There’s a moment when you bite into perfectly smoked ribs – that magical second when the meat surrenders from the bone with just the right amount of resistance – that makes time stand still.
At Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque in downtown Raleigh, they’ve been perfecting this moment since 1938, making it not just a restaurant but a North Carolina institution.
When you talk about barbecue in North Carolina, you’re not just discussing food – you’re wading into territory as contentious as college basketball rivalries.
Eastern-style versus Western-style. Vinegar versus tomato. Whole hog versus shoulders…