Foodie Travels: Peace-N-Hominy Q Shack, Belmont, NC

We are sad to report that Peace-N-Hominy Q Shack closed in December 2019. Read more about the closure here.

Barbecue is among the most diverse foods in the American South and Midwest. While you will find it from Kansas City to Texas to Memphis to the Carolinas, its form always varies in some way. And so does its serving establishment.

Molly and I live in a county (Cleveland County, N.C.) that prides itself on delicious pork barbecue. We have three barbecue-specific restaurants that all claim ties to the last name Bridges. All three are tasty, but in different ways. One even claims the title of Best Barbecue in America.

Directly to our east sits Gaston County, the hometown county for both Molly and me. It boasts its own set of delicious barbecue restaurants, slightly different from those in Cleveland County and from each other. But I believe my favorite Gaston spot is Peace-N-Hominy Q Shack, a fairly new BBQ establishment in the thriving town of Belmont, N.C. The place combines the perfect feel of both a modern no-fuss eatery and a longtime establishment that knows its regular customers by name.

At Peace-N-Hominy (what a great name for a Southern restaurant, right?), it starts with the atmosphere. Rolls of paper towel napkins on each table and a sauce rack with four options is always a good sign at a barbecue joint. We also enjoyed the sign on the wall that notes things the restaurant believes in. At the top, above a reference to smoked meats, is: God. There is a faith element to the restaurant, which may be stepping too far for some, but we found it to be a nice indicator of where the owners stand.

Drawing from the old walk-in diner restaurants where you order at the counter, Peace-N-Hominy displays its menu in easy-to-read-from-the-line print that you can survey while you’re waiting to order. The choices are many and quite varied, even at this one Q joint. You can get your barbecue pork, your chicken, your smoked turkey, specialty bacon and other BBQ favorites. Or you can get a burger or hotdog, or a taco, or even breakfast.

In many local restaurants, I have to make a cheeseburger my first menu sample. In any barbecue restaurant in North Carolina (because in Texas it must be brisket), I go with the chopped pork, either in a sandwich or on a plate. Going with the plate at Peace-N-Hominy was the right choice. I had the chopped pork, and Molly had the turkey. Both came with flavorful sweet hushpuppies, creamy coleslaw and an additional side. Molly had the bourbon baked beans, and I had the macaroni and cheese for a slight upgrade in price. Both were clearly homemade and did not disappoint.

What really made this place stand apart was its culture, its deep set of menu choices and its location. You usually find those places either in a big-city spot or in a whole-in-the-wall restaurant that’s been in the same place for decades. Peace-N-Hominy is neither.

This place, however, was an incredible find, and I would recommend it to anybody who enjoys barbecue of any variety. And it was a find. The restaurant’s main wall sign doesn’t directly face the road, so you might drive past it if you’re not watching. Try a few things while you’re there (we didn’t sample dessert or specialty sodas but should on our second visit), and let us know what you think.

Peace-N-Hominy Q Shack
403 Catawba Street, Belmont, N.C.
peacenhominy.com