BBQ News

New survey loves Texas barbecue but finds some surprising results

Texans love to argue about barbecue.

Photo by Robert Jacob Lerma

Texas barbecue rules the field, according to a new survey by a website called BBQ Revolution.

Titled "The Most Popular BBQ in the U.S.," the report finds that Texas-style BBQ is by far the most popular barbecue style, according to Google trends data, handily beating four other styles: Kansas City, Memphis, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

In possibly more surprising news, the report also finds that the top city in America for barbecue is ... Houston.

Methodology is everything, of course: The ranking is based on the number of barbecue restaurants in each city, pulled from data on Tripadvisor. Houston has 167 establishments, edging out noted barbecue destination Los Angeles, which comes in at No. 2 with 162 restaurants.

Other cities in Texas that make the top 10 include San Antonio, with 135 restaurants, which ranks a surprising third nationally. Austin comes in at fifth with 113 establishments, followed by Dallas at sixth place, with 109 BBQ joints.

Chicago ranks fourth with 124, and New York City takes sixth with 94.

Houstonians will surely be pleased with that result, but the notion that Austin might be Texas' third best city for barbecue will likely cause considerable agita in the state capital.

As a point of comparison, consider Texas Monthly's 2017 list of the state's top 50 barbecue joints, which are based on actual visits by the magazine's staff. Austin landed seven in the top 50, including two in the top 10. On that list, Houston had four, Dallas had three, and San Antonio only had two.

Admittedly, a lot has changed in barbecue over the last four years, but the Texas Monthly list certainly feels more in line with conventional wisdom around the state's barbecue universe.

Then again, why not Houston? The city's is home to top restaurants like Truth BBQ, Roegels Barbecue, and Gatlin's BBQ and a lively pop-up scene that includes the Vietnamese-influenced smoke masters Khói Barbecue and the decadent birria tacos of JQ's Tex-Mex Barbecue. And Houston's own Blood Bros. will soon open their new location in a Las Vegas casino alongside some of the top chefs in the country.

One thing every Texan can agree on — any ranking that has Los Angeles ahead of anywhere in the Lone Star State should be viewed skeptically at best.

trends barbecue

Openings

Dallas salad-sandwich pioneer Bread Zeppelin lands in McKinney

Wrap sandwich at Bread Zeppelin restaurant in Irving

Photo courtesy of Bread Zeppelin

undefined

A Dallas restaurant chain famous for its salad-stuffed-inside-baguettes approach to sandwich making has opened a new location in McKinney: Bread Zeppelin debuted at 3241 S. Custer Road, Suite 107, on Monday, February 2.

The new shop marks the eighth location in Dallas-Fort Worth since they launched in 2013 in Irving, with more to come in 2026, they tease in a release. According to the website, locations are also coming soon to Frisco, Richardson, and Allen. They're marching through the 'burbs.

Bread Zeppelin's unique sandwich-making process involves taking a freshly baked baguette, hollowing it out, and stuffing a salad inside. It's a portable salad on the go — one you can eat in the car, no fork, no muss.

Their Chicken Caesar, with bites of grilled chicken, croutons, Parmesan, and chopped Romaine, made CultureMap's "Definitive list of 16 great sandwiches in Dallas for fall 2024." The writer noted, "The bread is really good — crunchy but light, and absorbing the salad dressing ever so slightly. For only $10."

For those who eschew bread, a "Zeppelin" can also be ordered as a bowl; they also offer soups and limited-time offerings, including the Chicken Tinga, available at the new location.

“As we’ve grown from our first restaurant in Irving, Texas, McKinney has always felt like a natural fit,” says co-founder Troy Charhon in the release. “It’s a community that values quality and care, which mirrors how we’ve approached Bread Zeppelin from day one — making fresh food, served by engaged employees in a new unique way, our signature Zeppelin."

To celebrate opening week, Bread Zeppelin is offering free Zeppelins and bowls on Wednesday, February 4, available in-store only until 3 pm, limited to one entrée per guest.

“We can’t wait to introduce our Zeppelins to new friends in McKinney while we work to become a welcoming and supportive addition to this vibrant community," says co-founder Andrew Schoellkopf.

The McKinney restaurant is open daily from 10:30 am-9 pm.

sandwich shop openings