Texas - Lockhart: Smitty's Market
Smitty's Market, located at 208 South Commerce Street, opened for business in September 1999 by Nina Schmidt Sells in the building that that housed her father's Kreuz Market for more than 50 years. Legendary barbecue master Edgar "Smitty" Schmidt bought Kreuz in 1948 from the family who had run it in the same building since it was first built in 1924. He added a new dining room in the 1970's and in 1984, sold the family business to his sons, Rick and Don. But when Smitty died in 1990, he left the building to his daughter and the siblings spent almost a decade in bitter negotiations. Once their lease expired in 1999, the brothers moved the original operation to a new building and Nina and her husband Jim opened up their own market named with Nina's son, John Fullilove as pitboss and manager.
Much remain unchanged. Smoke and soot from the open oak firewood barbecue pits cling to the walls. The brisket is unsauced and the meat, which includes pork ribs and beef sausage links, is served on butcher paper with bread or crackers and no utensils. But one new wrinkle has proved both controversial and popular--the addition of sides, including beans from Smitty's original recipe.
Smitty's Market was named one of the top five barbecue restaurants in Texas by Texas Monthly. In 1999, by virtue of House Resolution No. 1024, the 76th Texas Legislature proclaimed Lockhart "The Barbecue Capital of Texas."
Texas - Lockhart: Smitty's Market
Smitty's Market, located at 208 South Commerce Street, opened for business in September 1999 by Nina Schmidt Sells in the building that that housed her father's Kreuz Market for more than 50 years. Legendary barbecue master Edgar "Smitty" Schmidt bought Kreuz in 1948 from the family who had run it in the same building since it was first built in 1924. He added a new dining room in the 1970's and in 1984, sold the family business to his sons, Rick and Don. But when Smitty died in 1990, he left the building to his daughter and the siblings spent almost a decade in bitter negotiations. Once their lease expired in 1999, the brothers moved the original operation to a new building and Nina and her husband Jim opened up their own market named with Nina's son, John Fullilove as pitboss and manager.
Much remain unchanged. Smoke and soot from the open oak firewood barbecue pits cling to the walls. The brisket is unsauced and the meat, which includes pork ribs and beef sausage links, is served on butcher paper with bread or crackers and no utensils. But one new wrinkle has proved both controversial and popular--the addition of sides, including beans from Smitty's original recipe.
Smitty's Market was named one of the top five barbecue restaurants in Texas by Texas Monthly. In 1999, by virtue of House Resolution No. 1024, the 76th Texas Legislature proclaimed Lockhart "The Barbecue Capital of Texas."