B’s Barbecue

How Do You Know

when a barbecue outpost is the real deal? When it sits on a road named after it.

If you’re looking for gold-standard pit-cooked pork and chicken, you’ve arrived at the Promised Land in Pitt County. B’s is listed among just 20 swine-centric institutions on the North Carolina Barbecue Society’s “Historic Barbecue Trail.” The restaurant began in 1978 when longtime farmer Bill McLawhorn hung out a shingle.

Starting around 9 a.m., a mixture of blue- and white-collar clientele pull into the gravel parking lot and begin queuing up outside a window where orders are taken. Ever since the recent pandemic, B’s has shifted to takeout only.

“We average selling anywhere from five to six hogs a day,” said Tammy Godley, a good-natured woman who runs the operation along with her sisters Judy Drach and Donna McLawhorn — all daughters of the founder.

Many customers come for an Eastern-style chopped pork sandwich topped with creamy coleslaw. Others opt for a pork or barbecued chicken plate with side items like boiled potatoes, green beans, and corn sticks.

The meat is smoked over Kingsford charcoal in a pit situated just a few steps behind the restaurant. The day we visited, it was so hot the devil himself would have asked for a cup of sweet tea.

“I get here at 6 o’clock every morning to cook the chickens,” said gregarious Greenville native Arthur House, who has worked at B’s for over 17 years.

Take a seat at one of the tree-shaded picnic benches, open the Styrofoam clamshell, and enjoy the food while it’s still hot. Chances are good you’ll strike up conversation with other barbecue enthusiasts while you eat.

A cash-only spot, B’s is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (or sooner if the food runs out).