Food & Drink

Who has the best barbecue in the Midlands? Vote in our bracket today

Which barbecue joint will rise above the rest?
Which barbecue joint will rise above the rest? Caroline Watkins

Who makes the best barbecue in the South Carolina Midlands?

The State staff simply couldn’t agree on a favorite, so we’re asking our readers to vote for the best barbecue restaurant in the area. We’re asking y’all to base your votes on the overall quality of the restaurant — which includes main courses, sides, sauces, fixin’s and desserts.

The competition will work the same as The State’s 2021 Burger Bracket, in which readers chose Mack’s Cash Grocery as having the Midlands’ premier patty.

Listen, this is no scientific poll, but here’s how it goes: We begin with a round of 16 restaurants to vote on. After the first round of voting closes, the eight restaurants with the fewest votes will be eliminated. The field will then narrow to four, then a final two before a champion is crowned.

You have until Thursday, Feb. 3, at 11:59 p.m. to vote. The next round will begin Friday, Feb. 4.

Happy voting!

This story was originally published February 1, 2022 at 9:36 AM.

Chris Trainor
The State
Chris Trainor is a retail reporter for The State and has been working for newspapers in South Carolina for more than 21 years, including previous stops at the (Greenwood) Index-Journal and the (Columbia) Free Times. He is the winner of a host of South Carolina Press Association awards, including honors in column writing, government beat reporting, profile writing, food writing, business beat reporting, election coverage, social media and more.
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