Monk: While it does have barbecue on the menu, Mama Dip’s Kitchen is more of a soul food restaurant than it is a barbecue one. But it’s an institution, having served Chapel Hill, NC for nearly 50 years after Mama Dip left Bill’s Barbecue to open her own restaurant. But the namesake passed away over 5 years ago and while her daughter Spring Council has kept the restaurant going, she is going to cash in on the land but still keep the brand going in a different business model.
In this episode of the Gravy podcast from the Southern Foodways Alliance, Leoneda Inge visits the restaurant to learn what’s next. She speaks with Spring and Spring’s daughter Erika, who along with many of her sisters are carrying on the Mama Dip’s legacy in slightly different ways from their grandmother.
North Carolina has lost another classic barbecue joint; Smiley’s Lexington BBQ officially closed this past weekend as a result of the NC DOT widening of Winston Road. Restaurant owner Steve Yountz and his wife, Tena, have no official plans to relocate the restaurant as of now but are not ruling it out either, depending on how much money they get from the state. For now, they are going to take some time to evaluate their options.
The building housing Smiley’s has been a barbecue restaurant for over 70 years and according to Yountz, ““It’s the oldest pit-cooking restaurant in Lexington. We’re still using the original pits.” Before Yountz opened Smiley’s in 2002, it operated as Southern Barbecue from 1963 to 1998 and started as Dan’s in the 1950’s.
This NC DOT project, first announced in 2018 and not set to begin until July 2023, actually has two victims as Speedy’s Barbecue the next block over is also closing due to the road widening.
Through the Preserve the Pit fellowship, Ron Simmons of Master Blend Farms in Kenansville was able to add 56 acres to his family farm and add barbecue catering as a side gig
Congrats to Garren and Kelly from Jon G’s, who 2 years ago on Sunday closed on the former Barbee’s Barbecue location, which they would open in June 2020 just a few months into the pandemic
Non-Native News
Texas barbecue James Beard semifinalists
Congrats to Damien Brockway of Distant Relatives, Quy Hoang of Blood Bros BBQ, Esaul Ramos of 2M Smokehouse, and Ernest Servantes & David Kirkland of Burnt Bean Co. for being named James Beard semifinalists for best chef (Texas). TX BBQ, baby! https://t.co/WFnGUkHJc7
Should we call this the Memphis Airport Barbecue Challenge?
Here's the challenge: I have limited carry-on luggage space and 4 gallon-sized freezer bags to fill with #barbecue before I go to the #Memphis airport. Where should I go and what should I get?
A trio of John Tanner Barbecue stories on NC barbecue joints – Rick’s Smokehouse, The Barbecue Center, and Midwood Smokehouse – including where I (Monk) was able to meet up with him in Charlotte. I enjoyed a meal with John – he got the pork combo platter and I got the brisket – on the patio at the Park Road location of Midwood Smokehouse a few weeks back on a warm October weekday. John certainly has his bona fides when it comes to barbecue – he is a certified True ‘Cue Inspector for the Virginia and DC Metro area and has an impressive archive of reviews over at John Tanner’s Barbecue Blog – and is an even nicer man to boot. I enjoyed our lunch conversation that ranged from barbecue to NASCAR to John Coltrane. Be sure to check out his blog and like his Facebook page.
Native News
Blues on Franklin gives Chapel Hill a new barbecue option owned by three generation of Tar Heels
A new BBQ restaurant has opened on Franklin Street — touted as being owned by three generations of Tar Heels.https://t.co/UK30OuaRe3
Southern Culture on the Skids (or “SCOTS” for short) are a band from Chapel Hill, NC who while I was in high school were best known (to me at least) for their live shows where at various points they would pass around a large aluminum pan of banana pudding (during their song “Banana Puddin'”, naturally) and buckets of fried chicken. This song appears on their 1994 album Ditch Diggin’ as well as the 2013 re-recording of the album called Dig This.
Lyrics: I got too much pork for just one fork Won’t you pass that apple pie I got a-too much pork for just one fork Oh won’t you pass that apple pie
I said hey mister rhythm, mister rhythm is king He killed the pig with a tambourine Everybody got happy, everybody got glad Till the weather turned warm And that pig went bad
I got too much pork for just one fork Won’tcha pass that apple pie I got too much pork for just one fork Won’tcha pass that apple pie
Now don’t you worry Everybody here’s gonna get paid Ah don’t you worry That’s what the boss man say I gotta too much pork for just one fork Too much pork
I said, hey mister rhythm, mister rhythm is king He killed the pig with a tambourine Everybody got happy, everybody got glad Till the weather turned warm And that pig went bad
I got too much pork for just one fork Won’tcha pass that apple pie? I got too much pork for just one fork Won’tcha pass that apple pie Hey don’t you worry Everybody here’s gonna get paid Yeah don’t you worry Everybody here’s gonna get laid I got too much pork for just one fork Too much ham for just one jam I got too much sow for just one bow Hey babe I’m talkin’ pig oh honey can you dig I got too much, too much, too much, too much Too much pork I got too much, too much, too much, too much Too much pork
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