Clyde Cooper's Barbeque

The overview

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.

The public record

What reviewers already knew.

A Centurion Award doesn’t replace the public record — it verifies it. Read it for yourself, on the platforms where it lives.

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Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.

The verification

Why this business cleared the bar.

Selection is by the published criteria, evaluated on public evidence. Clyde Cooper's Barbeque cleared every one.

✓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 full verification report — the specific data behind this award — is held by the business. The exact thresholds stay internal so the bar can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.

Award record

2025

Best Barbecue in Raleigh Raleigh, NC · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation

All awards for Clyde Cooper's Barbeque →

Visit Clyde Cooper's Barbeque

Websiteclydecoopersbbq.com ↗

Location1326 E Millbrook Rd, Raleigh, NC 27609

In business since1938

Find them onFacebook · Instagram · Tripadvisor · Yelp

Facts at a glance

The sourceable record.

Clean, checkable facts about Clyde Cooper's Barbeque — for readers, search engines, and answer tools alike.

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 Clyde Cooper's Barbeque cleared the 2025 evaluation for its market and category. It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — the criteria are public, only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. For everything else — hours, bookings, live reviews — go straight to the business itself.

Quick answers

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.