One of Raleigh’s most anticipated BBQ projects is now open, serving whole hog and more
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Longleaf Swine, one of Raleigh’s most anticipated restaurants for years, opened its doors Friday, serving a distinctive style of barbecue honoring the state’s traditions, while also looking to the future.
As Raleigh’s barbecue revival continues, Longleaf Swine brings a new all-day model to downtown Raleigh, serving market-style smoked meats in the day and transforming into a smashburger centric diner at night.
Owned by Adam Cunningham and Marc Russell, with Ben Davis as a partner, Longleaf Swine renovated the former Oakwood Cafe into a counter-style restaurant with a sprawling covered front porch stretching along Person Street.
The restaurant is located at 300 E. Edenton Street in Raleigh.
Here’s what to know about Longleaf Swine
Longleaf beginnings
Longleaf Swine has been the barbecue project of Cunningham and Russell for three years. Initially it was planned as a narrow barbecue, bourbon and cheap beer bar in the Transfer Co. Food Hall in Raleigh. But in the pandemic, and with the availability of the Oakwood Cafe space, Cunningham and Russell expanded their barbecue dreams. In the nearly three-year build out, the brand has survived on weekly pop-ups around Raleigh and holiday catering sales.
Whole Hog
As the name implies, Longleaf Swine pays homage to North Carolina’s oldest barbecue traditions, with whole hog style barbecue at its heart.
Russell said Longleaf Swine will work with local meat producer Firsthand Foods
“We want to keep some of the traditional things about barbecue alive,” Russell said. “It’s the best way to utilize the whole animal.”
Cunningham said Longleaf Swine is devoted to evolving North Carolina barbecue, but without cutting corners. That means you’ll find brisket alongside the whole hog, but the only heat will be from the wood-fired coals.
“We’re doing old school techniques,” Cunningham said. “We’re paying ode to barbecue history.”
Barbecue porch
Longleaf Swine peeled back the layers on the old Oakwood Cafe, digging down to the bones of the building, a former 1930s Texaco gas station. They found windows behind cinderblocks and built the eight foot by 10 foot smoker into an old service bay.
But in the renovation, Longleaf Swine built one of the city’s most ambitious new outdoor spaces, a mid-century style metal roof overlooking 90 seats of picnic tables and bar stools. The entire restaurant will have seating for 120.
Swiner Diner
Despite being a barbecue joint, Longleaf Swine has one of the city’s most popular smashburgers. At night, possibly once all the barbecue has sold out, the restaurant will don a new persona, the Swiner Diner, where eaters can order at the tables via QR codes, finding those smashburgers and other bites that don’t take a dozen hours to smoke.
Inclusive barbecue
Russell has cooked in some of Raleigh’s finest restaurants and brings that experience and creativity to Longleaf Swine. Expect to see dishes like smoked duck on occasion, as well as vegan options, broadening the barbecue umbrella.
“We’re emerging from the pandemic and the way we look at restaurants needs to be a little more inclusive,” Davis said. “Whether you call it new or old school we’re really just trying to provide a product that is really for everyone. It just so happens Marc and Adam are very good at a lot of different things.”
This story was originally published November 4, 2022 at 4:51 PM.
