Black Board Bar-B-Q

You can drive all over Texas and never find another restaurant that takes barbecue to this level of perfection, although when it comes to barbecue, those might be fightin' words. Still, Blackboard Bar-B-Q, known for its elevated craft barbecue, has some things going for it that few restaurants even strive towards. To begin with, they cut their own wood for the smoker using the Live Oak trees on property. The smoker is a story unto itself, as it's close to half a century old. Chef, co-owner and pitmaster, Jake Gandolfo, compares it to inheriting your great grandmother's exceptionally-seasoned cast iron skillet. Then there's the meat. Blackboard makes a ridiculously succulent Texas dry-rubbed Wagyu brisket that truly melts in your mouth like butter. Add to that the wild boar jalapeno cheddar sausage, housemade Boudin, Luckenbach Lollipops of buttermilk-brined, deep-fried Texas-raised quail and you've got yourself an epic barbecue feast. Make sure to save room for one of chef and co-owner, Jo Irizarry's freshly-made desserts, including giant chocolate chip cookies with ice-cold milk, cobbler or carrot cake.