10 South Carolina Roadside Grills Known For Classic Southern Cooking

South Carolina’s back roads hide some of the most mouthwatering Southern cooking you’ll ever taste. These humble roadside grills serve up plates piled high with smoky barbecue, crispy fried chicken, and all the fixings that make Southern cuisine legendary.

From family recipes passed down for generations to pit masters who’ve perfected their craft over decades, these ten spots represent the heart and soul of authentic Carolina cooking.

1. Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ – Charleston, SC

Charleston’s food scene welcomed royalty when pitmaster Rodney Scott brought his whole-hog expertise to the Holy City. The James Beard Award winner expanded from his Hemingway roots but kept the soul intact.

Locals line up for plates of succulent pulled pork showered with his signature “Rodney Sauce” – a peppery vinegar concoction with secret spices. The crispy skin bits mixed throughout might be the most prized bites in all of Carolina barbecue.

2. Midway BBQ – Buffalo (Union County), SC

Lunchtime at Midway BBQ feels like stepping into a tradition that has anchored Union County for decades. Locals stream into the modest roadside building, greeted by the smoky aroma of pork shoulders roasting low and slow.

The cafeteria-style line moves past trays piled with chopped pork, hash and rice, and crispy fried chicken – all served in hearty portions that keep regulars coming back week after week. Styrofoam cups of sweet tea sit on nearly every table, while neighbors pause between bites to trade news from town.

3. Dukes Bar-B-Que – Midlands Of South Carolina

Family feuds created a barbecue dynasty across the Midlands, with various Dukes relatives opening their own versions of this iconic eatery. What unites them? The mustard-based sauce that defines this region’s barbecue identity.

Golden-yellow and tangy-sweet, it clings perfectly to chopped pork shoulder. Weekend all-you-can-eat buffets feature crispy chicken skins, hash over rice, and sweet potato soufflé that grandmothers quietly try to reverse-engineer between bites.

4. Bluffton BBQ – Bluffton, SC

Tucked in Bluffton’s historic district, this Lowcountry gem marries barbecue traditions with coastal influences. Owner Ted Huffman – known to locals as “The Mayor of Bluffton” – has smoked meat for over 30 years.

Hand-pulled pork gets a vinegar-pepper bath before meeting house-made slaw on buttered buns. The Brunswick stew simmers for hours, marrying smoked chicken with garden vegetables and a hint of tomato sweetness that locals swear cures everything from heartbreak to hangovers.

5. Creekside Bar-Be-Que – Anderson, SC

Generations of Anderson families have celebrated milestones over plates of hickory-smoked ribs at this creek-side institution. The screened porch overlooking the water fills with regulars who’ve had standing Saturday lunch dates for decades.

Ribs emerge from ancient smokers with a pink smoke ring so perfect it looks painted on. The banana pudding – made daily by Miss Edna, who’s been whisking custard here since 1973 – comes in a styrofoam cup that barely contains its vanilla wafer goodness.

6. Shuler’s BBQ – Latta, SC

What began as a small family catering business blossomed into a destination dining experience in tiny Latta. The Shuler women run this operation with military precision and grandmotherly love.

The buffet showcases regional specialties beyond barbecue – country-fried steak, collards swimming in pot likker, and cornbread hot from cast-iron skillets. Church groups fill long tables after Sunday service, passing sweet tea pitchers while debating which homemade cobbler deserves precious dessert plate real estate.

7. Scott’s Bar-B-Que – Hemingway, SC

Smoke signals rise from this cinderblock temple of whole-hog barbecue, drawing hungry pilgrims from across the country. Pitmaster Rodney Scott learned the craft at age 11, tending wood-fired pits behind his family’s store.

The pork, mopped with pepper-vinegar sauce, develops a crackling bark that gives way to tender meat underneath. No frills here – just paper plates, white bread, and barbecue that’s worth every mile of the journey.

8. The Smokin’ Pig – Pendleton, SC

Tucked along a well-traveled stretch of Pendleton, The Smokin’ Pig greets visitors with the unmistakable aroma of hickory smoke drifting from its pits.

The modest exterior leads into a lively dining room where trays arrive stacked with chopped pork, tender brisket, and ribs cooked until they nearly fall off the bone. Sides like loaded potato casserole, mac and cheese, and seasonal cobbler make each meal feel hearty and complete.

9. Sweatman’s BBQ – Holly Hill, SC

Saturdays in Holly Hill mean whole-hog barbecue, smoked low and slow over hickory coals the way the Sweatman family has done it since the 1970s. The yellow farmhouse-turned-restaurant fills with the scent of crackling pork skin, and regulars know to arrive early before the pits run low.

Inside, the buffet features chopped pork dripping with tangy mustard sauce, along with hash and rice, sweet hushpuppies, and pulled chicken. Generations of diners gather around long wooden tables, passing pitchers of sweet tea and swapping stories while the line outside keeps growing.

10. Roadhouse Ribs – Port Royal, SC

Shrimpers and Marines from nearby Parris Island share tables at this dockside eatery where Lowcountry meets barbecue. The screened porch catches sea breezes while diners attack fall-off-the-bone ribs with Spanish moss views.

Owner Captain Jimmy mixes maritime influence into traditional barbecue – the signature sauce includes local honey and bourbon. The seafood stew alongside barbecue plates marries smoked pork with fresh-caught shrimp, creating a dish that perfectly represents this coastal corner of South Carolina.