STOP 5: Prime Smokehouse
Bring your appetite for melt-in-your-mouth brisket, savory Southern sides, and clever crafted cocktails at The Prime Smokehouse. There’s something for everyone on their extensive menu, though it’s especially pleasing for barbecue lovers. Here, owner Ed Wiley, Jr. uses a dry rub and vinegar sauce on his brisket and cooks it low and slow over indirect heat. The result is a plate of barbecue that will make you believe in a higher power. Locals return regularly for the jolly vibe, especially on nights they host local and touring jazz musicians—an homage to jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, who was born and reared in Rocky Mount.