Skylight Inn BBQ

As far as eastern bbq goes this is one of the best. Smoky flavor, yum, but can be dry at times; and the best part for me is the crispy cracklings in the bbq. Worst part is getting a pieces of fat.

On our way back from the coast, we took a last-​minute detour to Ayden to see if the barbecue at the legendary Skylight Inn is all it’s cracked up to be. We’d already eaten, so we got a pound of barbecue, with pint of slaw and bread to go. I’m pleased to report that the barbecue is fantastic, some of the best in the state. Moist, tender, with great flavor and some oak smoke. Five stars for the Q.
The sweet slaw was very good other than being far too sweet — as you might expect with a name like sweet slaw. Three stars for the slaw. The «bread» is a dense slab of very old-​school cornbread. Like the occasional times when I make cornbread and forget to add leavening. It has good flavor and thankfully isn’t sweet. Four stars.
The barbecue sauce was great, what little we could try of it. Unfortunately they don’t supply to-​go containers for it, so I was just able to squirt a little from the bottle on a table into the q container. There were some bottles of bbq sauce for sale, but they were from the son’s place, Sam Jones BBQ, with the verboten word «sweet» on the label, apparently not a traditional eastern NC BBQ sauce. What little I could try of the Skylight Inn’s sauce was nice and vinegary and loaded with both red and black pepper.
Ayden isn’t on the way to anywhere, but for any NC BBQ lover it’s worth the pilgrimage to the Skylight Inn!

I have no other reason to go to Ayden besides that Skylight Inn BBQ is on the NC BBQ Trail. Thankfully, my special trip out to Ayden just to visit Skylight Inn was not a disappointment.
I tried their whole hog BBQ tray, which came with cole slaw and what they called bread (I’ll explain later).
The pork was juicy, smoky, and overall delicious. The vinegar sauce that they had on the tables was incredible. I liked that they had the right amount of vinegar and peppery-​ness, with a hint of heat and sweetness. The sauce was the star of the meal, in my opinion. This is probably the only place I’ve been to that mixes in the pork rinds with the pulled pork. It gives the meat a different flavor and slightly different texture. Even though it wasn’t something I was used to, I was actually pleasantly surprised by it. Take that for what it’s worth — if you don’t like pork rinds, you may not like it, but I enjoyed it.
The cole slaw was solid — nothing spectacular, but they did it well.
The bread was cornmeal-​based, and felt more like a dense cake. The taste had hints of hushpuppies in it, since it was cornmeal-​based, but the texture was dense, with a slightly crusty exterior, and firm but chewy in the middle. I hadn’t had anything quite like it before, and it was a little strange, but it wasn’t terrible enough for me to not eat it. It balanced out the meat and slaw relatively well.
I also tried their sweet tea (free drink with Unilocal check-​in!), which they do well.
It’s a fast-​casual restaurant where you order at the register, and find your own table. The pricing is reasonable, and the restaurant seemed pretty well-​kept for an older BBQ restaurant. It is cash only, though.
Overall, it was a great BBQ experience, and I’m glad I drove a bit out of the way to stop in Ayden and check out Skylight Inn.

Awesome! The BBQ was really great and the little pieces of skin are what makes it good. I don’t care for the cornbread. The slaw was good and not too sweet. I personally enjoyed the sweet BBQ sauce over the vinegar. Now they have baked beans. Oh my! Those beans are the best ever. Highly recommend everyone try this place at least once.

The wood fire entices you before you walk in the door. The pork barbecue is juicy with crisp bits of skin. I wasn’t sure I’d like the skin, but it’s very good! The coleslaw is crisp and fresh with a smooth flavor.
The only downfall is we’ve never arrived early enough to try the chicken. They always sell out before we get there, and I’m not a fan of the cornbread, it’s tough consistency makes it mediocre in my opinion.
Even so the barbecue is worth 5 stars and is certainly worth the 45 minute drive!

Glad we made that trip. Loved the bbq and slaw. Still trying to figure out what I think about the corn bread. Corn bread made me think more of polenta. The best thing about the bbq was the crispy little skins mixed into it.

Maybe we caught them on a bad day or something. Was not at all impressed. Drove over an hour after seeing it on Food Network. Not sure what the hype was about. Pork was average. Chicken was tasty. Cole slaw was bland. ‘Corn bread’ had no taste. Service was super friendly.

Believe the hype. We were worried this was going to turn out to be one of those «establishment» places that’s just been around so long that everyone convinces themselves it’s good but, yay! not the case here! Whole hog BBQ, with the cracklin’s mixed in and vinegar sauce on the tables. Totally worth the two hour drive! Coleslaw is sweetish and mayo based (FYI if you’re looking for vinegar slaw) and the cornbread is pretty good but definitely different than like, fluffy buttermilk cornbread. Double thumbs up!

There is always an adventure to be found while taking a road trip. Smoked whole hog eastern North Carolina BBQ since 1947. What more need one say. You can have pork (or chicken). Cole slaw. Southern corn bread. Or have the tray. You don’t need more than that.

Few things are better than a BBQ sandwhich (with slaw, of course!) from Pete Jones BBQ.

Believe the hype!
Tom and I have sampled the pork from Skylight Inn twice before during the Big Apple BBQ block party in 2013 & 2014. However, since we were driving down to Orlando, we decided to go whole hog and get the whole hog direct from the source. Wood-​smoked, chopped and topped with a vinegar based sauce, we both agreed this is some of the best pork we’ve ever had. Oh, and their BBQ chicken, coleslaw and corn cake (super dense bread?) are only very good. ;)
Pro tip: Come here for lunch and get takeout for dinner!

I had the whole hog bbq tray… Tray of BBQ pork, tray of slaw & topped with a thick slice of corn bread all for $ 6.50. Free drink refills too! Plenty food! Guy in front of you in the kitchen has 2 meat cleavers chopping up all the pork !! If your in he area it’s a must stop place!

I had to get on the laptop to write this review. I was so happy that I was able to visit the Skylight Inn and eat there. It has been on my bucket list of places I want to eat for awhile. My husband only has Wednesdays off. I gave him advanced notice that I wanted to go and we took a little staycation in NC. They aren’t just the self-​proclaimed «BBQ Capital of the World.» They are. Well for NC BBQ. We drove through Kinston, veered right on Old NC 11 and not a mile down the road on the left there it was.
The white capital top of the Skylight Inn. It was as though I was a child again on a school trip the excitement that I felt. I reviewed my husband’s ordering options with him again. Husband: «What do they have on the menu?» Me: BBQ, cornbread (Not Jiffy. Old fashion, hearty, not sweet), and coleslaw. They may have dessert. Husband: «What other sides?» Me: «No.» Husband: «No, hushpuppies or beans?» Me: Nope.
With that, I jump out the car and arrive at the door in .2 seconds. I open the door and the unassuming layout looks just like on the various TV shows. To my right, there are pictures of presidents that have signed pictures and other people. I was too busy to care. I was there! I seem to have a knack for arriving after the rush and we were second in line to order. We looked at the simple menu (Why you ask? Of course I KNEW WHAT WAS ON THERE but there are sizes to choose from).
Bruce Jones, the current owner and son of the founder, was right in front of me. I recognized his face but wasn’t sure as I was too busy looking at the menu to pull it together and ask for a picture. They recommended a small since we were trying it. HA! I wanted to ask for a LARGE but being a lady I settled on medium. My husband copied me. $ 6.50 each. BBQ, coleslaw, and cornbread. I received a free drink for checking in with Unilocal!SCORE. We ordered a small for my five-​year-​old. Mr. Jones had it ready as we completed the order.
We sat down, blessed the food, and dove in. Oh my goodness. It was so lovely. I think I hummed. I looked at the wall and saw a James Beard Medallion! They won a James Beard. My husband was in love. I’ve seen that look of awe and admiration on his face before. He started talking to me, but I couldn’t respond. I didn’t need cornbread or slaw. I just ate more and more succulent, moist, smokey, tender, and juicy deliciousness. The crispy skin that was also chopped into the meat was a wonderful textural element that made me wonder why others don’t do this typically. Then we added their sauce. It is vinegar based with peppers. Hubby usually hates any heat and he was pouring it over the meat. My little one took one bite of cornbread and didn’t eat another. He doesn’t like coleslaw. I didn’t pay him any attention sadly until I noticed I was done with my portion. My husband was on his last ¼th and my son had a full plate. I snuck pieces off my preschooler’s plate. When his father looked up he noticed I was done. Surprisingly, as I never finish anything when we go out. My son had begun to eat his too. He told us to leave his plate alone.
My husband got back on line and ordered a BBQ sandwich (for research, lol) as well as a pound of pork to go. We should have gotten two. It $ 11 for a pound. This is turning into a blog post versus review so I’ll wrap it up. We met Mike «Chopper.» Who chops the meat with cleavers made just for him. We were able to hold and inspect one. It’s heavy and he uses two simultaneously. We also saw the BBQ pit, met the Pitmaster, and saw whole hogs (my husband told me to not say pigs) slow roasting. It is hot in there. Their fireplace has recently been redone. I had read and seen on TV that it was done every year or year and a half due to the heat. It was an awesome visit and we will be back.
NOTE:
On Thursday — Saturday they also serve chicken. ¼ and a ½.
They also have skins (pork rinds) available for $ 3

BABBQBP 2015: chopped whole hog sandwich with coleslaw for $ 9 was damn superb.
«The self-​proclaimed „barbecue capital of the world“ is run by the Jones family, whose minimalist method hasn’t changed since 1947: whole hogs cooked all night in open brick pits fired with shovelfuls of oak coals. The finished meat is seasoned with salt, cider vinegar, and Texas Pete hot sauce on the chopping block. The skin is chopped right in for a little extra crunch. Accompaniments are simple: white slaw and a square of cornbread. Trust me, that’s all you’ll need.»
Featured in ‘Cooked’ by Michael Pollan.

Came for lunch around 2 on Saturday and wait was minimal. Bbq is best I’ve ever had as the flavor is just so good and with the skin bits in it omg! The table sauce was perfect and the slaw was sweet basic slaw. The corn cake was yum and good sweet tea. Lots of future visits ahead
Cash only

Delicious blended hog meat with crispy skin bits, cornbread, coleslaw — simple and classic! The strawberry cake was also so delicious that I ate half of my boyfriend’s too — they only use local strawberries!
I was very impressed that Chase took the time to give us a personal tour of the pits, the fridge, the firewood area, and the mobile pit truck.
The experience was worth the hour and twenty min drive from Raleigh. Great food and warm hospitality!

Oh yes!
They run out of things around lunchtime, so by 5 PM, it really was a matter of «how big a portion» of pork do we want? We wanted large. (We really also wanted to try the ribs and the chicken, but to no avail…)
Flavorful, vinegar-​based NC BBQ. Tasty slaw. Cornbread that was really like a solid version of polenta. No added sweetners. Nothing unnatural about it.
I love the simple little no-​frills shack and the friendly staff who work there.
I loved the back roads that get you there.
Simple, delicious, friendly. Just the way I like my barbecue.

Items Selected:
Chopped Pork
Slaw
Cornbread
Located in Ayden North Carolina, a town of just under 5000, and serving up what many have called the best North Carolina style whole pig barbecue since it was known as Pete Jones BBQ one could say that Skylight Inn is one of those places that needs to be experienced in order to be understood, and traveling to Raleigh from Virginia Beach «The Capital of Barbecue» turned out to be everything that was promised — all along a small residential roadside, beneath a white dome, with fields and a collard greens stand nearby.
Small in size, with rickety tables and modest décor consisting largely of local photos and a few awards, our arrival at Skylight Inn occurred just steps behind a small party of locals as well as officers from the State Highway Patrol, and waiting our turn in line as country music was interrupted by the «chop, chop, chop» of cleavers behind the counter the ordering process was simple — one plate of chopped pork beneath a layer of slaw and savory cornbread, two unsweetened teas, and another wedge of cornbread bagged to go.
Featuring Chicken on weekends, and ribs as well as porkrinds in limited quantities, but largely focused on the old adage «do one thing and do it right,» it should probably go without saying that with 50+ years in the business and crowds gathering for such a small menu the pork is indeed «destination worthy» meat and with light vinegar notes pleasantly balanced by the sweet slaw an ample amount of crispy skin adds plenty of crunch and brine to each bite while the protein itself is smooth, supple, and moist without being ‘wet,’ a similar statement applicable to the toothsome cornbread which features a slight flex before it breaks — a best bite made by a drizzle of Texas Pete, a bit of slaw, and plenty of meat eaten sandwich style between a halved slice.

Congratulations to this temple of NC Eastern style BBQ for being the choice as «The Most Iconic Restaurant» in North Carolina by Thrillist. Seems right to me!

I hold the following truths as self-​evident:
— That Pork, and only Pork is involved in Barbeque. (I enjoy (and even produce) a mean Brisket every now and then — but alas, Beef is not Pork, and therefore not Barbeque)
— That Whole Hog is superior to Picnic/​Shoulder/​Boston Butt alone when it comes to Barbeque.
— That the natural qualitative place of sauces begins at the top with a simple vinegar/​pepper solution, followed by an unsweet tomato-​based sauce, with the mustard-​based sauces holding up the bottom.
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My mild and gentle opinions expressed, I now begin (as unworthy as I may be to do so) my «review» of the Skylight Inn.
The sandwich itself presents the perfect triumverate of all that is good. At center stage is the whole-​hog barbeque itself. the complete union of our porcine pal, celestial slaw, and beneficent bun (getting my illiteration out of the way early) presents itself on the palate much as a tiding comforts the weary wanderer.
OK — seriously. The pilgrimage to Skylight Inn is one that the cognoscenti either have, or are planning to embark upon. It’s conveniently located near NoWhere, NC. You’re not going to find yourself just «driving by» — it WILL be your destination, and once you arrive, it’s very likely that the way you came will be the way you go back. Nonetheless, you make the trip because it is a rare opportunity to eat the barbeque our founding fathers themselves ate prior to licking their fingers. It IS the old-​school method, and it’s alive and well here — in its simplest and unadulterated form.
Naysayers can summarily be dismissed.
As you can see, I’ve tried hard to give a middle-​of-​the road write-​up here. It’s been hard to remain unbiased, but I did my best.
:)
p. s. — check out the pictures!