Which Midlands restaurant is your favorite for barbecue? Vote now in The State’s poll
There are lots of things we like to argue about in the South.
College football, of course, is often at the center of debate. And politics, an ever more partisan topic, is always top of mind.
And then there’s barbecue, a culinary genre about which seemingly everyone has an opinion. Some people prefer their barbecue served with a mustard-based sauce, while others prefer a tangy, tomato-based sauce. There are those who swear allegiance to Carolina-style pulled pork, while others swoon for Texas-style brisket.
The Midlands area is home to a host of barbecue restaurants, from hole-in-the-wall spots to modern outposts. Now, The State wants you to vote for your favorite place for barbecue in the Midlands from a list of 22 restaurants, selected by the newspaper’s staff, in the poll below.
First, let’s set some ground rules. We tried to keep this poll to locally owned places or small chains, rather than include the larger national chains. Also, this is a list of brick-and-mortar restaurants. (Sorry, food truck fans.)
And for this poll we stuck with barbecue joints in the central Midlands — Columbia, Lexington County, Richland County — rather than those in the far reaches of the region.
To be absolutely, positively certain, this is not an exhaustive, comprehensive list of every restaurant in the Midlands that serves barbecue. Rather, it is simply a sampling of some of the many places in the area that offer it, chosen by newspaper staffers.
You have until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, March. 12, to vote in the poll below.
So vote early and often, and don’t forget your favorite sauce.
This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 8:33 AM.
