[Editor --- Thanks for the tip. Once the weather warms up again, I'll make a trip over and give it a try.]

I can see why your first report would be from Cooper’s. We lived in Llano for a short time and that was the first place we ate. And everytime we had guests from out of state we took them there. One of the families that we took to Cooper’s looked online and found that they could order and have mailed to them several of the famous items. This same family now sends us a Cooper’s Gift Certificate every Christmas.

One of my dear friends from California fell in love with Cooper’s brisket. On her birthday the following year I had five pounds sent to her – it was more than I usually spend on her birthday but her reaction was worth every penny.

Good luck on this venture you have started.

Since it’s only 37 miles from my house, I take rides out there all the time.

Kruez Market is easily my favorite of the Big 4 BBQ joints in Lockhart (Blacks, Smitty’s Market, and Chisholm Trail Barbeque being the other three).

There are times we head to Lockhart for the day, stopping for brisket at Kruez, links at Blacks, ribs at Smitty’s, and desert at Chisholm trail.

I’ll do a report on Kruez next time I go and remember to take my camera.

Sadly, I’ve never stopped for BBQ in Smithville, though I go through there all the time. I’ll make it my next destination.

There was a Barbeque place in Smithville, that was memorable, and had been there quite a while. You might want to try City Market in Luling, very good, and so is Kreuz market in Lockhart.

I do recommend you ride a little farther, and go to East Texas, my original stomping grounds. The County Tavern just outside Kilgore is legendary in these parts, and we have driven from Dallas just to load up. I grew up eating the finest pulled pork sandwiches in the world, at Neely Brother’s in Marshall. Their signature sandwich is called a “Brown Pig,” and I’m hurting myself just thinking about them.

If you are ever in Dallas, there is only one that is memorable, and it’s one of the best. The original Sonny Bryan’s, on Inwood road, near the UT Medical Center. Don’t go to any of the franchised restaurants, though, they are terrible.

Thinking about it, we can go in any direction from any city in Texas, and find great Barbeque.

I’ll look forward to reviews of places to the north of Austin- I’ll probably be taking a visit before the end of the year.