Ray Nathan's: Barbecue With Soul

Have you ever had barbecue so good you go back twice in one week? Say hello to Ray Nathan’s.

Tucked quietly between Belmont and Gastonia, on the border of a sleepy little town most have never heard of, is the kind of place where everyone knows your name. Literally serving up Grandma’s Banana Pudding, this down-home barbecue spot is the perfect mashup of homemade and hometown spirit.

Invited by the team behind Ray Nathan’s, we tried everything the menu could throw at us. From the brisket to the pork, our table was full of smoked perfection, and when it comes to the scratch-made sides all we can say is good luck only choosing one or two. With incredible options like mac-n-cheese, potato salad, and brunswick stew, the combinations are endless, and the flavor potential is absolutely infinite.

And we haven’t even mentioned dessert.

As if the in-house sides weren’t enough, Ray Nathan’s banana pudding is a life-changing secret weapon hiding on their dessert menu. Steeped in 70+ years of family tradition, this pudding is full of soul, full of love, and literally feels like an open invitation to join the family. One bite in and we nearly broke down in tears it was so good, and that doesn’t happen often.

All-in-all the Carolinas are known for their various breeds of barbecue, and it’s been great to see the resurgence of smoked meat in Charlotte, but good barbecue isn’t only about smoked meat. There has to be soul. From the meat and the sides, to the people behind Ray Nathan’s with their stories and history, it’s nice to have a place that has held onto that hometown vibe that makes barbecue so special.