The Pit

The Pit cooks whole-hog, pit-cooked barbecue in downtown Raleigh’s Warehouse District, on West Davie Street. The pork is free-range and smoked over the pit, and it arrives with the barbecue staples and sides you would expect from an Eastern North Carolina kitchen.

The setting is smart-casual, and there is a bar, a terrace, and private dining space for groups. Greg Hatem is the pitmaster and owner, and the restaurant treats the state’s barbecue tradition as something to carry forward. Menus are posted for anyone deciding before they arrive.

What to know

• The Michelin Guide recommends it and named it to the NC 101 list of essential barbecue spots.
• Food Network Magazine, The New York Times, and The Daily Meal have all written about it.
• The kitchen caters, and the team books private events on site.
• Reservations and online ordering are available, and the restaurant sells gift cards.
• It runs a newsletter and accepts donation requests from local causes.