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The Barbecue Center in uptown opened in 1955 . The business started as the Dairy Center across the street .
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The city takes pride in its barbecue tradition . Along Main Street , life-size pig statues line the sidewalks . The Candy Factory pig bears peppermint stripes , the car wash pig buries himself in a bubble bath , and at Christmas , three caroling pigs sit in front of a lighted tree .
In late October , as many as 200,000 people fill uptown Lexington for the annual Barbecue Festival . More than 400 vendors sell a variety of arts and crafts , and top entertainers perform free concerts . The star of the show — traditional Lexington-style barbecue with red slaw — fills sandwiches and trays . This year ’ s Barbecue Festival takes place Saturday , Oct . 28 . In the spring , the BBQ Capital Cook-Off brings pit masters from across the country to compete in an event sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society .
While many modern barbecue restaurants are tempted to take shortcuts , alter their cooking practices , or settle for lesser quality , Lexington ’ s barbecue institutions maintain a commitment to tradition and a premium product . Lexington Barbecue — the restaurant , not the style — flags down travelers with its oversize red-lettered sign . Inside , three generations of the Monk family carry on a tradition of quick service and consistent barbecue . Trays , plates and sandwiches packed with pork fly out of the kitchen . Bottomless baskets of hush puppies accompany chopped and sliced barbecue with welcome bits of crispy outside brown .
The Barbecue Center in uptown opened in 1955 . The business started as the Dairy Center across the street . It introduced barbecue to boost profits in the winter when ice cream sales slowed .
Owned and operated by the Conrad family , the Center offers dine-in and curb service . Those in the know save room for an enormous banana split , overflowing with three scoops of ice cream , chocolate syrup , whipped cream , wet walnuts and a cherry .
Locals hold strong allegiances to their favorite joints . They often debate which has the juiciest meat or the fluffiest hush puppies . But the constant in each restaurant is the warm hospitality — the welcome smile when you walk in , the waitress who remembers your order , and the , “ See y ’ all next time ,” when you step out the door .
To plan your trip to Lexington and eat your fill of barbecue , go to www . VisitLexingtonNC . com or call ( 866 ) 604-2389 .