Stephenson's Bar-b-q, Willow Spring NC

September 2024

This was my second stop on a BBQ trail through North Carolina, so by now I was into a groove. I just didn’t expect to have lunch with Santa Claus.

Every restaurant has its own feel, its own vibe. Stephenson's Bar-b-q felt very much like the local watering hole; its clientele a comfortable mix of blue collar and white collar sitting at simple tables eating sandwiches and fries and drinking iced tea.

Unfortunately, I arrived at about 12:30pm, so the place was packed full with people still eating their lunches. And I mean literally full; there were no empty tables and the staff was rushed. No matter! The lady behind the counter said she’d keep an eye out for a table for me, and I promptly retreated to one side of the room to wait. This was a good sign for my trip, and I was more than happy to wait.

I stood there for no more than 30 seconds before an older gentleman with a beard walked over and invited me to his table, saying there was plenty of room for me and his wife. How saintly of him! A server swung by, I ordered, and we began chatting.

My tablemates were locals who’d been coming here for years and recommended everything on the menu. They’d lived here all their lives, doing white collar work, and the husband had retired some years back.

That’s when he told the story of going to a local mall one Christmas, each of them wearing a Santa hat, and three separate kids asked him what they’d get for Christmas. A week later, his wife looked up how to be a Santa Claus, and for the past decade he’d been Santa every year, even traveling overseas to bring some Christmas cheer to faraway places.

Given this, I had to force myself to even notice my meal. It was unassuming, frankly looking like cafeteria food, but I loved every bite: a tangy pulled pork sandwich, a side of fresh corn, richly flavored baked beans, and perfectly crispy hush puppies. I wish I’d had room for dessert, but I sadly had to say good-bye to Santa Claus and go on my way, very happy to have eaten at Stephenson’s.

Cost: About $20 for lunch

Conditions: 75℉, windy, and overcast