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The South’s Best New Barbecue Joints of 2024: Palmira Barbecue
1. Palmira Barbecue
The bright yellow-and-red mural outside Palmira Barbecue welcomes guests to “Whole Hog Country, USofA.” Owner-pitmaster Hector Garate’s once roving operation started as a brewery pop-up and then spent a short stint in the Port of Call food hall in downtown Charleston. In February of this year, Palmira opened its permanent location west of the city, a prime stage for Garate’s distinctive blend of South Carolina and Texas styles with accents from his native Puerto Rico. Instead of brisket, Palmira serves smoked beef cheeks so tender they almost melt on the tongue. House-ground sausages are infused with everything from allspice and cinnamon to plantains and chunks of Gouda. Most impressive of all is the chopped whole-hog barbecue. The pigs are locally raised heritage breeds, and they’re basted with sofrito as they cook 12 hours over the coals of a wood-fired pit—a wonderful new take on Carolina ’cue.
The United States of Texas Barbecue: Palmira Barbecue
Palmira Barbecue
Ranked No. 1
It could be hard to balance the flavors and techniques of South Carolina, Texas, and Puerto Rico in one restaurant, but that’s exactly what Hector Garate is doing at Palmira Barbecue.To prepare for opening this year, he took advantage of pop-ups to perfect his whole-hog method, which uses the direct-heat process preferred by South Carolina pitmasters along with seasoning and sauce inspired by Puerto Rico. You'll also find offset smokers at Palmira for the very beefy Texas portion of the menu. Beef cheeks are offered daily—and melt in your mouth without being mushy—while beef ribs and brisket are featured on the weekends. Tender, smoky spare ribs with a slightly sweet, thin glaze are always available, as are the house-made smoked sausages, which vary weekly. Garate's wife and parents work with him, so thank his mother, Marisol, after taking a bite of the guava cheesecake.
Pro tip: At the register, ask for an Underberg, a German digestif in a tiny green bottle that helps settle the stomach after large meals.
Best Carolinas Barbecue of the Year: Palmira Barbecue
Pitmaster Hector Garate wanted to join the new wave of smoked meat aficionados putting their unique cultural spin on what is typically considered American barbecue. What started as a hobby, smoking brisket for his family, became pop-up Palmira Barbecue and is now set to be a brick-and-mortar establishment (2366 Ashley River Road, Charleston). Garate pulls the best bits of flavors and techniques from Texas, North Carolina, and his native home Puerto Rico to create his menu of juicy beef cheeks, smoky pulled pork, and rich barbacoa. Palmira started as a brewery pop-up highlighting Garate's partnership with heritage hog farmer Marvin Ross of Peculiar Pig. The popularity of the barbecue led to a residency at food hall Port of Call (99 Market Street, Charleston), but now Garate has gone out on his own and hopes to have a permanent home for Palmira next March in West Ashley. The pitmaster promises more sides and specials at the new space. "I'm pretty sure everything's gonna evolve and evolve and evolve," says Garate, "Because just this past year, we evolved so much from the beginning." - Erin Perkins
Restaurant review: Palmira signals a new era in Charleston's barbecue scene
Six years ago, Jim Shahin declared in The Washington Post, "I've seen the future of barbecue, and it is Charleston, S.C." At the time, the city's barbecue star was rocketing skyward. John Lewis had just brought his acclaimed Texas-style brisket to Nassau Street, opening literally around the corner from Home Team BBQ's new third location on Williman Street. Carolina-style whole hog was surging, too. Rodney Scott had come down from Hemingway and was preparing to open his own place on King Street. With a second location about to launch in Summerville, Swig & Swine would soon be serving wood-cooked whole hog every day of the week, too.
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When Charleston residents are asked about the city's barbecue, they likely mention Rodney Scott (Rodney Scott's BBQ), John Lewis (Lewis Barbecue), Aaron Siegel and Taylor Garrigan (Home Team BBQ), and Anthony DiBernardo (Swig & Swine). Many will soon be adding Hector Garate of Palmira Barbecue to that list.
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Fans of this quickly prolific barbecue pop-up can sense when pitmaster Hector Garate is about to start taking orders. Just watch for impatient, hungry patrons hovering around the table, anxiously craning their necks to see Garate's reaction to final temperature checks and mise en place assembly. They know smoked beef cheeks, handmade sausage infused with flavors from his native Puerto Rico, and possibly the best beef barbacoa tostada you've ever had await. And don't forget the sumptuous pulled pork, made with heritage breeds farmed by Marvin Ross of Peculiar Pig. Eater agreed, naming Garate's creations the year's Best Carolinas Barbecue - a region steeped in traditional pork barbecue.
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Palmira pop-up brings sustainable approach to Texas-style barbecue
Hector Garate may have the tools and drive to be the next great Charleston pitmaster, but that's not his mission. The Puerto Rican-born owner of Palmira Barbecue serves made-from-scratch Texas barbecue cooked in an offset smoker Garate welded himself - with a little something extra. "I'm doing sustainable barbecue. Essentially, farm-to-pit - that's my thing," Garate said. "Now, do I use Texas cooking techniques to do that? Yeah, I do. I use the offset smoker - that's a Central Texas thing. But it's more than that."
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SUMMERVILLE - Chef Hector Garate brings sustainable meats to the masses with his Texas-style barbecue pop-up Palmira Barbecue. Garate teams up with local farmer Marvin Ross of Peculiar Pig to provide true farm-to-table fare. In addition to pulled pork and pork chops, Garate also offers beef cheeks, brisket, and sausages. Don't skip on the hash and rice. The next event is on Saturday, August 14, at Oak Road Brewery, starting at 2 p.m.
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Hidden inside the Port of Call food hall on the Market, Palmira Barbecue is a destination for tender beef cheeks, smoky hot links, and juicy pulled pork from heritage breeds from Peculiar Pig Farm. Chef Hector Garate uses an offset smoker (which is considered Texas style) and keeps sustainability in mind when sourcing his meat.
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Last fall, an impressive newcomer arrived on the Charleston scene when pitmaster Hector Garate opened Palmira BBQ inside the Port of Call Brew and Food Hall. The offering blends the culinary traditions of Garate's native Puerto Rico with those of the Carolinas and Texas, with whole hog barbecue as the headliner. Mildly smoky with juicy, short-chopped strands, it's made from heritage breed hogs raised by local farmer Marvin Ross of Peculiar Pig Farm and cooked on custom metal pits that Garate welded himself. That splendid pig is joined by tender, smoky beef cheeks, peppery chopped barbacoa layered on crisp tortillas, and sausages infused with fragrant Caribbean flavors. The sides are every bit the equals of the meats, especially the orange sofrito-laced beans and Garate's own spin on South Carolina's classic hash and rice, which he makes from smoked hogs heads. It's a fascinating blend of the traditional and the progressive, and it's found just a few steps away from Charleston's bustling and historic City Market.
