Introduction to the Best BBQ List

Three Houston barbecue restaurants have earned slots on a newly-released best BBQ list. The list, compiled by Southern Living magazine, features 17 restaurants in Texas overall, including Houston-area restaurants Blood Bros. BBQ, Truth BBQ, and Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue.

The Chosen Restaurants

All three restaurants are critical favorites. Blood Bros. BBQ received a shoutout in the New York Times for its innovative blend of Asian flavors and Texas barbecue. Tejas Chocolate earned a spot in the Michelin Guide, and Truth BBQ is one of two restaurants to make the top 10 of Texas Monthly’s top 50 barbecue joints three cycles in a row.

The Compilation of the List

The list was compiled and ranked by Southern Living’s Contributing Barbecue Editor, Robert F. Moss, who is based in Charleston, South Carolina. Moss dined at each restaurant on the list in person and has visited most multiple times. Geographically, Texas is as far west as the list goes, and it ventures as far north as Maryland. Moss does not use score sheets or grading systems, instead, it is a "qualitative ranking based upon the enjoyment of the meal and the overall experience of the visit."

The Ranking Method

Moss seems to prize history and experience as much as, if not more than, the way a restaurant’s food tastes, which produces some surprising results. For example, Spring’s Corkscrew BBQ, one of only four barbecue restaurants to earn a Michelin star, didn’t earn a spot in Moss’ list. Two other star holders, InterStellar BBQ and La Barbecue in Austin, are also absent from Moss’ list. Similarly, buzzy Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin, which made No. 1 on the most recent Texas Monthly list, comes in at No. 31.

The Texas Restaurants on the List

The Texas restaurants that made the list are as follows, with their ranking:

• 2. Snow’s BBQ – Lexington

• 4. Louie Mueller Barbecue – Taylor

• 5. LeRoy & Lewis – Austin

• 13. Kreuz Market – Lockhart

• 15. Panther City BBQ – Fort Worth

• 19. Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue – Tomball

• 20. Franklin Barbecue – Austin

• 27. Truth BBQ – Houston

• 28. Barbs B Q – Lockhart

• 31. Burnt Bean Co. – Seguin

• 37. Goldee’s Bar-B-Q – Fort Worth

• 38. Micklethwait Barbecue – Austin

• 40. Dayne’s Craft BBQ – Aledo

• 42. Blood Bros. BBQ – Bellaire

• 43. Cattleack Barbeque – Dallas

• 46. Hurtado Barbecue – Arlington

• 47. Smitty’s Market – Lockhart

Conclusion

The best BBQ list compiled by Southern Living magazine is a great resource for those looking to try the best barbecue in the South. With 17 restaurants in Texas making the list, there are plenty of options to choose from. The list’s emphasis on history and experience, as well as the quality of the food, makes it a unique and useful guide for barbecue enthusiasts. Whether you’re a native Texan or just visiting, these restaurants are sure to provide a delicious and memorable barbecue experience.