The New Smoke

Everything you need to know about barbecue and grilling.

The New Smoke: All About BBQ & Grilling

Nation

Photo courtesy of Pecan Lodge  

Find the best spots daily to eat and drink in hipster neighborhoods. Hit the roof, drink a beer and eat delicious at top-tier restaurants. Plan your nightlife adventure with maps and reviews of unknown micro-brews, rooftop parties, and independent drink.

Best Restaurants & Bars - Places to Eat & Drink - Thrillist

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In some Texas BBQ circles, adding sauce to expertly smoked meats has been—and will always be—totally taboo.

How to Make Texas-Style BBQ Sauce, Courtesy of Dallas’s Famous Pecan Lodge

Photo courtesy of LeRoy & Lewis

Ask anyone what Texas is known for and you’re likely to get two consistent answers: being really big and making great barbecue.

The Best Side Dishes to Order from Texas BBQ Joints

Photos courtesy of Valentina’s, 2M Smokehouse, and Killen’s, design by Maitane Romagosa for Thrillist

Texas barbecue and Tex-Mex are beloved cuisines that, like many things in Texas, have a larger-than-life reputation.

A Closer Look at the Tex-Mex Barbecue Scene in Texas  

Houston

Top Chef Houston had an entire episode paying homage to our city’s brisket.

The 17 Best Barbecue Joints in Houston, According to Local Pitmasters

San Antonio

Smoke Shack BBQ - Smokehouse • Catering


Of all the things that put San Antonio on the map—the Alamo, the River Walk, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure—barbecue has never really risen to the top of the culinary bucket list like the city’s beloved Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants.

The 15 Best Barbecue Joints in San Antonio, According to Local Pitmasters

Dallas

Pecan Lodge


Few topics—besides religion, politics, football, and Tex-Mex—have the ability to bring people together for several choruses of “Kum Ba Yah.”

The 25 Best Barbecue Joints in Dallas, According to Local Pitmasters

Austin

Nicolai McCrary | Micklethwait

Barbecue is a tradition woven into Texas history.

The 10 Best BBQ Joints in Austin, According to Top Pitmasters

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Travel

Explore adventure guides and design a custom itinerary for the destination of your choice in and around the city.

Best Travel Guides, Cool Hotels and Interesting Events - Thrillist

Aside from Willie Nelson and Beyoncé, barbecue might be Texas’ most famous export.

How to Make Texas-Style BBQ Sauce, Courtesy of Dallas’s Famous Pecan Lodge

Founders Justin and Diane Fourton share their recipe—and some history.

The Best Side Dishes to Order from Texas BBQ Joints

From traditional to decidedly untraditional, they steal the show.

A Closer Look at the Tex-Mex Barbecue Scene in Texas

Meet some of the locals championing the popular food style.

The 17 Best Barbecue Joints in Houston, According to Local Pitmasters

Bottled beer, beef brisket, and (vegan) burnt ends.

The 15 Best Barbecue Joints in San Antonio, According to Local Pitmasters

Meet the ambitious, meat-savvy pioneers putting Alamo City on the low-and-slow map.

The 25 Best Barbecue Joints in Dallas, According to Local Pitmasters

Wagyu beef brisket is just the beginning.

The 10 Best BBQ Joints in Austin, According to Top Pitmasters

Where there’s smoke, there’s brisket.

The Definitive Guide to Doing Austin BBQ Right

Roll up your sleeves and put on your eating pants.