Barbecue is our country’s greatest contribution to the food world. What began as whole animals being basted with flavorful sauce while slowly roasting over coals outdoors eventually became known as Southern barbecue. From there, regional styles developed, and they became more rigid as restaurants gained popularity in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Then barbecue came indoors with help from offset smokers and enclosed rotisseries. The last decade has seen a surge of barbecue joints opening across the United States. Some places serve Carolina whole hogs, Kansas City burnt ends, or Memphis dry-rub ribs, but the majority don’t bother to open without Texas smoked brisket. What’s more, we’re also seeing trays full of beef ribs, sausages, spareribs, and pinto beans. It’s clear that Texas barbecue has become American barbecue.
I first pondered this hypothesis in December 2022, when I took a trip to the Los Angeles area to try Heritage Barbecue, Moo’s Craft Barbecue, and Ray’s Texas BBQ. I had heard buzz about all three but arrived with some serious skepticism that Californians could produce barbecue that held up against the best in Texas. I was wrong, and I came back home curious about where else I could find brisket that good outside of Texas.
I pitched a wild and expensive idea to my editors to travel the country in search of the best Texas-style barbecue joints. They agreed, and I started the journey in earnest last June, when I drove to Ohio and back with my kids (my wife was spared from that trip), eating smoked meat all along the way. Including that trip, I’ve eaten at 149 joints in 37 states to narrow the list down to the 53 best. There are some important caveats to note.
I only covered the lower 48—well, 47, since Texas isn’t included. (We’ll take care of that next year with a fresh Top 50 barbecue list.) If you have favorites in Alaska and Hawaii, please send them on. This list includes only joints that claim Texas in their identity, barbecue foundation, or both. We also did not include trucks or pop-ups with unpredictable locations and hours of operation.
In this list, I also tip my hat to the “pioneers” of Texas-style barbecue outside of Texas—a handful of joints that helped spread the good word to new audiences starting more than a decade ago—as well as to the “newcomers,” joints that opened in 2023 and 2024. There are also many places I visited and loved that didn’t fit into the Texas genre, and some places I didn’t get to visit but hope to soon. (See my post on honorable mentions.)
Travel-worthy Texas barbecue hasn’t yet reached every state, but it’s astonishing to see how quickly our style has been adopted across the country. The Texas influence can be found on the menu of nearly every new barbecue joint that opens, and cooking with all wood has never been more popular. Customers from Connecticut to California are not only familiar with smoked brisket—they demand it. Like any cuisine, barbecue will continue to transform, but for now, new joints are looking to Texas for inspiration. And those who know and love Texas barbecue are grateful for it.
Luling
Gonzo’s Smokehouse & BBQ
Smoked boudin has become a favorite at plenty of Texas barbecue joints, but I’ve never had one as good as the brisket boudin Jason Gonzalez makes at Gonzo’s Smokehouse & BBQ. It’ll take some planning to try it. The location, which opened in 2020, offers its full barbecue menu on Fridays only, and the line forms long before the 11:30 a.m. opening time. If the boudin sells out, the consolation prizes aren’t bad. Excellent slices of smoked brisket are just the start—the joint is a burnt-end paradise. Depending on the weekly special, you’ll find brisket, pork belly, beef belly, or pork-jowl burnt ends. The pork jowl comes with a sticky char siu glaze that is the perfect marriage of Louisiana ingredients and Texas cooking methods. Or just fill up on sides, such as the smoked gouda grits and the dirty rice topped with shredded smoked beef cheeks. Don’t miss the pickled pineapple garnish.
Pro tip: Preorders for Friday go live the Sunday prior at 10 a.m.
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