Editor's note: this article was originally published in March 2017 and has been updated.
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[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n case you haven't heard, Texas barbecue joints are all the rage. It took the New York Times several years to notice that people in Austin were lining up for hours for a taste of Franklin's Barbecue. By that time, Franklin's had been featured in the movie Chef and had been visited by President Obama. Even if you're not willing to wait in line three hours to maybe or maybe not get some barbecue from Franklin's, you've still probably still heard of Snow's in Lexington, which was covered in Texas Monthly, or Kreuz Market in Lockhart, (and Smitty's and Black's, for that matter). So if you've done the Texas barbecue tour and are still hungry, check out some of these places you may not have heard of yet. Here are some up-and-coming Texas barbecue joints.
Pinkerton's Barbecue - Houston
He may be young, but 27-year-old Grant Pinkerton is making a name for himself in Houston. Pinkerton's Barbecue opened their first brick and mortar location in the Heights in 2016 and has been creating buzz ever since. The Houston Chronicle called Pinkerton's "A welcoming amalgam of the best parts of old-school Texas barbecue with new-school trends."
Flores BBQ - Whitney
You'll find Flores Barbecue in a little food truck on Colorado Street in Whitney, Texas. Make sure to plan your trip carefully, though, because as of this writing, they're only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM until they are sold out. Sometimes everything is gone in less than three hours.
LeRoy and Lewis- Austin
You may have heard of pit master Evan LeRoy. LeRoy is a promising pit master who has worked with Hill Country Barbecue Market and Freedman's Bar. He has partnered with Nathan and Sawyer Lewis and will be launching LeRoy and Lewis in the spring of this year. LeRoy is in the process of opening a food truck which will be stationed at Cosmic Coffee and Beer (which will also open in the Spring). The food truck will be the only location until the brick-and-mortar location is complete. In the meantime, he'll be partnering with Brotherton Barbecue for a pop-up on Feb. 25.
2M Smokehouse - San Antonio
At 2M Smokehouse in San Antonio you'll find "hand-crafted Texas BBQ with a Mexican flare". 2M may not be on everyone's radar yet, but San Antonians are all abuzz about it. A review on MySanAntonio.com called 2M Smokehouse "BBQ worth waiting for". Pit master Esaul Ramos trained with Austin's John Lewis of La Barbecue, but his work is not simply more of the same. Ramos combines Oaxaca cheese and poblano peppers in pork sausage to create that "Mexican flare" you read about.
Creekside Cookers - Wimberley
The good people of Wimberley know to get out to Creekside Cookers pretty early. The little food truck tends to sell out in about an hour and a half on Saturdays. So show up early, because as of right now that's the only day of the week they're open.
Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue
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Oakwood BBQ - Austin
It takes a lot to stand out in a barbecue town like Austin. However, Oakwood BBQ is managing to do just that at their new location on Braker Lane near Oakwood Drive. Even though it just opened in January, it has already been picked up by Eater Austin. Like other good BBQ joints in the area, they sell out on a pretty regular basis.
Kings Hwy Brew N Q - San Antonio
Nope, that's not a typo, that's one of San Antonio's newest "Tex-Mex barbecue" joints. Emilio Soliz started out as the pit master at Two Bros. BBQ Market. He and his wife opened Kings Hwy Brew N Q with the intention of creating barbecue that wasn't simply Texan, but had a San Antonio flavor.
B-Daddy's Barbecue - Helotes
Unlike some of the other up-and-comers, B Daddy's has both a food truck and a brick-and-mortar location. B.R. Anderson built B Daddy's in a World War I barrack that was attached to the Helotes General Store. The smoked turkey and brisket nachos are just two of the barbecue creations that set B Daddy's apart from the crowd.
Micklethwait Craft Meats - Austin
Located in a tiny food truck in East Austin you can get some of the most delicious moist brisket and fantastic sides, without having to wait in a three-hour long line. Micklethwait Craft Meats is still somewhat off-radar, but it was reviewed by Eater Austin, and word is bound to be out on them before long. So go get a plate before the line gets too long.
