In eastern North Carolina, barbecue speaks through smoke, vinegar, and wood ash. At Skylight Inn in Ayden, Pete Jones began cooking whole hogs over open pits in 1947, and the tradition still runs strong.
The woodpile stacked high, the chopping block worn deep, the slaw crisp beside the pork, the sauce bottle waiting, every detail feels rooted in care.
I’ve eaten here during the clatter of lunch rush and the calm of evening, watching butcher paper carry more than food: a story of pit, plate, and time.
Capitol-Dome Roof Over Pete Jones’ Skylight Inn
The copper dome glints in the Ayden sun, looking almost too grand for a barbecue joint. It’s quirky, memorable, and a little theatrical…