Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque

Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue is one of the oldest continuously operating barbecue institutions in North Carolina — a family-founded restaurant serving authentic Eastern Carolina-style barbecue in Raleigh, NC, since 1938. Nearly 90 years of continuous operation make Clyde Cooper’s a genuine cornerstone of NC barbecue history — with generations of Raleigh residents and Southern-food enthusiasts building traditions around the restaurant’s slow-cooked pork shoulders, vinegar-based sauce, and classic Southern sides.

After nearly 90 years at its iconic downtown location on East Davie Street, Clyde Cooper’s relocated to a new home in the Quail Corners Shopping Center (1326 E Millbrook Rd) in late 2025 / early 2026. The move preserves the traditional recipes, cooking techniques, and Eastern NC barbecue tradition that have defined the restaurant since 1938 — while giving the operation a modernized space and updated infrastructure for its next chapter.

Be sure to check out the pictures below to get a feel for Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue before you go — or to relive the visit afterward (note that the pictures below were taken at the historic downtown Raleigh location).

Authentic Eastern Carolina-Style Barbecue Since 1938

Clyde Cooper’s has served traditional Eastern Carolina-style barbecue for nearly nine decades. The style — distinguished by its thin, tangy, vinegar-based sauce and slow-cooked whole hog or pork shoulder preparation — is one of the two major regional NC barbecue traditions (alongside Western/Lexington-style with its ketchup and vinegar sauce), and Clyde Cooper’s is one of the longest-operating restaurants dedicated to keeping the Eastern tradition alive in the Triangle.

The kitchen’s centerpiece is the chopped BBQ pork — smoked over low heat until it falls apart, then hand-chopped and served with the classic vinegar-and-pepper sauce that defines Eastern Carolina ‘cue. Alongside the pork, the menu features a rotating cast of classic Southern sides that have earned their own following over the decades.

Cheerwine Baked Beans, Hush Puppies, and Southern Sides

The sides deserve their own recognition. Crispy hush puppies — a Southern staple — anchor the side lineup, joined by classic Southern collard greens, coleslaw, and other traditional accompaniments. But the genuine standout is the Cheerwine baked beans — the restaurant’s signature side made with the beloved NC-born cherry-flavored soft drink Cheerwine (originally created in Salisbury, NC in 1917). The Cheerwine adds a distinctive sweet-tart note that transforms classic baked beans into something genuinely NC-specific — and reflects the same commitment to regional heritage that has defined Clyde Cooper’s since 1938.

The full menu includes sandwiches, plates, and family-size take-home orders — with generations of Raleigh families making the restaurant part of their standing weekly or monthly traditions.

Good to Know

Current location: 1326 E Millbrook Road (Quail Corners Shopping Center), Raleigh, NC 27609
Previous location: East Davie Street in downtown Raleigh — Clyde Cooper’s operated at the downtown location for nearly 90 years before relocating to Quail Corners in late 2025 / early 2026
Founded: 1938 (nearly nine decades of continuous operation)
BBQ style: Traditional Eastern Carolina-style — thin vinegar-based sauce; slow-cooked pork shoulder or whole hog
Signature dish: Chopped BBQ pork with vinegar-based Eastern NC sauce
Signature side: Cheerwine baked beans (made with the NC-born cherry-flavored soft drink Cheerwine)
Other menu highlights: Hush puppies, collard greens, coleslaw, other classic Southern sides; sandwiches, plates, family-size takeout orders
Historical significance: One of the oldest continuously operating barbecue restaurants in North Carolina; a genuine cornerstone of Eastern NC barbecue tradition in the Triangle
Hours: Check the Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque website for current hours at the new Quail Corners location
Best for: NC barbecue enthusiasts (especially Eastern-style fans), Southern food lovers, families building weekend traditions around classic barbecue, and visitors curious about NC’s regional barbecue heritage
Pair with: Other Raleigh food and beverage stops like Brewery Bhavana, Burial Beer Co. Raleigh Taproom, Birdie’s Barroom & Kitchen, or Buffalo Brothers of Lake Boone, plus a downtown Raleigh museum day at the North Carolina State Capitol, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the North Carolina Museum of Art, or the City of Raleigh Museum

A Raleigh Highlight

Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque is the kind of stop that stays with you for the sheer weight of NC barbecue heritage packed into a single restaurant. Nearly 90 years of continuous operation make it one of the oldest barbecue institutions in the state — and one of the longest-operating dedicated Eastern Carolina-style restaurants anywhere in the Triangle. Whether you’re a lifelong NC barbecue fan or a first-time visitor to the state’s regional ‘cue traditions, Clyde Cooper’s offers a genuine benchmark for what Eastern-style vinegar barbecue actually tastes like when it’s made right.

The Cheerwine baked beans are the wonderful editorial anchor. In an NC food scene where every barbecue restaurant offers some variation on baked beans, finding a signature side made with the beloved Salisbury-born Cheerwine soft drink is genuinely singular — a small but meaningful detail that reflects the same regional-heritage commitment that has kept Clyde Cooper’s essential to Raleigh for nine decades. The recent relocation to Quail Corners preserves that tradition for the restaurant’s next chapter.