Kreuz Market, Lockhart

If you want to sound like a real Texan, you have to know how to pronounce Kreuz. No, don't say "Cruise." It's "Krites," rhyming with "lights." This smoky barbecue joint is known by Texans around the state who make regular pilgrimages to feast on this meat. And meat is about all that's on the menu. Don't look for side orders here. No potato salad. No coleslaw. Not even any banana pudding. Only beans, crackers, and bread to accompany the main show: meat, meat, and more meat, some of the best central Texas has to offer.

This barbecue joint was first known located in a building on Commerce Street, a location started by the Kreuz family in 1900 and later operated by the Schmidts. For years, Don Schmidt, son of "Smitty" Schmidt who bought the joint in 1948, tended the pits. After his retirement in 1997, his brother Rick continued the business, eventually moving it to a new location on Colorado Street. (The old location is run by the Schmidts' sister, Nina Schmidt Sells, who operates that location as Smitty's Market.)

Location: 619 N. Colorado St., Lockhart

Tel. (512) 398-2361

Open: Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner

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