Dining Guide
City Market
The smoke room at City Market is worthy of a barbecue-lover’s bucket list. Tucked inconspicuously in the back right-hand corner of the building, its dark windows don’t let on about the meat magic happening behind them, but, boy, is it. The brisket on a recent visit was moist and flavorful, boasting a smoky, semisweet aftertaste (no assistance needed from the excellent mustardy sauce). And to our delight, the pork ribs were just as we’d remembered, with meat that let go of the bone when we bit into its sweet and salty crust. The sausage’s snap was almost audible at a distance, with an equally impressive pink interior that was juicy and pleasantly coarse.
City: Luling
Cuisine: Barbecue
Method: Post oak; indirect-heat pit; gas-fired smoker
Pitmaster: Joe Capello Sr. (since 1970)
Pro-tip: Take home some sauce. Cash only.
Address: 633 E. Davis, Luling, TX, 78648
Hours: Mon-Sat 7-6
Phone: 830-875-9019
Year Opened: 1958
Last updated: May 3, 2013
Reviews
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City Market
There are few places we love as much as the pit room at City Market. Entering the smoke-filled, glass-enclosed chamber at the back of the dining room is an experience you will remember for decades—a trip into an iconic, sacred space in the world of barbecue. Like Kreuz Market and Smitty’s Market, in Lockhart, this …
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City Market
There are many folks around the country that may have just been introduced to the existence of City Market, in Luling, earlier this year when Newsweek published their list of the “101 Best Places to Eat” around the world. I myself have joked at the dubious nature of most lists like this one, but as …
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City Market
Showing this joint to a friend for the first time is always fun, but the huge line can be daunting. Luckily we were stuffed, so waiting for a half hour or so wasn’t the worst that could have happened. Once inside the smoking room we were mesmerized by the smell and the view of these …
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City Market
You’ve come for wholeness, for satisfaction deep within your soul. Your searching has brought you here, to the company of fellow pilgrims in the snaking line. Slowly, you advance across the tile floor, past the knotty-pine walls, and up to the inner sanctum: a glass-enclosed chamber where a host of priests, in green apron vestments …