True BBQ is the most celebrated barbecue restaurant in Columbia, known for whole-hog smoking in the South Carolina tradition — where the whole pig goes over hardwood coals for the better part of a day, producing meat that is pulled rather than sliced and served with the region's distinctive mustard-based sauce. This is the Midlands style, distinct from the vinegar-based sauce of coastal Carolina or the tomato-heavy styles of Tennessee and Texas.
The restaurant is small and often crowded at lunchtime. Order the pulled pork and a side of hash and rice — hash is a South Carolina specialty, a rich stew made from the parts of the pig that don't get pulled, served over white rice. It is not for the faint-hearted, and it is very good.