Anyone who likes real Texas barbecue knows that there’s nothing else like it. Slow-cooked and kissed with wood smoke, the meat is soft and juicy, and the tastes are sultry. There is something life-changing and almost holy about it when the real experts in the field add their touches to family recipes.
If you have had enough steak and are planning a trip to Texas, you should not miss the chance to try some of the best BBQs in the country.
There are seven places on this list that you must visit before you die. They range from small-town joints to famous spots.
1. Tyler Barbecue
Tyler Frazer, who owns Tyler’s Barbecue, wants barbecue fans to know that there are great places to eat barbecue outside of Central Texas. Frazer planned to work big events across the US, learn from his successes and failures, and then bring what he learned back to Amarillo and start a real business there.
People from all over the world risk the weather to get in line for the chance to eat the rising star of the Texas Panhandles.
Frazer’s booming barbecue joint has claimed its place as one of the best BBQ spots in the Lone Star State, known for its legendary chopped brisket sandwiches, pulled pork, racks of ribs, and unique treats like the delicious Frito Pie.
Address: 3301 Olsen Blvd., Amarillo, TX 79109
2. Franklin Barbecue
Franklin’s Barbecue is a must-see for anyone who loves Texas barbecue. In 2009, Aaron Franklin and his wife Stacy opened a barbecue spot on the side of a Texas highway.
They didn’t think it would become a massive movement. Many national news shows have talked about the place, and famous people like Jimmy Kimmel, Anthony Bourdain, and former President Barack Obama are among Franklin’s biggest fans.
Aaron Franklin won the James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Chef: Southwest” in 2015. He was the first barbecue chef to be nominated for or win this prestigious award.
A lot of different news outlets have also named Franklin’s Barbecue one of the “Top 50 BBQ Joints” in the United States. It’s simple: this Texas barbecue spot should be very high on your “BBQ Bucket List.”
Address: 900 E. 11th Street, Austin, TX 78702
3. Snow BBQ
In simple terms, Snow’s BBQ is a Texas BBQ tradition. When it first opened in March 2003, owner Kerry Bexley and famous pitmaster Norma “Tootsie” Tomanetz had no idea that their small business would grow into one of the world’s most famous barbecue spots.
Starting as “The Queen of BBQ” in 1966, Tootsie Tomanetz is still going strong in her 80s using the same cooking methods and secrets that have made her famous over the years. Texas Monthly ranked Snow’s BBQ as the “#1 BBQ in Texas” in 2017.
In 2020, the restaurant was featured on the Netflix show Chef’s Table: BBQ, which made it even more famous. There is often an hour-long line to try Tootsie’s magic, so you’ll need to get there early. However, it is still well worth the wait.
Address: Lexington, TX 78947, 516 Main Street
4. Pecan Lodge
Pecan Lodge is another famous Texas restaurant with long lines that are a sign of the delicious food it serves every day. It started in a Dallas farmer’s market and is now strongly established in Deep Ellum, a neighborhood close to downtown Dallas.
Diane and Justin Forton, the owners, have made it to the front of the line when people talk about the best barbecue in the state, and they need to be there. It’s important to order “The Trough” if your group has never been to Pecan Lodge before.
It includes one beef rib, a pound of pork ribs, a pound of brisket, half a pound of pull pork, and three sausage links. That’s a great way to learn. Then you should try the traditional peach pie. It will make you wonder why you waited so long to visit the Pecan Lodge.
Address: 2702 Main Street, Dallas, TX 75226
5. Goldee Barbecue
Goldee’s Barbecue, a relative newcomer to the Texas barbecue market, has quickly established a strong reputation. In a state known for its BBQ heavyweights, proprietors Lane Milne, Jalen Heard, Nupohn Inthanousay, Jonny White, and PJ Inthanousay—all under 30 years old—have made a name for themselves since the restaurant opened in 2020.
Goldee’s is stretching the bounds of tradition by offering new savory products, such as Laotian sausage, to compliment Texas mainstays like brisket and spare ribs. Goldee’s was named by Texas Monthly as the “No. 1 Texas BBQ Joint” for 2021. The future of Texas barbecue seems pretty promising if Goldee’s is it.
Address: Fort Worth, Texas 76140, 4645 Dick Price Road
6. Smitty Market
Smitty’s Market, which was founded in 1948 by Edgar “Smitty” Schmidt in Lockhart, Texas’s historic Kreuz Market location, is consistently rated as one of the greatest places to get Texas barbecue.
As Lockhart is frequently referred to as the “Barbecue Capital of Texas,” being named the “best of the best” is an honor.
Even after a well-known dispute almost brought the restaurant to its demise, the Schmidt family continues to own and run it, and customers still wait in line every day to obtain their favorites. It is well worth including on your list of places to eat when traveling.
Address: Lockhart, Texas 78644, 208 South Commerce Street
7. Black Barbecue
Black’s Barbecue, the second place on this list in Lockhart, has been making delicious barbecue for 90 years. The family still cooks on the same pit, which was made by Edgar Black Jr. in 1949 and is still going strong.
It’s hard to find BBQ with that much history, and it’s even harder to find in Texas. But if you’re in Lockhart, which is known as the “BBQ Capital of the World,” you should wait in line at Black’s. This has been a Texas tradition since before Lyndon B. Johnson was president (LBJ had his picture taken here years ago).
Sandwiches with chopped beef brisket, slow-smoked turkey breast, and huge beef ribs. So many choices sound so good I can’t even name them all.
Three more Black’s BBQ restaurants have opened in Austin, New Braunfels, and San Marcos. But to understand why it became a Texas tradition, you need to drive to Lockhart to see the first one.
Address: Lockhart, Texas 78644; 215 North Main Street
Final Words
Texas is a great place for barbecue fans because it has so many delicious smoked foods. There are many famous Texas BBQ places, like Franklin’s in Austin and Tyler Barbecue in a small town.
These places offer a divine trip through smoky tastes and old family recipes, making Texas the best place in the world for BBQ.