Barbecue Coup

The best barbecue in the country is in Texas, of course

There have been many great debates about the best barbecue joints in the country. And, if you believe Texas Monthly, they are all in Texas.

Travel + Leisure readers tend to agree that the majority of America’s great barbecue is served in the Lone Star State. On a recent roundup of America’s Best Cities for Barbecue, Texas took four of the top 10 spots: Austin (No. 4), Houston (No. 5), San Antonio (No. 6) and Dallas-Fort Worth (No. 8).

The info was gleaned from the publication’s American’s Favorite Cities survey, in which readers ranked 35 metro areas for qualities such as people, nightlife, culture and, of course, dining. So bear in mind that this list of the “best in America” doesn’t even take into account cities like Lexington, Kentucky, or St. Louis, Missouri, which were not among those 35.

With that out of the way, let us bask in this barbecue glory.

In our neck of the woods, T+L just had to mention stalwarts Sonny Bryan’s and Angelo’s in Fort Worth, as well as current media darling Pecan Lodge (there was even a plug for its new Deep Ellum digs) and Lockhart Smokehouse, the “North Texas branch of Lockhart’s legendary Kreuz Market, where you eat your brisket, sausage and beef ribs right off the butcher paper (and sans sauce).”

About Austin, T+L writes, “Iron Works and the Salt Lick are traditional favorites, but these days the lines are longest at Franklin Barbecue in East Austin, which serves meat-market-style brisket, turkey, sausage and more on pink butcher paper, with white bread and three sauces (including an espresso-based version) on the side.” Nearby Lockhart — also a city not in the original T+L survey — gets a shout out as “barbecue-lover’s day trip” where Smitty’s Market and Black’s await.

As for “big-business city” Houston, T+L mentions “mom-and-pop-style Gatlin’s BBQ, in Houston Heights, and Goode Company, known for its smoked duck, jalapeño cheese bread and rich Brazos Bottom pecan pie.” And apparently Beaver’s is the place to go “to keep your blood-brisket level high.”

No. 6-ranked San Antonio gets props for its “cutting-edge style” at new establishments like Granary ’Cue & Brew in the Pearl Brewery, where brisket and house-made sausage are served alongside dishes such as grilled quail, root-beer sautéed scallops and Texas toast glazed with a mixture of brisket drippings, butter and sea salt. But the River City also pleases traditionalists with Texas Pride Barbecue, which “keeps it classic.”

Here is the full list (and remember the bit about the cities in the original survey, because somewhere around No. 10, it starts to get silly):

Nashville, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Kansas City, Missouri
Austin, Texas
Houston, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Charleston, South Carolina
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Savannah, Georgia
New Orleans, Louisiana
Atlanta, Georgia
Honolulu, Hawaii
Chicago, Illinois
Denver, Colorado
Orlando, Florida
Portland, Oregon
San Diego, California
Portland, Maine
Providence, Rhode Island
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Franklin's Barbecue in Austin.

Photo courtesy of Franklin Barbecue

Franklin's Barbecue in Austin.

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Opening News

New restaurant The Gibson fills needs of its North Dallas neighborhood

The Gibson

A swanky new restaurant has debuted in North Dallas after overcoming some major obstacles: Called The Gibson, it opened in November at 17552 North Dallas Pkwy., in the space previously occupied by Maguire's Bistro & Bar, after three years in the making.

Husband-and-wife Carl and Carrie Britton first purchased the building in 2022, intending to open a spinoff of The Funky Door, their fine-dining restaurant in Lubbock.

Carrie is a big wine buff who's certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers and is also a French Wine Scholar. She opened The Funky Door in 2010 — a rare fine-dining haven in Lubbock at the time. More recently, she's turned her attention to the Dallas area, opening a French restaurant called Vieux Carre in Flower Mound in 2023 (which is currently closed temporarily).

The Gibson was slated to open sooner, but in mid-construction, they were dealt a serious blow.

"In 2023, The Gibson was devastated by thieves," Carrie says. "They destroyed the building, doubling the remodeling budget in damage by stripping copper from the walls, stealing all the electrical wiring and components, stealing equipment, and destroying everything from the AC to the floors."

To make it worse, insurance wouldn’t cover the loss because it was theft.

"It was a blow that left me truly shaken, and for a long time I couldn’t even look at the pictures of the damage," she says. "Emotionally and financially, I had to really pray about whether I was going to get this done or not. But I really felt like it was something that I needed to do. I want to be victorious. I'm not going to be a victim."

She regained her passion, returning to the vision she had for the space.

“The building had its own personality — I felt like a kind of Hollywood glamor with a new Dallas edge would be perfect," she says.

The GibsonThe Gibson

The facade and decor have an Art Deco flavor with chandeliers, a color scheme with polished black surfaces and brass accents, and a swooping bar in the center. They've also added a patio, helping to make the space right off the Tollway feel more friendly and approachable.

The menu is American with steakhouse touches. There's a tomahawk for two, ribeye, filet, and NY Strip. Plus short ribs, salmon, a burger, vegetarian risotto, and sea bass with an unexpected white chocolate strawberry buerre blanc.

There are deviled eggs, crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, and fried pickles. Entree prices start at $20 and top out at $59 for the sea bass.

Cocktails include a pear martini and a Gibson with gin and dry vermouth, garnished with an onion. A large wine list includes what Carrie describes as “unicorns” — bottles that are hard to find, including a 1982 Lafitte.

"There are very rare wines, but we also have everything, starting from $40 a bottle," she says.

They're currently open for dinner with plans to add lunch, and there's definitely an audience. Maguire's had a big following and when The Gibson got vandalized, the neighbors came out in support.

"The neighborhood has been really awesome," Carrie says. "They would alert me when things were going on, and they were really great to help watch over it. That was a big motivation."

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