Barbecue in Luling

Located on US 90 east of Austin, Luling is the land of oil wells. Although this area's heyday as a boomtown are gone, pumpjacks are still seen throughout town, and the barbecue restaurants are still pumping out their own version of black gold.

The best known spot in town is the City Market (633 David St.) This is small-town barbecue the way it ought to be: served up in a no-frills smoky meat market, with ambiance replaced by plenty of local atmosphere. The Luling City Market has been in business longer than anyone can remember, turning out smoked brisket, sausage, ribs, and mutton.

If you've ventured down to Houston, you'll know that the big city boasts its own version of the City Market, even using the same recipes as this small-town joint. But for the real thing you have to come to the source, where smoke-tinted walls and no-nonsense barbecue brings in both oil field workers and oil field owners.

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