Your Guide to Finding the Best BBQ in Asheville, NC

Asheville is the perfect place to satisfy your cravings for smoky, sweet barbecue dishes galore. All across town, the BBQ joints are second to none, serving up all the most popular flavor combinations, day in and day out. Having a hard time finding the best of the best? Just use this guide to pinpoint all the top spots for BBQ in Asheville, North Carolina.

Table of Contents:
1. 12 Bones Smokehouse
2. Luella’s Bar-B-Que
3. Moe’s Original BBQ
4. Buxton Hall Barbecue
5. Little Pigs BBQ
6. Black Bear BBQ

12 Bones Smokehouse

Low and slow is the name of the game at 12 Bones Smokehouse, as is making absolutely everything from scratch. Located right along the French Broad River, this BBQ joint promises to tantalize your tastebuds no matter what you order.

You can go with traditional plates piled high with smoked meats or have them go the extra mile by whipping you up a decadent sandwich. If you go with a plate, you can get baby back ribs, wings, pulled pork, or even smoked turkey. Their sandwiches feature all the same meats plus a bit of sugar bacon to bring it all together.

If you want to make sure you always have their BBQ flavors on tap, take home some pulled pork or sliced smoked turkey, which they sell by the pound. Don’t forget to load up on the sides, too, like their corn pudding, jalapeno cheese grits, and baked beans.

Luella’s Bar-B-Que

Luella’s Bar-B-Que is so dang good that they have to run two Asheville locations to keep up with the demand. Whether you go to their north or south eateries, the amazing scent of perfectly smoked meats will hit you upon walking up to the front door.

Although they specialize in meat trays and sandwiches, their appetizers are well worth a taste. So, don’t skip the chance to whet your appetite with their sweet potato chips, cheesy fries, or deviled eggs. As you nosh on those goods, you’ll get a chance to dive into their huge menu full of awesome dishes.

If you cannot decide where to go, you really cannot lose with their two- or three-meat combo tray. You’ll get to choose between their BBQ chopped pork, smoked turkey breast, chile-rubbed beef brisket, smoked wings, and pulled free-range chicken. If you want to skip the meat, but not the sweet barbecue flavor, go with the tempeh instead.

Moe’s Original BBQ

Moe’s Original BBQ is taking over the nation, and for good reason. Their barbecue is always moist, smoky, and wholly delicious, taking each meat to the next level. This Asheville location sits in the Biltmore Village region, serving as a top spot to dine in style after a day of exploring that extravagant estate.

The menu features all the best-smoked meats, like pork, chicken, and turkey, served on sandwiches, platters, and family packs. If you’d like something a little different, they have southern fried catfish and shrimp on the menu as well.

Their flavorful sides are well worth the visit on their own, especially the mac ‘n’ cheese, marinated slaw, and potato salad. Just remember to save room for the banana pudding to enjoy a truly memorable dessert.

Buxton Hall Barbecue

Buxton Hall Barbecue always manages to bring in the crowds by keeping the scent of smoked pork wafting through the streets. They literally wrote the book on smoked meats, which shares all their recipes that you can make at home. But nothing beats getting a plate of their homecooked goodness served to your table while chilling in their quaint dining room.

At each visit, you’ll want to kick things off with a plate of cornmeal hushpuppies. If those don’t speak to you, then try their poutine instead to see how waffle fries taste covered in pimento cheese and BBQ hash.

After that, you can go whole-hog with their pulled pork plate or try the tasty smoked sausage. They also have sandwiches if you prefer, including a fried chicken sammie with white BBQ sauce, bread and butter pickles, and a whole lot of cheese.

 

Little Pigs BBQ

Established way back in 1963, Little Pigs BBQ is a part of the fabric of Asheville. No one really remembers a time without this fan favorite, nor do they want to. This awesome barbecue joint brings big flavor in all they do, especially when it comes to its exquisite hickory smoked BBQ.

They happily serve up their smoked meats by the plate with hushpuppies plus your choice of two sides. You can even mix and match your meats to get your fill of BBQ pork, ribs, and chicken.

Want more for lunch the next day? Just get a bulk carry-out order going while you munch on your meal in their dining room. Do yourself a favor and get extra hushpuppies to go as well plus a whole lemon pie for dessert.

Black Bear BBQ

Culinary creativity is always on tap with each visit to Black Bear BBQ. At this barbecue joint, you can enjoy traditional dishes made with flair plus the quality service to match. Their menu features all the best BBQ imaginable from chopped brisket sandwiches to half chicken plates. They even have BBQ jackfruit available in multiple ways for those meatless days.

If you just can’t choose between all their awesome options, go with their sampler plates. You can also get their meats by the pound plus all the sides you wish, then divvy them up between everyone in your group.

Although it’s tempting to fill all the way up, save some room for their desserts. Chocolate lovers adore their big fudge brownie and chocolate chip cookie, while fruit aficionados always love to dine on their peach quick bread and banana pudding.

As you explore all these Asheville BBQ joints, you’re sure to find your favorites. Just remember to bring your friends, family, and coworkers along on your future trips to treat everyone to the best barbecue in North Carolina.