Clyde Cooper's Barbeque
Best Barbecue in Raleigh · NC
Eastern North Carolina 'cue since 1938
Clyde Cooper's has served Eastern North Carolina barbecue in downtown Raleigh since 1938 — chopped, vinegar-and-pepper-dressed whole-hog pork with Brunswick stew, hush puppies, and banana pudding on the side. It's one of the oldest continuously operating barbecue joints in the state capital.
A downtown institution that carried its recipes and regulars through a move to a new address, Clyde Cooper's remains the standard-bearer for the plainspoken, no-sauce-needed Eastern style.
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Clyde Cooper's Barbeque met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Raleigh since 1938 — 87 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Raleigh.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Raleigh has kept Clyde Cooper's Barbeque busy for 87 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Raleigh regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best barbecue in Raleigh for 2025 for whole-hog Eastern North Carolina barbecue served continuously since 1938.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Barbecue in Raleigh Raleigh, NC · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit Clyde Cooper's Barbeque
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Clyde Cooper's Barbeque.
- Legal / trading name
- Clyde Cooper's Barbeque
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1938, Raleigh, NC
- Location
- Raleigh, NC
- Centurion Award
- Best Barbecue in Raleigh — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for Clyde Cooper's Barbeque against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Clyde Cooper's Barbeque?
Serving chopped Eastern NC barbecue since 1938, Cooper's is one of the state's longest-running barbecue institutions.
Is Clyde Cooper's Barbeque award-winning?
Yes — Clyde Cooper's Barbeque is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Barbecue in Raleigh, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best barbecue in Raleigh for 2025 for whole-hog Eastern North Carolina barbecue served continuously since 1938.
Where is Clyde Cooper's Barbeque?
Clyde Cooper's Barbeque is in Raleigh, NC.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.