Charleston BBQ Caterers Directory for Oyster Roasts

Find Barbecue Catering In Charleston, SC

Oysters may be the main attraction at a traditional Charleston oyster roast, but barbecue is one of the most popular foods served alongside them. For larger gatherings, serving BBQ gives guests another hearty option while keeping the menu rooted in Lowcountry and South Carolina food traditions.

Pulled pork barbecue works particularly well with an oyster roast because you can prepare it in advance, serve it buffet-style, and pair it with many of the same traditional sides. BBQ sliders are especially popular at oyster roasts. Their smaller size makes them easy to eat while guests are standing around oyster tables, and they provide a substantial alternative without requiring everyone to sit down for a full barbecue meal.

BBQ is also a great option for guests who don’t eat oysters or want something more substantial after enjoying a few clusters from the oyster table.

Whether you’re planning a backyard oyster roast, wedding, corporate event, family reunion, or large outdoor gathering, Charleston and Mount Pleasant have plenty of excellent barbecue restaurants and caterers that can provide BBQ to complement your oyster roast.

BBQ and Oyster Roasts: A Charleston Tradition

Oyster roasts have always been social events built around simple food served in large quantities. Steamed oysters are dumped onto tables for guests to gather around, while additional dishes are typically served nearby.

Barbecue fits naturally into that style of gathering. Pulled pork can be served by the pound, as part of a buffet, or as small BBQ sliders, which have become a particularly popular way to serve barbecue alongside oysters. Traditional BBQ sides such as coleslaw, baked beans, mac and cheese, potato salad, and cornbread work just as well beside roasted oysters.

For many Charleston oyster roasts, you don’t necessarily need two full-service caterers. If your oyster roast caterer is handling the oysters, setup, cooking, and service, BBQ can often be ordered separately for pickup or delivery and added to the buffet.

Charleston & Mount Pleasant BBQ Caterers

The following Charleston-area barbecue restaurants and caterers offer BBQ catering, large orders, pickup, delivery, or event services that may be a good addition to an oyster roast.

1. Melvin’s BBQ – Mount Pleasant

Melvin’s is one of the Charleston area’s longtime barbecue names and a natural choice for a traditional Lowcountry gathering. Their catering options include classic barbecue meats and Southern sides suitable for everything from smaller family oyster roasts to larger events.

Website: https://melvinsbbq.com/

Catering: https://melvinsbbq.com/pages/catering

2. Swig & Swine – Mount Pleasant

Swig & Swine is known for smoked meats and a broad selection of traditional barbecue sides. Catering and large-order options make it easy to add pulled pork, smoked chicken, brisket, ribs, and sides to an oyster roast menu.

Website: https://swigandswinebbq.com/

3. Lewis Barbecue – Charleston

Lewis Barbecue brings Texas-style barbecue to Charleston and is particularly well known for brisket. Catering and large-order options provide an excellent alternative for hosts looking to serve something beyond traditional South Carolina pulled pork alongside their oysters.

Website: https://www.lewisbarbecue.com/

Catering: https://www.lewisbarbecue.com/charleston-catering-and-events/

4. Duke’s Barbecue – James Island

Duke’s offers traditional South Carolina barbecue and classic Southern sides. Its straightforward BBQ menu makes it a natural fit for casual oyster roasts, family gatherings, and other Lowcountry events.

Website: https://dukesbbq.com/

5. Bessinger’s Barbecue – Charleston

Bessinger’s is another longtime Charleston barbecue institution. Known for South Carolina-style pork barbecue and mustard-based sauce, Bessinger’s offers a traditional local option that pairs naturally with a Charleston oyster roast.

Website: https://bessingersbbq.com/

6. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint – James Island

Martin’s specializes in whole-hog barbecue along with ribs, brisket, smoked meats, and Southern sides. Catering options can work well for larger oyster roasts, weddings, corporate gatherings, and private events.

Website: https://www.martinsbbqjoint.com/

7. Palmira Barbecue – Charleston

Palmira Barbecue combines influences from South Carolina, Texas, and Puerto Rico to create a distinctive approach to smoked meats. It’s a good option for hosts who want to add something a little different to the traditional oyster roast menu.

Website: https://palmirabarbecue.com/

8. Twyman’s Red Oak Barbecue – Charleston Area

Twyman’s Red Oak Barbecue focuses heavily on catering and offers pulled pork, ribs, chicken, sausage, turkey, and traditional sides. Its catering-oriented approach makes it particularly well-suited for private oyster roasts and larger gatherings.

Website: https://www.twymansredoakbarbecue.com/

9. Poogan’s Smokehouse – Charleston

Poogan’s Smokehouse offers Charleston-style barbecue and Southern favorites from its downtown location. BBQ and sides can provide an easy complement to oysters for parties and events where hosts want a broader Lowcountry menu.

Website: https://pooganssmokehouse.com/

10. Home Team BBQ – Charleston & Mount Pleasant

Home Team BBQ has multiple Charleston-area locations and offers pickup, delivery, and full-service catering. Its menu includes pulled pork, chicken, smoked meats, wings, and Southern sides.

Home Team also offers oyster roast and Lowcountry boil catering, making it somewhat different from the other businesses on this list. For hosts looking for a single caterer that can provide multiple elements of a Lowcountry event, it may be worth considering.

Website: https://hometeambbq.com/

Catering: https://hometeambbq.com/catering/

How Much BBQ Should You Order for an Oyster Roast?

The amount of barbecue you need depends on whether BBQ will be the second main entrée or simply an additional option.

If oysters are the primary food and most guests will be eating them, you can generally order less BBQ than you would for a traditional barbecue meal. If a significant number of guests don’t eat oysters, plan enough BBQ to provide those guests with a complete meal.

When ordering, tell the BBQ caterer your total guest count, approximately how many people will be eating oysters, and whether other substantial foods will be served. They can help determine an appropriate quantity.

BBQ Sliders for an Oyster Roast

BBQ sliders are one of the easiest ways to add barbecue to an oyster roast menu. Small rolls filled with pulled pork allow guests to grab a sandwich while moving between the oyster table, buffet, and other areas of the party.

Sliders also make portion control easier. Guests who are primarily there for the oysters may want only one small BBQ sandwich, while guests who aren’t eating oysters can have several sliders along with the sides.

For a simple setup, serve pulled pork in a warming pan with slider rolls, barbecue sauce, and coleslaw nearby. Guests can build their own sliders as they eat.

Popular BBQ Sides for an Oyster Roast

Traditional barbecue sides fit easily into an oyster roast menu. Popular choices include mac and cheese, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, collard greens, cornbread, rolls, and hush puppies.

You don’t need a large number of sides. Oysters, BBQ or BBQ sliders, two or three sides, bread or rolls, and beverages can create a complete menu without making an oyster roast unnecessarily complicated.

What BBQ Sauce Is Popular in the Lowcountry?

South Carolina is famous for its regional barbecue sauces, and Charleston and the Lowcountry have traditionally leaned toward tomato-based red barbecue sauces. Mustard-based “Carolina Gold” or yellow sauce is also popular and widely available, although its strongest historical association is with the Midlands of South Carolina.

For an oyster roast, offering red BBQ sauce along with a smaller amount of mustard-based sauce gives guests a choice and represents two of South Carolina’s best-known barbecue traditions. If you’re serving pulled pork sliders, simply put both sauces beside the pork and let guests build their own.

Planning a Charleston Oyster Roast?

If you still need someone to handle the oysters, cooking equipment, setup, and oyster service, visit our Charleston Oyster Roast Caterers Directory to find local oyster roast catering companies.

You can also explore our Oyster Roast Menu Ideas for additional foods, sides, sauces, and serving ideas that work well with a traditional Lowcountry oyster roast.

Tip: When combining two vendors, confirm delivery and setup times with both companies in advance. Having the BBQ arrive before oyster service begins can make the buffet easier to organize and keep the focus on the oyster table once the roasting starts.