Charlotte’s newest Texas-style barbecue joint did not just test the waters on Sunset Road. It emptied the pool.
Honey Pies BBQ & SmokeHouse drew a line snaking down Sunset Road during an April 25 preview, then burned through its entire stash of brisket, racks of ribs and a full smoker of chicken. The rush was so intense that owner Alison Council had to scrap the planned opening the very next day and keep the doors shut while the team refilled smokers and restocked supplies.
The preview reportedly chewed through about 100 briskets and 275 racks of ribs, plus that full smoker of chicken. “I sold out of everything,” Council told reporters, according to the Charlotte Observer. She pushed the public opening to May 5 so the crew could regroup for a proper launch. Neighbors and staff watched the line stretch down Sunset Road, a clear sign that word had already gotten out.
Council bought the former Bubba’s Barbecue property at 4400 Sunset Road and plans to move her Queen City Meats & Butcher Shop and Brookshire Commissary Kitchen operations into the building, Power 98 FM reported. The move marks a shift from the longtime Eastern Carolina pork focus at Bubba’s to a Texas-leaning program built around brisket and big beef ribs. Council has said she wants to keep portions hefty and prices in reach, with as much as possible made from scratch.
Menu, Hours and the 'Until Sold Out' Rule
The menu at Honey Pies leans hard into the classics: brisket, beef ribs, smoked chicken and pork, with sides like mac and cheese, collard greens, baked beans and potato salad. Desserts include banana pudding and peach cobbler, the Charlotte Observer reports.
The posted hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., “or until we’re sold out,” a rule Council repeated after the preview crowd cleaned her out. The combination of big cuts of meat and scratch-made sides is designed to echo Texas pit traditions while drawing on local product flowing through her butcher shop.
What the Opening Means for the Neighborhood
The swap from Bubba’s to Honey Pies is part of a broader shakeup in Charlotte’s barbecue scene, with more spots betting on Texas-style brisket alongside traditional North Carolina pork, Helm reported. The rapid sell-out at the preview suggests there is pent-up demand in the area for brisket-heavy menus and bigger portions.
It also highlights how putting several food businesses under one roof, including a butcher shop, commissary kitchen and restaurant, can help a place manage supply during those chaotic early weeks.
Council first signaled plans to launch Honey Pies earlier this year, and local outlets were already tracking the takeover of the Sunset Road site back in January, Power 98 FM observed. With a May 5 reopening on the calendar, expect early lines and the very real possibility that some items will tap out before closing time. The preview made one thing clear: the appetite is here now, and it is not going anywhere anytime soon.
