The Lowcountry is a Mecca of culinary expertise, and Charleston plays host to many different traditions: Gullah, French, fresh seafood and delightful pastries. However, when you think of the Southern United States it’s hard not to think of barbecue.

We made the sacrifice and took on the difficult job of finding the best BBQ restaurants in Charleston. We’ve had a lot, but there are only a few that impress us enough to recommend time and time again. We’ll continue to keep this list updated, but below are our tried-and-true favorites!

Which will you be stopping at first?

Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ

What to order → Ribs, Smoked Turkey, Hushpuppies, Potato Salad, Cornbread

Even if you’re not local to Charleston, you might recognize the name Rodney Scott as an authority in southern BBQ after he gained international recognition from the 2020 Netflix special Chef’s Table: BBQ. Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ focuses on authentic Carolina barbecue with low and slow pit-smoked whole-hog, ribs, turkey and beef. The meats are the star here, but traditional Carolina sides like hushpuppies, potato salad, collard greens, baked beans, and cornbread help fill your platter. The sauces are vinegar-based and packed with flavor.

Located in a quiet residential part of Charleston near Hampton Park and the Citadel, pulling up to the curb, the first thing you notice is the retro inspired building and outdoor seating with each blue picnic table covered by a tin roof. Place your order at the counter inside, then grab your order number and find a seat. Your server will bring out your food on a vintage porcelain platter.

Rodney Scott has won numerous awards, including 50 Best New Restaurants by Bon Appetit Magazine (2018), 2018 James Beard Foundation’s award for Outstanding Chef: Southeast (2018) — only the second pitmaster to receive this recognition — and Nomination to the Barbecue Hall of Fame (2020). Needless to say, they’re well-deserved. Especially noteworthy are the ribs, which are smoked to perfection with just the right amount of bark on the outside, fall off the bone meat on the inside and very little grease throughout. We quickly decided that eating them with the provided sauces was sacrilegious and enjoyed them as-is.

Review of the best BBQ restaurants in Charleston, featuring Rodney Scott BBQ. Food Photography by Voyage Collective.

Lewis Barbecue

What to order → Ribs, Smoked turkey, Brisket, Potato salad, Mac-and-cheese

Texas-style BBQ with Lowcountry vibes, we find ourselves returning to Lewis Barbecue again and again, never disappointed.

Located in the NOMO neighborhood of Charleston, this area is undergoing a thorough residential and commercial redevelopment from its days of ports and warehouses. Lewis Barbecue has carved out an area complete with the main restaurant, smoke house and outdoor seating shaded by a couple of large oak trees and a tent. While you eat you’ll be enveloped in the scent of burning wood and serenaded by classic country music playing over the speakers.

The wait can be an hour-plus Friday nights through the weekend, but we promise the long lines are worth it! Lewis has cleverly positioned the bar along the wait line so you can grab a beer or drink while you move ever closer to your culinary delights that await you.

We can’t come here without ordering the ribs (our favorite), smoked turkey, and brisket (ask for the fatty sections — it melts in your mouth). On Sundays, their special is chicken fried steak with gravy and it sells out fast. As for sides, we recommend the potato salad and mac-n-cheese. After picking up your now weighty platter, don’t forget to stop at the sauce station. Lewis doesn’t overwhelm it’s guests with five billion sauce options, instead they focus on the core three: a tomato base, vinegar base, and chili/mustard base. Wash it all down with real-sugar Mexican Coke, Sprite or Fanta.