Elliott's BBQ Lounge Ranked #1 New Barbecue Joint in the South by Southern Living
Florence restaurant tops the magazine's 2026 list of best new barbecue joints, adding to a string of national accolades.
Southern Living Names Elliott Moss One of the "Next Barbecue Legends"
Florence, S.C. — September 10, 2026
Elliott's BBQ Lounge has been named the number one new barbecue joint in the South by Southern Living magazine, topping the publication's newly released biennial ranking of the best barbecue restaurants to open across the region since 2024. The list, compiled by Southern Living's contributing barbecue editor Robert Moss, was released this month.
The recognition continues a remarkable run for the Florence restaurant, which opened in March 2025 inside Seminar Brewing at 551 W. Lucas Street. Within months of opening, Elliott's had already earned a spot on Southern Living's Top 50 BBQ Joints in the South, a list traditionally dominated by long-established institutions.
In its write-up, Southern Living highlights the restaurant's pasture-raised whole hog barbecue, cooked in the traditional Pee Dee burn-barrel style over pecan-wood coals in custom-built open brick pits. The magazine also singles out the sweet-glazed baby back ribs, thick pork steaks, and delicate smoked salmon coming off those pits, along with Seminar Brewing beers on tap, creative cocktails, and boozy slushies at the full bar. The review notes the restaurant's lively atmosphere as well, with a corner given over to pool tables and pinball machines.
Owner and pitmaster Elliott Moss is a Florence native who returned home after building a national reputation as the founding pitmaster at Buxton Hall BBQ in Asheville, North Carolina. He co-owns Elliott's with business partners Tim Norwood and Cooper Thomas.
“It’s no surprise it’s topping our Best New Joints list, too.
”
Elliott's BBQ Lounge is open six days a week, closing on Mondays, at 551 W. Lucas Street in Florence, alongside Seminar Brewing.
Read the full Southern Living feature: The Best New Barbecue Joints In The South Right Now
