As a lifelong North Carolinian, I consider myself a barbecue connoisseur. I grew up in Eastern North Carolina, where barbecue is dressed in a spicy vinegar-based sauce, but I love all kinds of roasted pork, which I consider a staple of southern cuisine. When my husband and I moved to Charlotte years ago, I set out on a quest to find the best barbecue restaurant in the area. Following are my opinions of where to find the city’s best barbecue and side items, rated on an Olympic-medal scale:

Bronze: The Improper Pig
Located in the heart of Cotswold, The Improper Pig describes itself as the “portal to the barbecue explorer’s world.” On the table you’ll find assorted barbecue sauces to dress up your meat, ranging in style from the vinegar-based Eastern North Carolina to the mustard-based South Carolina, and creative others including a delicious hoisin that is my personal favorite. What really separates this barbecue joint from the rest, though, are the inventive appetizers and side dishes. Start out your meal with a “Southern egg roll” stuffed with collards and sweet potatoes, or the “Improper Nachos,” homemade chips covered in housemade pimento cheese, scallions, and smoked chicken or pork. Forego the usual barbecue sides of baked beans and slaw and opt instead for jalapeño cheese grits and black-eyed pea salad. And, their logo is a pig sporting a top hat and monocle. Pretty proper.

Silver: Midwood Smokehouse
Midwood Smokehouse has two locations, the original in Plaza Midwood and a newer location in Ballantyne. The barbecue is smoky delicious, and they have a Cheerwine-based sauce. If you don’t know what Cheerwine is, go to a convenient store immediately and buy a bottle of this soft drink, which was created in the small town of Salisbury, northeast of Charlotte. Food Lion also makes a delicious storebrand Cheerwine sherbet, but I digress. The best thing about Midwood Smokehouse: their Barbecue baked beans, which are just the right amount of spicy and mixed with tender pork. If you like heat, add a side of bacon-wrapped jalapeños.

Gold: Moe’s Original Barbecue
Okay, Moe’s is actually in downtown Matthews, but just over the South Charlotte line. In my opinion, Moe’s has the absolute best roasted pork in the Charlotte Metropolitan area. I’m a fan of sauces, but Moe’s barbecue is so good you don’t need it. The meat is tender and the smokiness is just right—you definitely know it’s there, but it doesn’t overpower the taste. Did I mention tender? Yes—I can’t emphasize that aspect enough. Moe’s has all of the traditional side dishes daily, which include a fantastic vinegar-based slaw and a creamy potato salad, and if you like sweets, banana pudding is always offered as a side. There are rotating special sides throughout the week—if you’re there when they offer beer-braised cabbage, you’ve picked the right day, and their fried corn and black-bean salad are also pretty tasty. My favorite special side, though, is their Mississippi mud pie—I can’t speak highly enough of a place that consistently offers a dessert as a side option, but I have a sweet tooth. Enjoy!