In 1989, Danny Thompson and his family moved to Cary, North Carolina after living in Jacksonville, Florida for more than 40 years. Obviously, it was a big adjustment—especially because they couldn't find the hickory-smoked barbecue they were accustomed to eating. So instead of asking friends in Florida stuff pulled pork into envelopes and mail it to them, the Thompsons did what anyone would do: they opened their own barbecue joint.

Today, Danny's Bar-B-Que can be found in Durham, Morrisville, and Cary. At each location, chefs slow-cook chicken, ribs, brisket, and turkey over an open pit, sometimes for as long as 13 hours. Bottles of the family's original sauces line the tables in each dining room, where guests devour the smoky meats alongside homemade cole slaw, texas toast, and baked beans studded with pork.