Which City Has The Best BBQ In Texas?

SAN ANGELO, TX — Texans take their barbecue seriously, and LawnStarter's 2024 ranking of the best BBQ cities in America highlights which Lone Star State cities have earned bragging rights this year. 

Among the top spots, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio stand out for their barbecue offerings.

LawnStarter expanded its ranking this year, evaluating the 500 largest U.S. cities based on five categories, including access to barbecue vendors, consumer ratings, competition awards, and the number of barbecue festivals. A total of 20 metrics were considered in the analysis.

Top BBQ Cities in Texas:

1. Houston, TX (Ranked 3rd overall)
2. Austin, TX (Ranked 6th overall)
3. San Antonio, TX (Ranked 7th overall)

Kansas City, Missouri, took the top spot nationally. However, Texas cities made their mark with Houston, Austin, and San Antonio all ranking within the top ten.

Top 10 Best BBQ Cities:

1. Kansas City, MO
2. Memphis, TN
3. Houston, TX
4. Kansas City, KS
5. Los Angeles, CA
6. Austin, TX
7. San Antonio, TX
8. Chicago, IL
9. New York, NY
10. St. Louis, MO

On the opposite end of the spectrum, several cities tied for last place due to a lack of barbecue establishments, festivals, and prize-winning cooking teams.

Bottom 10 Worst BBQ Cities:

1. Auburn, WA (TIE)
2. Sandy, UT (TIE)
3. Cranston, RI (TIE)
4. Pawtucket, RI (TIE)
5. Scranton, PA (TIE)
6. Yonkers, NY (TIE)
7. Rio Rancho, NM (TIE)
8. Bloomington, MN (TIE)
9. Brooklyn Park, MN (TIE)
10. Quincy, MA (TIE)

San Angelo landed at 178 on the list. 

For the full ranking and methodology, click here.