North Carolina cities ranked.

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