SCBBQ Road Trip: Start Your Engine

Use this SCBBQ Road Trip hub to pick the right interstate guide, find nearby barbecue stops, and plan smarter detours with our map and directory

South Carolina is one of the best places in the country to plan a barbecue stop on the road. This page is your starting point for our SCBBQ Road Trip guides, with route-by-route coverage of barbecue restaurants along the state’s major interstates.

Start by choosing the interstate you’re driving. Each guide focuses on restaurants close to interstate exits, all within about 10 miles and often within about 5, if not right at the exit itself.

Planning ahead? Use the guides to spot strong stops before you leave. Already on the road? They’re a quick way to find SC barbecue without a long detour.

SC BBQ Interstate Road Guides

Choose the interstate guide you need. I-26 is split into two pages so you can jump to the stretch you’re driving.

The I-95 Corridor

Summary: North to south coverage for barbecue stops along SC’s busiest travel corridor, with easy exit-by-exit options for road trips through the Pee Dee, Midlands, and Lowcountry
Best for: Long-distance travelers passing through South Carolina

Open I-95 guide

I-26: The First 100 Exits (Landrum to Chapin)

Summary: Upstate to Midlands coverage for barbecue stops along the first half of I-26, including easy detours near major exits
Best for: Travelers driving from the mountains toward Columbia

Open I-26 guide (Landrum to Chapin)

I-26: The Final Exits (Columbia to Charleston)

Summary: Midlands to Lowcountry coverage for barbecue stops on the Charleston side of I-26, with options near the exits most travelers use
Best for: Columbia to Charleston drives and beach-bound trips

Open I-26 guide (Columbia to Charleston)

Interstate 20

Summary: East-west barbecue stops along I-20 with practical exit access for drivers crossing the state through central South Carolina
Best for: Cross-state travel between the western side of SC and the I-95 side

Open I-20 guide

Interstate 85

Summary: Upstate barbecue stops along I-85 with route-friendly options near exits between the Georgia side and the North Carolina side
Best for: Upstate drives and multi-state travel through the northwest corner

Open I-85 guide

Interstate 77

Summary: North-south barbecue stops along I-77 with options near Columbia, Rock Hill, and nearby exits on the NC side of the route
Best for: Charlotte-Columbia traffic and regional drives

Open I-77 guide

More ways to find SC barbecue

You should get your own personal copy of the SC BBQ Trail Map. Better yet, use our SC BBQ Trail Restaurant Finder or our SC BBQ Directory if you want a quick backup option or want to confirm what’s closest to the exit you’re on. If you’re looking beyond interstate stops, the BBQ Guides hub pulls together more South Carolina barbecue guides, including hash, Charleston barbecue, road guides, and backyard cooking help.

Just look at the billboards promoting the SC BBQ Trail as you travel SC’s major roadways. You can’t help but notice and be tempted to stop in somewhere and grab a bite.

If you’d like a little background on why barbecue runs so deep in South Carolina, start here.

A Little History

Well, the reasons are many:

• First, South Carolina is arguably the birthplace of BBQ. Like with most things, SC stands proud upon its traditions.
• Our state boasts several distinct regions wherein BBQ enthusiasts can sample a barbecue that is at once historically unique to that section of the state and, yet, significantly different from what may be served in even a neighboring county. Much of that has to do with the “base” its sauce is built upon.
• SC is the only state in the union in which four different sauces evolved and stood the test of time. Here we enjoy vinegar-pepper, light tomato, heavy tomato, and the sauce that is most unique to SC, a mustard-base. That said, things are more homogenous today.
• See this map to get a better understanding of where, historically speaking, you were more likely to find a certain sauce type:

With such a history, it’s no wonder those traveling within South Carolina would be eager to sample all of the various flavors of SCBBQ.

This series helps travelers find great SC barbecue near the state’s major interstates, with stops that are usually close to an exit.

(As a side note, learn how to eat SC’s best BBQ for FREE!)

In this series, Destination BBQ takes a look at the BBQ options along each of the major roadways in the state. Five interstates crisscross the state, and each passageway provides ample opportunity to get a taste of true SCBBQ.

Whether you find yourself passing through the state or simply traveling within it, we will catalog each of the stops along your journey.

Can’t travel? Cook at home with our BBQ recipes.

How We Selected the Restaurants

Our parameters are simple:

1. Each of these restaurants must lie within 10 miles of an interstate exit. Because this is meant for travelers, time and distance are important factors. If there is an exceptional option just beyond that range, we may include it, with notes of the extra distance. Nothing will be farther than 10 miles from an exit; most are within 5.
2. Several interstates have ending/beginning points in SC. SCBBQ restaurants that aren’t “on” a given interstate have not been included. For instance, I-26 ends in Charleston. There are many BBQ restaurants within 10 miles of the end of I-26. None of them are included since they aren’t really on I-26, but, rather, beyond the end of it.
3. No national chain restaurants are included. All restaurants must be unique to SC (or at least born here). The vast majority are single, “mom and pop,” family-owned restaurants. Note the following:
   • In a case like Maurice’s, which has more than a dozen locations, there are likely to be many different shops along a given route; we will only identify one, being a representative sample. Know that there may be others nearby, particularly as you pass through Columbia.
   • A case like Dukes, however, is different because each Dukes is different and unique. Despite what you may assume — they are not all part of one chain, so each will be included.
4. Inclusion on this list should not necessarily be taken as an endorsement; we haven’t personally tried them all. We will provide links to our page about each where you can learn more and make your own decision.
5. The mileage provided for each restaurant is based on its distance from the interstate exit; however, it is not precise. That said, mileage was calculated using Google maps so it should be very close.

That is the framework we use for every guide in this road trip series, helping you find your way to both the famous locations and the hidden gems near our major roadways.

Know Before You Go

A few caveats and suggestions as we begin:

1. We highly recommend our SCBBQ Trail Locator Map.  We built our map for travelers and SC BBQ enthusiasts. With your permission, it will find your location and reveal the 25 closest SCBBQ restaurants within 25 miles of you. And, if you like, you can filter the results so that it only shows you certain matches, like those that take cash only or those who serve a mustard sauce.
2. Remember, CALL AHEAD. As we said, most of these are small family-owned restaurants. Most are not open every day of the week. In fact, it would not be unusual — particularly around a holiday — for them to close up shop because they have sold out, are traveling, have an event to cater, or simply have more pressing business that needs to be tended to.
3. There are, of course, many SC BBQ restaurants that are not “on” or even near an interstate. As noted above, we have chosen to exclude these restaurants from our list, but do not fret. This series focuses on interstate travel. For restaurants beyond the interstate corridors, use our map and directory to find options by location.

We hope this series helps you find just the right place to stop as you make your way around the state. Longtime residents may discover new places and visitors can get a true taste of SCBBQ.

Enjoy the drive…

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Want the flavors without the drive? Browse our BBQ recipes or pick up Going Whole Hog for more South Carolina barbecue recipes, sauces, rubs, hash, meats, and sides