SAN ANTONIO — Barbecue is a serious topic across Texas. That's why when Texas Monthly comes out with their "best of" lists, we're all ears.
Two San Antonio joints made the cut for the top 50 places to find the best BBQ. They are... 2M Smokehouse, which opened in 2016 on the southeast side, and Pinkerton's BBQ, which opened in 2021, in downtown.
Let's start with 2M Smokehouse, located at 2731 S. WW White Road. According to the magazine, pitmaster Esaul Ramos, 36, prefers a post oak, offset smoker method when cooking meat. The restaurant is known for its smoked beef cheek barbacoa, which is the special on the first Sunday of the month. The Texas Monthly list points out 2M Smokehouse brings customers out from all over the area who are seeking "brisket with a spicy bark and a fine balance of smoky and beefy flavor that’s so tender it accordions open when you lift a slice."
"Ramos honed his skills at Austin’s La Barbecue but has brought his own style to 2M. One of his sausages is stuffed with serrano peppers and Oaxaca cheese, and the sides are similarly distinctive: pickled nopales, mac and cheese with chicharrones, and Mexican street corn," according to the article.
Pinkerton's Barbecue is nestled in the shadow of the Frost Tower in downtown, located at 107 West Houston Street, is brought to the Alamo City by way of Houston. Pitmaster, Grant Pinkerton, 32, also uses an offset smoker style, along with a Mesquite and post oak method to grill.
Texas Monthly goes into great detail, summing it up like this:
"Order a serving of the duck-and-sausage jambalaya and a link of boudin for a little Louisiana flavor. Pinkerton’s feast for the senses begins as you approach the massive farmhouse-style building that’s home to the San Antonio satellite of Grant Pinkerton’s original Houston joint. You smell the smoke first, of course, and then you see pile upon pile of neatly stacked wood... By the time we made our way inside, our taste buds were primed. They were rewarded with decadently glazed “candy paint” pork ribs, snappy jalapeño-cheese sausage, and brisket that disappeared so quickly we regretted ordering only half a pound... The hunting lodge-like dining room, replete with a full bar, and the festive outdoor eating area made the whole experience feel like a party you don’t want to end."
Pinkerton's is open on Sundays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
To see the complete list, click here.