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Round Top may be sitting pretty between Austin and Houston, but for barbecue fans it’s a long ride between the two smoked meat epicenters.
Austin has long enjoyed its reputation for iconic Central Texas-style barbecue but Houston revels in its new, smoke-fueled status as a barbecue powerhouse. A drive in either direction is certainly not out of the question if you’re craving good barbecue. But in these parts, there are fine options when you’re in the mood for brisket, ribs, sausage and classic side dishes.
We used the low-‘n’-slow bible – Texas Monthly’s 50 Best BBQ Joints in Texas (2025, 2021and 2017 editions) – to map a barbecue run in in area counties. With all due respect to our own late, great Round Top Smokehouse, here are the top barbecue destinations in our area communities:
Snow’s BBQ, Lexington (Lee County): Snow’s old school charms flew under the radar until Texas Monthly’s 2008 list when it found itself at No. 1. Things were never the same again for the smokehouse team, especially pitmaster Tootsie Tomanetz who became the adored face of Texas craft barbecue. She still is; and Snow’s has remained on or at the top of every subsequent Texas Monthly barbecue list. For good reason: superlative brisket, pork ribs, house sausage, and pork shoulder steak, a Snow’s specialty. Plan wisely if you want to eat here. It’s only open one day a week – Saturday from 8 a.m. until sold out. There’s already quite a line before opening time, with fans staking out their spot as early as 2 or 3 a.m. 516 Main St., Lexington; snowsbbq.com
LJ’s BBQ, Brenham (Washington County): Opened in 2015, LJ’s is one of the many modern success stories in the crowded Texas barbecue landscape. Persistence and determination paid off: LJ’s found itself on both the 2021 and 2025 Texas Monthly’s top 50 with shout-outs for its peppery brisket, meaty St. Louis-style ribs, and snappy, hot guts-style sausage. Pair those with buttermilk and bacon potato salad and creamy mac n’ cheese and you’ll instantly know why Brenham is blessed with one of the state’s best barbecue joints. 1407 W. Main, Brenham, ljstxbbq.com
Truth BBQ, Brenham (Washington County): Only two years after it opened, pitmaster Leonard Botello IV landed in the company of barbecue greatness when it was included in the Top 50 in 2017. He’s now barbecue royalty – in the realm of pitmaster legends he hoped to emulate when he stoked his first smoker fire. The success of the Brenham store led to a Truth outpost in Houston which shot to the top of the Texas Monthly list at No. 3 in 2021 and No. 9 in 2025. Botello is no stranger to Round Top, taking over operations of Round Top Smokehouse when the owner, his good friend, passed away. While the rechristened Merrit Meat Company is no longer in business, Botello’s two Truth restaurants remain as popular as ever for exemplary Central Texas-style barbecue. 2990 US-290, Brenham; truthbbq.com
Round Top may be sitting pretty between Austin and Houston, but for barbecue fans it’s a long ride between the two smoked meat epicenters.
Austin has long enjoyed its reputation for iconic Central Texas-style barbecue but Houston revels in its new, smoke-fueled status as a barbecue powerhouse. A drive in either direction is certainly not out of the question if you’re craving good barbecue. But in these parts, there are fine options when you’re in the mood for brisket, ribs, sausage and classic side dishes.
We used the low-‘n’-slow bible – Texas Monthly’s 50 Best BBQ Joints in Texas (2025, 2021and 2017 editions) – to map a barbecue run in in area counties. With all due respect to our own late, great Round Top Smokehouse, here are the top barbecue destinations in our area communities:
Snow’s BBQ, Lexington (Lee County): Snow’s old school charms flew under the radar until Texas Monthly’s 2008 list when it found itself at No. 1. Things were never the same again for the smokehouse team, especially pitmaster Tootsie Tomanetz who became the adored face of Texas craft barbecue. She still is; and Snow’s has remained on or at the top of every subsequent Texas Monthly barbecue list. For good reason: superlative brisket, pork ribs, house sausage, and pork shoulder steak, a Snow’s specialty. Plan wisely if you want to eat here. It’s only open one day a week – Saturday from 8 a.m. until sold out. There’s already quite a line before opening time, with fans staking out their spot as early as 2 or 3 a.m. 516 Main St., Lexington; snowsbbq.com
LJ’s BBQ, Brenham (Washington County): Opened in 2015, LJ’s is one of the many modern success stories in the crowded Texas barbecue landscape. Persistence and determination paid off: LJ’s found itself on both the 2021 and 2025 Texas Monthly’s top 50 with shout-outs for its peppery brisket, meaty St. Louis-style ribs, and snappy, hot guts-style sausage. Pair those with buttermilk and bacon potato salad and creamy mac n’ cheese and you’ll instantly know why Brenham is blessed with one of the state’s best barbecue joints. 1407 W. Main, Brenham, ljstxbbq.com
Truth BBQ, Brenham (Washington County): Only two years after it opened, pitmaster Leonard Botello IV landed in the company of barbecue greatness when it was included in the Top 50 in 2017. He’s now barbecue royalty – in the realm of pitmaster legends he hoped to emulate when he stoked his first smoker fire. The success of the Brenham store led to a Truth outpost in Houston which shot to the top of the Texas Monthly list at No. 3 in 2021 and No. 9 in 2025. Botello is no stranger to Round Top, taking over operations of Round Top Smokehouse when the owner, his good friend, passed away. While the rechristened Merrit Meat Company is no longer in business, Botello’s two Truth restaurants remain as popular as ever for exemplary Central Texas-style barbecue. 2990 US-290, Brenham; truthbbq.com
