The story
Sam Jones BBQ in Raleigh serves East North Carolina whole-hog barbecue the way it’s been done for generations: slow-smoked over a wood-fired pit, chopped and served daily. The kitchen follows a simple rule from Sam Jones’ grandad, Pete Jones: “If it’s not cooked with wood, it’s not BBQ.” That principle earned the family’s original restaurant, Skylight Inn, a James Beard American Classic award in 2003, and it carries forward at Sam Jones BBQ, which received a Bib Gourmand from Michelin in 2026 for its good quality, good value cooking.
The story begins in 1947, when Pete Jones opened Skylight Inn in Ayden, NC, at age 17. He cooked whole hogs over wood he chopped himself, a practice his son Bruce and grandson Sam continued. Over the decades, Skylight Inn earned national acclaim—from National Geographic to GQ to the Travel Channel. In 2015, Sam Jones and his longtime partner Michael Letchworth opened Sam Jones BBQ in Winterville, NC, bringing those same traditions to a new audience. The Raleigh location followed, offering the same wood-fired whole-hog BBQ along with Southern sides like collard greens, mac ’n’ cheese, and banana pudding.
The menu centers on chopped BBQ pork, served as a tray or on a sandwich the Skylight Inn way—with slaw on a potato bun. There are also slow-smoked chicken, spare ribs, smoked turkey, and a 1947 Burger paying homage to the original Skylight Inn burger. Sides are classic: sweet slaw, baked beans, potato salad, and hand-cut fries. Everything is made fresh on-site, and the atmosphere is straightforward and welcoming—counter service with indoor and outdoor seating.
The Bib Gourmand recognition underscores what locals have known since 2015: this is serious Southern American cooking at a fair price. It’s BBQ rooted in family and community.
Recognition
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