ALAMO: Original Willie B’s Bar-B-Q, for its rib botana (Mexican snack) platters; 320 S. Alamo Road, 956-702-1370
AUSTIN: County Line on the Lake, for its potato salad not overwhelmed by mayo and sparked by just-right amounts of celery, pickle, and onion; 5204 FM 2222, 512-346-3664
BALLINGER: Lisa’s Cafe, for smoked cabbage, available on Fridays, Saturdays, and by request; 1106 Hutchings Avenue, 915-365-3988
DALLAS: Holy Smokes, for Frito Pie stocked with brisket; 8611 Hillcrest Avenue, 214-691-7427
DALLAS: Sammy’s Barbeque, for its baked potato casserole studded with sliced scallions and covered in melted cheddar cheese; 2126 Leonard, 214-880-9064
DENNISON Mr. V’s Bar-B-Que, for its cayenne-spiked “world famous brown gravy sauce” (which is better than you’d think); 801 W. Munson,903-463-2303
EDINBURG: Willie B’s, for the rib botana (Mexican snack) platters; 114 E. Loeb, 956-318-1373
KERRVILLE Big Earl’s Texas Style Bar-B-Que, for great vinegary-sweet hand-chopped coleslaw; 401 Sidney Baker S.,830-896-5656
LA FERIA: Wild Bill’s BBQ and Steaks, for Texas Toothpicks—battered and fried slices of onion and jalapeño, twisted together; 401 West U.S. 83, 956-797-4002
MARSHALL: Neely’s Sandwich Shop, for the Brown Pig, a Carolina-style pulled-pork sandwich with both meat and coleslaw in the bun; 104 East Grand, 903-935-9040
PARIS: Rocking W Bar-B-Q, for stuffed potatoes (a northeast Texas tradition)—whole spuds cooked alongside the meat, then stuffed with the usual condiments (cheese, sour cream, butter) and your choice of barbecue; 3820 Lamar Avenue, 903-784-2239
SABINAL: “R” Bar-B-Que, for its fantastic buttermilk pie, made by matriarch Irma Rodriguez; 1209 N. Center, 830-988-2430
SAN ANGELO: Mule Creek, for Longhorn Stew, stew with pinto beans, corn, and nuggets of barbecued beef and pork; 1207 W. Beauregard, 915-658-2740
SAN BENITO: Longhorn Cattle Company, for pinto bean soup served as a complimentary appetizer, a Rio Grande Valley tradition; 3055 W. U.S. 83, 956-399-4400
SAN MARCOS: Fuschak’s Pit Bar-B-Q, for the Bar-Burrito, a trance-inducing combo of refried beans, brisket, cheese, onions, hot sauce, and barbecue sauce, all tucked into a flour tortilla; 920 Texas Highway 80, 512-353-2712
SPICEWOOD: R.O.’s Outpost BBQ, for some of the best homemade pie (peach, blackberry, and more ) that you’ll ever lap a lip over; R.O.’s pecan-smoked meats are righteous too; W. Texas Highway 71 at Hazy Hills Drive, 512-264-1169
WACO: Vitek’s Bar-B-Q, for its famous Gut Pack—Fritos, cheese, chopped brisket, beans, sausage, pickles, onions, jalapeños, and bread; 1600 Speight Avenue, 254-752-7591
WHARTON: Hinze Bar-B-Que and Catering, for adventurous sides like stuffed baked potatoes, cucumber salad, mustard greens, and okra gumbo, plus sweet-tart lemon pie for dessert; 3940 U.S. 59 Loop, 979-532-2710
