Lockhart, the Barbecue Capital
The legislature-certified Barbecue Capital of Texas: three dynastic smokehouses, one astonishing courthouse, 40 minutes down US-183.
The short version
- The Texas Legislature made it official in 1999: House Resolution 1024 named Lockhart the Barbecue Capital of Texas, and the city has governed accordingly since — the proclamation story at cityoflockhart.gov.
- Three smokehouses carry the weight. Kreuz Market has cut brisket since 1900 and moved up the road in 1999 after a family split; Smitty’s Market stayed behind in the original 1924 brick building, pits burning by the front door; Black’s has run under one family since 1932. Sauce is a sensitive subject at two of them; ask carefully.
- The Caldwell County Courthouse of 1894 anchors the square like a Second Empire wedding cake — mansard roofs, a clock tower with a lone star, and a restored interior that turns up in half the Texas films you have seen. Waiting for Guffman was shot on these blocks.
- The Dr. Eugene Clark Library, opened 1899, claims the title of the oldest continuously operating public library in Texas and looks the part — dome, columns, and reading lamps.
- Lockhart State Park, three miles southwest, keeps a CCC-built stone clubhouse and a nine-hole course from the 1930s — day passes at tpwd.texas.gov if the brisket demands a walk afterward.
Getting there
US-183 south from Austin, about 30 miles and 40 minutes, flat and painless outside rush hour. A county rural bus connects Austin and Lockhart on weekdays, but the schedule serves commuters, not lunch; drive. Everything in town radiates from the courthouse square, with Smitty’s a block south, Black’s two blocks north, and Kreuz a short drive up Colorado Street. Park once and walk the core.
The day
Arrive hungry before 11. Start at Smitty’s for the atmospherics — the walk past open pit fires in a smoke-black hallway is the single best entrance in Texas barbecue — and order by the pound at the counter, no plates of substance beyond butcher paper. Walk the square: the courthouse from all four sides, the library dome, the antique shops that colonized the old mercantile row. Round two at Black’s or Kreuz depending on loyalty tests you are ready to run — Black’s for sausage rings and pie, Kreuz for shoulder clod and the big modern pit hall. Lockhart State Park or the Plum Creek trail walks it off before the drive back, or time the return for a swim at Barton Springs, which is on the way for spiritual purposes.
When to go
Year-round — the pits do not take seasons off. Saturdays bring lines at all three temples by late morning; weekdays are the connoisseur’s move. The Chisholm Trail Roundup in June and courthouse-square events pack the town a few weekends a year. Summer afternoons are molten; eat early, drive home air-conditioned.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Lockhart from Austin?
About 30 miles south on US-183 — 40 minutes by car. A weekday county bus exists but suits commuters; driving is the practical answer for a barbecue day.
Which barbecue joint should you choose?
All three are the answer the town endorses. Smitty’s for the pit-fire entrance and history, Black’s for sausage and desserts, Kreuz for scale and the no-sauce orthodoxy. Two joints in one visit is the sane maximum.
What’s the story with the Kreuz–Smitty’s split?
A family dispute in 1999: Kreuz Market moved to a new building up Colorado Street that September, and Smitty’s Market opened in the original 1924 building weeks later, run by the other side of the family. Lockhart’s gain — two institutions where there was one.
Is the courthouse open to visitors?
The 1894 Caldwell County Courthouse still works for a living — you can walk the square and usually the halls on weekdays. The exterior at golden hour is the photograph.
Is Lockhart worth it for non-barbecue eaters?
It’s a harder sell, but the courthouse square, the 1899 library, antique rows, and the state park make a pleasant small-town afternoon — and the smell of oak smoke is non-negotiable either way.