Clyde Cooper's BBQ / Raleigh, NC

As a die-hard BBQ traditionalist, it's super tough for me to give a whole lotta love to barbecue joints that do not cook their pork over wood. That said, I have to admit that there are a handful of gas/electric cookers that deserve respect in offering up a solid sandwich and one of those is the historic Clyde Cooper's BBQ.

After nearly 90 years in downtown Raleigh, Cooper's moved just around the corner from my house in North Raleigh (dangerous, I know), taking up residence in a former Shell gas station that recently housed the horrendous Red Hot & Poo - sorry - Blue.

Cooper's opened quickly in January and decided they needed to do a little additional renovations (and maybe exorcise the previous bad 'cue ju-ju stank of the previous tenant). They reopened today and I figured I'd stop by for a sandwich to see if the old-school magic followed them up Falls of Neuse Road from Wilmington Street.

They're still working out some of the kinks and plan on expanding their dining areas by enclosing the two gas pump porticos ––one will be indoor dining and the other will be a big screened porch (!). They do not have their alcohol sales license in place yet, but when they do they will be offering N.C. beers which makes me quite happy.

Piled high (and I mean high) on a traditional hamburger bun, the meat can't help but tumble out from between the top and bottom bread pieces while unwrapping the sandwich from the red checkered paper. It's stuffed with pork, making this a great value. One could probably make a second sandwich with an extra bun if they wanted. I mean, they do not scrimp on the portions.

What Cooper's pork lacks in smokiness, it more than makes up for it in flavor and tenderness. It's got a great balance between the vinegar and a wee little bit of heat, so it's not overbearing or strong on the intake. It could maybe use a tad more spiciness, but that's far from being a deal-breaker on enjoying this sandwich.

I would have preferred a touch more slaw than what I had. It was tasty and chopped to my liking, just not a lot so it was overpowered by all that meat. And the slaw was not spread evenly which made some bites crunchier/sweeter than others. Again, not a deal-breaker.

Overall, Cooper's continues to provide one of the better barbecue sandwiches in Raleigh, far outshining several of the Capital City "brobecue" hipster joints that offer way overpriced and way underwhelming fare.

I'm content to communicate that Clyde Cooper's keeps its classic 'cue cooking –– and currently around the corner. Cool. 8/10

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Clyde Cooper's BBQ.

1326 East Millbrook Road

Raleigh, NC 27609