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Quick rundown: At a BBQ festival, do you line up for a favorite or give a joint you’ve never tried the first bite? Steve and I are heading to the Top 50 Picnic in Lockhart this Sunday, and that’s the question we’re bringing to The Pit. Around the Fire, reader Jason R. tips us off to Jay’s BBQ Shack’s national Readers’ Choice win, 3B BBQ opens a permanent spot in San Antonio, and Stiles Switch makes plans for Kyle. For Pitmaster Picks, we revisit last year’s Picnic and hear from Evan LeRoy about how sides can round out a BBQ tray.
Do you chase your favorites or try something new?
Steve and I are heading to Texas Monthly’s Top 50 Picnic in Lockhart this Sunday, and there’s one decision I keep coming back to: Who gets the first bite?
There’s a good case for starting with a favorite. Maybe it’s a joint you rarely get to visit, or maybe you’ve been thinking about their sausage since the last time you had it. An afternoon like this is a chance to get another bite without making a separate trip.
Then there’s the booth with a name you barely recognize. Maybe they’re serving something you’d never think to order. One bite might give you a reason to pull up a map and see how far it is to their place.
If you’re going, pick a couple of stops you’d hate to miss and leave room for a surprise. If something catches you off guard in a good way, jot down the joint and what you tried. “That sausage was good” is a lot more useful a week later if you remember who made it.
That might be my favorite part of the whole idea. You can go to Lockhart for an afternoon and come home with a reason to explore another Texas town.
Now it’s your turn
Say you’ve just walked in and have room for anything. There’s a joint you already love in one direction and a place you’ve never tried in the other.
At a BBQ festival, which gets your first stop: a proven favorite or a joint you’ve never tried?
Have a take on this? Share Issue #34 on Facebook and see how your BBQ crowd chooses its first stop.
Until next week, keep chasing the smoke,
Mike
BBQ Fandom | ExploringBBQ.com
An Abilene joint takes first in a national readers’ poll, a San Antonio food truck opens a permanent spot, and Stiles Switch has plans for a new stop along I‑35.
Jay’s BBQ Shack Takes the Top Spot in a National Readers’ Poll
BBQ Fandom reader and ExploringBBQ member Jason R. sent us the results of USA TODAY 10Best’s Readers’ Choice awards for Texas-style BBQ. Abilene’s Jay’s BBQ Shack took No. 1, followed by The Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood and Down South Texas BBQ in Austin.
I’m hoping to get my first taste of Jay’s at Texas Monthly’s Top 50 Picnic in Lockhart this Sunday. If you read this week’s From the Pit, you can probably guess which way I’m leaning on that first bite. Thanks for the tip, Jason!
USA TODAY 10Best | October 28, 2026 | Readers’ Choice results
3B BBQ Puts Down Roots on San Antonio’s North Side
The food truck known for its BBQ sundae announced a November 3 soft opening at 427 E. Ramsey Road. The sundae comes in a cup with your choice of barbecue topped with mac and cheese. If you’re planning a visit, the new spot is starting with a limited menu while the crew settles in.
MySA | November 3, 2026
Stiles Switch BBQ Plans a New Location in Kyle
Stiles Switch is planning a Kyle location in the former Z’Tejas space along I‑35. The state filing calls for renovations that include a pit room. If you make the drive between Austin and San Antonio, this is a stop to keep an eye on. MySA’s report gives no opening date.
MySA | November 1, 2026
Know someone who plans road trips around BBQ? Forward Issue #34 and ask which booth they’d hit first at a BBQ festival. An old favorite is hard to pass up, but one bite from a joint you’ve never tried might give you both a reason for another road trip.
This week, we’re revisiting last year’s Top 50 Picnic in Lockhart and hearing from Austin pitmaster Evan LeRoy about what makes a BBQ tray feel complete.
I Ate My Way Through the Best BBQ Festival in Texas!
YouTube video | November 15, 2025 | Behind The Food TV
Behind The Food TV eats its way through the 2025 Texas Monthly BBQ Fest in Lockhart, with appearances from Bar-A-BBQ, LeRoy and Lewis, B4 Barbeque, Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q, and ArnieTex. It’s a chance to see the variety of joints and bites that make the Top 50 Picnic such a tempting afternoon.
The Art of Sides and Texas BBQ with Pitmaster Evan LeRoy
YouTube interview | November 2, 2026 | Ingredient Insiders
Evan LeRoy of Austin’s LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue talks about how smoke shapes flavor and how he thinks about sides when building a tray. The conversation gives the accompaniments their due, from how they work with smoked meats to what they bring to the meal on their own.
This weekend, Lockhart hosts the BBQ World’s Fair on Saturday and the Top 50 Picnic on Sunday. The following weekend brings a car show and cookoff in Temple and an evening of BBQ and live-fire cooking in San Antonio.
Ribs & Rods | Car Show and BBQ Cookoff
November 13–14, 2026 | Temple, Texas
Classic cars, smoking pits, and a little friendly competition make Ribs & Rods a weekend with something for the whole crew. Friday brings live music and a drive-in-style movie, while Saturday features the car show, BBQ judging, a rib-eating contest, and more live music. Adult spectator admission is $15, and children 12 and under get in free. If you’re going for the barbecue, check the event details for tasting and judging options.
Smoke & Fire BBQ Fest | BBQ Tasting Festival
November 14, 2026 | San Antonio, Texas
Pullman Market brings together pitmasters and chefs for an evening of smoked meats, open-fire cooking, live music, and entertainment. The announced lineup includes KG BBQ, Curry Boys BBQ, Bar-A BBQ, Teddy’s BBQ, Schulze’s Pit Room, and more.
General admission includes unlimited food sampling, with entry at 5 PM. VIP tickets offer 4 PM entry, Pullman Market swag, and access to an exclusive patio. A good opportunity to sample several Texas kitchens without putting all those miles on the car.
221 Newell Avenue, San Antonio
Texas Monthly BBQ Fest | BBQ Festival
November 7–8, 2026 | Lockhart, Texas
Lockhart gets a full weekend of barbecue, music, and exploring as Texas Monthly BBQ Fest returns.
Saturday’s BBQ World’s Fair takes over downtown from noon to 6 PM with live cooking demonstrations, the returning Taco Trail, a vendor marketplace, and live music. Admission is free, with food and other purchases separate.
On Sunday, the Top 50 Picnic brings more than 35 joints from Texas Monthly’s Top 50 list, including all ten of its top-ranked restaurants, to Lockhart City Park. General admission runs from 1–4 PM, with noon entry for VIP ticketholders. Sunday requires a separate ticket, and a portion of ticket proceeds benefits Feeding Texas.
Pick a day or make a weekend of it. Either way, leave room.
Planning More BBQ Stops This November?
Browse our November Texas BBQ Events guide for more tastings, cookoffs, and community gatherings across Texas. You might find a good reason to take the long way home.
Give Your Next BBQ Stop a Place to Live
Maybe it’s a joint you discover at the Top 50 Picnic. Maybe it’s a name a friend drops over lunch. Either way, save it while it’s fresh. On ExploringBBQ, you can browse curated Texas BBQ Bucket Lists for ideas or create a free account to start a list of your own. Next time you’re planning a drive, you’ll know where to look.
Found a joint you want to try? Create your free ExploringBBQ account and save it to your own BBQ Bucket List. Start with one spot, then add more as you hear about them. When you’re ready for your next BBQ run, you’ll have a list of places you already want to go.
Prefer to join with Google or Facebook? Both options are below the signup form.
For the next BBQ run
A favorite joint, a festival weekend, or a new town can give you a reason to make the drive. Bring your appetite, enjoy the people along the way, and wear your love of Texas BBQ. Gear up for the next BBQ run.
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