Who has the best barbecue in Texas? It’s an everlasting debate and one that grows with the arrival of every new smokehouse in the Lone Star State. Four such barbecue joints have now earned recognition as not only some of the best in Texas, but some of the best in the entire South.
Southern Living released its list of the 16 best new barbecue joints in the South on Thursday, September 10. While Texas may have been snubbed from the No. 1 spot, the Lone Star State took home four of the acclaimed smokehouses. Here’s a rundown of the places Southern Living praised.
The highest-ranked spot on the list, Austin’s Two Goose Market & Barbecue was ranked No. 2 on Southern Living’s list. Two Goose is praised for serving breakfast tacos in the morning and a full slate of brisket, pork, turkey, and more barbecue classics starting at lunch.
Find it: 706 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78703
Miguel Vidal, the former owner of Valentina’s Tex-Mex BBQ, teamed up with Simon Madera to open Churchrow Tejas BBQ in late 2025. Now the smokehouse is being praised for its meats, shareables and nine types of tacos. It ranked No. 4.
Find it: 1521 W. Anderson Lane, Austin, TX 78757
Located in Irving, Kafi BBQ owner Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi has been celebrated for his halal Wagyu barbecue that he finishes with a blend of Iraqi spices. Kafi BBQ is also notable for serving chickens raised on the farm of Super Bowl champion Von Miller. The restaurant ranked no. 7.
Find it: 8140 N. MacArthur Blvd., Suite 100, Irving, TX 75063
Founded by Holden and Taylor Fulco in 2025, the Austin barbecue truck earned instant fans for its combining of Central Texas traditions with Louisiana Cajun flavors. In addition to brisket, Southern Living recommends pork ribs glazed with Steen’s cane syrup, house-cured ham, smoked beef chuck and pulled duck legs. This spot ranked No. 8.
Find it: 10300 Springdale Road Backyard, Austin, TX 78754