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Wilber’s in the News
Sixty-plus years of whole hog, from The New York Times to Our State. Click a story to read the article, watch the clip or hear the podcast.
Fresh off the pit
Latest coverage
Travelmag Oct 19, 2026
Wilber's Barbecue In Goldsboro Still Smokes Whole Hogs Over Hardwood Coals
“What I found was a plain-looking barbecue joint still cooking whole hogs the slow, old way, the way most places quit doing years ago. One plate in, I was already planning my next visit.”
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Family Vacations US Oct 10, 2026
This Eastern North Carolina BBQ Joint Still Cooks Whole Hogs
“Wilber’s Barbecue in Goldsboro has been cooking whole hogs slowly over hardwood coals since the 1960s, and they’re a must-try.”
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Fast Food Club Oct 5, 2026
The Oldest Barbecue Joint In North Carolina Is Still Chopping Pork In Goldsboro
“Some restaurants chase trends, and one spot on Highway 70 in Goldsboro has spent more than six decades ignoring them. Whole hogs still cook over hardwood coals on open pits here.”
Read →1984 to 2020
The archive
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2020
WRAL comes out to show the state that the institution of Wilber’s Barbecue is back!
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2020
Bob Garner visits the iconic Wilber’s Barbecue in Goldsboro which has re-opened to the delight of the community.
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2020
WRAL Out & About Podcast: Featuring Wilber’s Barbecue.
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2020
Opened in 1962 by Wilber Shirley, Wilber’s is one of the most famous barbecue joints in eastern North Carolina and one of the only to still cook its barbecue over hardwood coals in open air pits.
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2020
It really was about saving an institution,” Underwood told me. “Not only saving Wilber’s as a Goldsboro landmark but also for the state. We had a common theme of trying to save a part of North Carolina heritage.
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2016
At Wilber’s, the crew cooks whole hogs with the skin facing up, allowing grease from the meat to drip on the coals and create that smoky flavor.
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2016
Wilber’s is one of the iconic representatives of the Eastern North Carolina barbecue style, and that means whole hogs cooked all-night over oak embers on open pits. The meat is hand chopped into small shreds and dressed with a spicy vinegar and pepper sauce.
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2015
Visited by presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Get the plate: moist, coarsely chopped whole hog, coleslaw, hush puppies, Brunswick stew.
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2012
I didn't realize it at the time, but we were eating some of the best barbecue in the country and, in my opinion, the best Eastern Carolina style barbecue whole hog smoked over an oakwood fire, chopped and dressed with a peppery vinegar sauce.
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2012
Wilber’s is one of only a handful of remaining restaurants anywhere in the eastern part of the state where barbecue is cooked entirely over hardwood coals.
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2011
The Big-Que Sandwich featured on the cover of Garden & Gun, June/July 2011 issue.
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2011
So, in order to help everyone navigate the world of great BBQ sandwiches (just in time for any Fourth of July roadtrips), we put together this handy Google map of the spots featured in the article.
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2011
Cooked over oak wood, the barbecue turned out by Wilber's is generally regarded as some of the best in the region. This is a look inside the operation.
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2011
In true Carolina tradition, Wilber's has been turning out stellar whole-hog barbecue since 1962.
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2011
Wilber's basks in its status as a community institution since 1962. Beachgoers make it a habitual stop, as do devotees of the wood-smoked pork (whose sauce thrums with extra zing), oblong hush puppies, and crispy fried chicken thighs.
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2011
Wilber's Barbecue has hosted many well-known personalities - including 2 NC Governors and 2 US Presidents - and has won many accolades for its barbecue, not only in NC, but all over the country.
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For many people the name Wilber’s and Eastern North Carolina barbecue are synonymous. Some people even refer to Eastern North Carolina barbecue as Wilber’s Barbecue.
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2009
The following morning, we set out east before the crack of dawn… when we rumbled off the highway and into the parking lot of the sprawling roadhouse at exactly 7 o’clock, three dozen cars had already crowded the lot.
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1995
…and Wilber's in Goldsboro, where the hog cooks all night and the meat is not considered done until it falls off the bone.
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1984
My final stop was at Wilber's in Goldsboro, a large dining room with a seating capacity of 315. The pork - whole pigs or hogs cut in half - are cooked directly over oak coals. The entire bill of fare from sandwiches to cole slaw was praisworthy.
Taste what they’re writing about.
Whole hogs, cooked all night over oak embers on open pits.
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