On a recent roadtrip in the south, my family found ourselves on I-95. We had made plans to stop in Savannah, GA for dinner but, we had only made it part way through South Carolina and we were starving. So we reluctantly took the next exit:57 to Walterboro, SC and happened upon some of the best southern food of our lives. Oh my lawd! You have to go here. We joked that we were moving to Walterboro just so we could eat Duke’s everyday, grow to be enormous and happy. Follow the signs for “real food” at Duke’s Barbecue or GPS it:
949 Robertson Blvd, Walterboro, SC 29488
They are open Wednesday-Sunday. They open for lunch at 11.
They have a take-out menu. But, you’d be cheating yourself. Come hungry, wear your “chubby pants,” and get the all you can eat buffet.
They have all the southern favorites you know and love-macaroni, slaw, okra, fried chicken, banana pudding, and of course pork. There’s a variety of BBQ sauces to choose from. There’s mustard/vinegar based, sweet, spicy, and smokey. I liked every one I tried.
You’ll also find collard greens, butter beans, stewed tomatoes, and potato salad. I’d say that it’s like your mom used to make but, let’s be honest-it’s better. This restaurant ended up being one of the highlights of our trip.
You’ll know you are in the right place because there’s a pink concrete statue of a pig in front of the building and there’s a pile of firewood in the back.
It’s not a fancy set up. You’ll fill your own Styrofoam cup with sweet tea. There’s a loaf of white Wonderbread at each table. Seat yourself. It feels like you found a church picnic with the best cooks in the county in attendence. It is soul food heaven.