Photo: Getty Images
North Carolina is known for many things, from its beautiful mountains to the coastal beaches, but it is also home to Carolina-style barbecue. With so many restaurants serving up their take on the regional cuisine, there are plenty of places to dig in to your barbecue favorites.
Food Network searched the country to find the best barbecue restaurants in each state, including a popular spot in North Carolina. According to the site:
"The American South is rich in culinary history, and slow-smoked meat might just be its greatest export. While Southerners have been smoking livestock since the Colonial days, barbecue has spread well beyond the Mason-Dixon line to states as far afield as Alaska and Hawaii."
So which restaurant in North Carolina has the best barbecue in the state?
Skylight Inn
Since opening in 1947, the Skylight Inn, located in Ayden, has been offering diners a chance to sample the style of barbecue that the Carolinas are known for. If you're looking for a place to start ordering, try a sandwich with slaw and your choice of side or even a bulk order of your choice of meat, sauce and even a whole cornbread cake.
The Skylight Inn is located at 4618 Lee Street in Ayden, about 90 miles east of Raleigh.
Here's what Food Network had to say:
"Eastern North Carolina's barbecue roots run deep. From Raleigh to the coast, locals have a long-standing tradition of smoking whole hogs over open pits, chopping up the white and dark meat, and mixing it all together with a white-vinegar-based sauce seasoned with just salt, pepper and some red pepper flakes. Skylight Inn is the grandaddy of the region's barbecue restaurants."
Check out the full list here to see the best barbecue restaurants in each state.