The ‘Cracker Barrel’ of Barbecue Is Coming to East Durham | Eater Carolinas

"After almost a decade in the barbecue world, Michael “Mike D” De Los Santos is opening his dream smokehouse, restaurant, and retail shop in East Durham at 455 South Driver Street. He originally opened Mike D’s BBQ Supply & General Store in 2020 as a retail shop selling locally-made custom grills and smokers, grill tools, local North Carolina products, high-quality charcoal, and his award-winning line of sauces and all-purpose dry rubs, but that standalone shop shuttered during the pandemic; the new concept combines retail and food into a Cracker Barrel–style barbecue retail on one side of the building and a dine-in smokehouse on the other. Expect Mike D’s BIG Sauce — a twist on traditional sauces that’s smoky and sweet with a mild kick and flavored by De Los Santos’ African American and Latino heritage — sold by the gallon, plus an award-winning product line (including a Word Champion award for the All-Purpose Rub in the Dry Rub/Fowl category at the 2017 World Hot Sauce Awards and first place for his Spicy BBQ sauce in the 2022 NC Specialty Foods Awards). The menu will feature smoked pulled pork, ribs, chicken, brisket (one of his favorites to smoke), and turkey (which he calls underrated), with sides like smoked corn, a smoked three-bean baked bean he developed, creamy mac and cheese, and potato salad; meats will be sourced from First Hand Foods and produce from Happy Dirt. The building will have separate entrances for retail/to-go and an intimate dine-in space intended to build community, and De Los Santos says he’s happy to give grill advice and help make this spot part of East Durham’s predominately Black-owned food and beverage corridor." - Jenn Rice