The Best Thing At This North Carolina BBQ Spot Is Not What You Think It Is
The smell hit me before I even turned off the engine. That deep, slow-burning smokiness that clings to the air and immediately rearranges your priorities for the rest of the afternoon.
North Carolina does a lot of things well, but barbecue is the thing. It is the kind of food that locals will drive forty minutes for without a second thought and argue about for the other forty minutes on the way home.
I was not expecting much beyond the usual suspects when I sat down. Pulled pork, hush puppies, maybe some slaw.
But then the Brussels sprouts arrived and everything I thought I knew about side dishes at a barbecue joint quietly left the building.
Charred at the edges, glossy with something sweet and tangy, and gone from the plate faster than anything else on the table.
Turns out the best surprise in North Carolina barbecue comes with a vegetable.
The Whole Hog BBQ Worth The Drive
Some things just smell like a decision you will not regret. The pulled pork at Lawrence Barbecue is cooked low and slow, and the result is pork that pulls apart easily and carries real depth of flavor.
What makes this spot interesting is that it does not follow the traditional North Carolina BBQ playbook. Owner Jake Wood has been clear about that from the start.
This is Lawrence Barbecue, a style all its own, and the pulled pork reflects that. It comes with a Tex-Mex twist, topped with salsa verde, onions, and cilantro that brighten the whole plate.
It is lighter than you expect and more complex than it looks.
The smoke does the heavy lifting here, and the toppings add contrast rather than compete with it. That combination is what keeps you going back for more bites when you are already full.
First-timers sometimes overthink the ordering process. The pulled pork is a strong starting point, but the brisket runs neck and neck with it for best thing on the tray.
Order both if you can.
Lawrence Barbecue is located at 150 E Cedar St in downtown Cary, North Carolina, and the drive is absolutely worth it no matter where you are coming from.
Those Brussels Sprouts Nobody Expected To Love
Nobody walks into a BBQ joint thinking the vegetables will be the talk of the table. And yet here we are, writing a whole section about Brussels sprouts.
These are roasted until the edges go deeply caramelized and a little crispy. There is a savory glaze involved that plays off the bitterness of the sprout in a way that actually makes sense.
They taste like something a chef thought about, not something that just appeared on the menu as an afterthought.
The first time I tried them I was skeptical. I ordered them mostly to feel balanced.
By the third bite I was mentally calculating whether I could justify ordering a second round before my main plate arrived.
The answer was yes.
What makes them work alongside BBQ is the contrast. The smoke and fat of the pork need something bright and slightly bitter to cut through.
These sprouts do exactly that job.
They are not trying to be a salad or a health statement. They are just really, really good vegetables cooked by people who clearly care about every item on the plate.
Smoked Brisket Worth Rearranging Your Schedule For
Brisket is one of those cuts that tells you immediately whether a pitmaster knows what they are doing. A bad brisket is dry and grey.
A good one has a dark bark, a pink smoke ring, and fat that melts the moment it hits your tongue.
The brisket here lands firmly in the second category. Each slice holds together just enough to pick up but falls apart the moment you bite in.
The bark has that deep pepper and smoke crust that brisket fans know and love.
What I appreciate is that it is not over-sauced. The meat speaks for itself, which takes real confidence from a kitchen.
A light drizzle of house sauce on the side lets you control how much you want without masking what the smoke already built.
If you are coming with a group, ordering a mix of brisket and whole hog side by side is the move. The two styles complement each other surprisingly well.
One is rich and beefy, the other tangy and light. Together they cover every craving at once, which is basically the definition of a great BBQ spread.
Smoked Wings That Deserve More Attention
Nobody comes to a barbecue restaurant specifically for the wings. And yet here we are, because Lawrence Barbecue makes a strong case that you should.
These are smoked wings, not fried, which already sets them apart from what you find at most spots. The smoke penetrates all the way through, so the flavor is built into the meat rather than sitting on the surface in a layer of sauce.
The sauce options are where things get interesting. You can go hot honey if you want something sweet with a slow burn at the end.
Beef fat caramel is the unexpected one, rich and savory in a way that sounds strange until you try it and immediately understand.
There are additional options beyond those two, so if you are the kind of person who needs to try everything before committing, ask the counter staff what is running that day.
What makes them work alongside the rest of the tray is the texture. The skin has enough char and snap to hold up against the smoke, and the meat underneath stays tender without falling apart on the bone.
Order them as a starter or alongside your main plate. Either way, do not skip them under the assumption that wings at a barbecue joint are just filler.
At Lawrence Barbecue these are very much the real thing.
Collard Greens That Convert Non-Believers
Collard greens have a reputation problem. People who grew up without them assume they are bitter and unpleasant.
People who grew up with bad versions agree.
Then there are places like this that remind everyone what the fuss is about.
These greens are cooked down low and slow until they are silky and deeply savory. The pot liquor, that is the cooking liquid left in the bowl, is something you will want to soak your cornbread in immediately.
It is smoky, slightly tangy, and full of flavor that builds with every bite.
The texture hits the sweet spot between tender and toothsome. They are not mushy, which is the most common mistake with greens.
There is still a slight bite that lets you know they were not forgotten on the stove.
Collard greens are also one of those dishes that taste better the longer they sit, which means a restaurant doing high volume benefits from that. The greens have time to develop.
Paired with whole hog BBQ, the combination is a proper North Carolina plate. This is not a side dish you push to the edge of the tray.
This one gets eaten first, every single time.
Mac And Cheese That Earns Its Place On A BBQ Menu
Mac and cheese at a BBQ spot is either an afterthought or a centerpiece. There is rarely an in-between.
This version leans hard toward centerpiece territory.
Lawrence Barbecue builds their mac and cheese from a three-cheese blend of yellow cheddar, white cheddar, and garlic boursin cheese sauce over elbow macaroni.
The sauce is creamy without being heavy, and the ratio of sauce to noodle is generous, which is the correct choice and one that not enough kitchens make.
The detail that sets it apart is the topping. Instead of a baked crust, they finish it with a Zapp’s Voodoo potato chip crumble that adds a salty, crunchy contrast to the soft pasta underneath.
It sounds like a gimmick until you taste it, and then it makes complete sense.
The flavor profile is rich and savory with just enough sharpness from the cheese to keep it from feeling too heavy.
It pairs especially well with the smoked meats because the creaminess provides a soft counterpoint to all that smoke and char.
If you are bringing kids or anyone who claims they are indifferent to BBQ sides, this is the dish that quietly wins them over.
Order it without hesitation and consider yourself warned about portion control.
The Sauce Selection That Shows Real Thoughtfulness
A BBQ restaurant that offers only one sauce is making a statement. A restaurant that offers a thoughtfully curated sauce selection is making a better one.
The sauces at Lawrence Barbecue reflect the range of influences that define this kitchen. There is the OG vinegar sauce, sharp and bright, built for cutting through rich smoked meat.
The Alabama white brings a creamy, tangy contrast that works especially well with the smoked chicken and wings.
The South of the Border option blends Texas-style BBQ sauce with South Carolina mustard for something that does not fit neatly into any regional category, which is exactly the point.
What I like is that none of them are overpowering. They are meant to complement the smoke, not bury it.
That philosophy shows up in how the sauces are presented too.
They come on the side rather than poured over everything in the kitchen, which gives you control over your plate.
Good sauce is about balance and knowing when to hold back. These sauces understand that assignment.
Try each one on a small bite before committing to a favorite. You might surprise yourself.
The South of the Border converted me on my first visit, and I was not expecting that at all. Bring a curious palate and leave the assumptions at the door for this part of the meal.
The Overall Experience That Keeps People Coming Back
Great food alone does not make a great restaurant. The room, the pace, the feeling of being somewhere that cares about what it puts out all of that matters too.
This place gets all of it right.
The setup is casual and unpretentious. You order at the counter, find a seat, and the food arrives without drama or ceremony.
That simplicity is part of the appeal. There are no distractions from the main event, which is the food on your tray.
The staff moves with purpose and the kitchen keeps up even when the place fills up. That is a sign of a well-run operation, and it makes the whole visit feel smooth rather than stressful.
You can relax and focus on eating, which is exactly what you want from a BBQ lunch.
If you have not been to Lawrence Barbecue in North Carolina put it on the list for your next free afternoon. Go hungry, bring someone who appreciates good food, and order more than you think you need.
The Brussels sprouts are not optional. Neither is the cornbread.
Leave room for both and do not let anyone talk you out of the mac and cheese either. You will thank yourself later.
