Real Estate Photographer in Lockhart, TX

LPR Editor

If your appetite’s been itching for something smoky, savory, and downright Texan, you’re in luck. The annual Texas Monthly BBQ Fest is rolling into town this weekend.

The festival takes over our town, aka the official “Barbecue Capital of Texas”, on Saturday, November 1, and Sunday, November 2, 2025. Saturday brings the “BBQ World’s Fair” to downtown Lockhart, while Sunday’s “Top 50 Picnic” fills Lockhart City Park. Both days run from noon to 7 p.m., giving plenty of time to wander through clouds of oak smoke, savor samples from dozens of Texas’s top joints, and soak in the sounds and smells that makes this deliciously Texan tradition.

This isn’t your average grill-out. Backed by Texas Monthly, the festival gathers pitmasters from the magazine’s revered “Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas” list, meaning you can taste brisket, sausage, and ribs from across the state without driving hundreds of miles. It’s a culinary road trip condensed into one weekend, celebrating the craftsmanship and community that define Texas barbecue.

Lockhart itself adds an extra layer of authenticity. Known for institutions like Kreuz Market and Black’s Barbecue, the town lives and breathes barbecue. Smoke lingers in the air even on an ordinary day, but on festival weekend, it becomes a full-blown pilgrimage.

For those planning to attend, expect crowds, long lines, and unforgettable flavors. The smart money is on snagging a VIP ticket, seasoned festivalgoers swear it’s worth it for early access to the pits and shorter waits. Once you’re inside, it’s a free-for-all of tasting, chatting with fellow barbecue lovers. Some attendees even bring small trays or boards to carry multiple samples, a pro move when your hands are full of saucy ribs and burnt ends.

Saturday’s World’s Fair has a looser, block-party energy, while Sunday’s Top 50 Picnic feels more curated and intimate, with each pitmaster serving up their signature cuts. Both days include live music, beer tents, and that uniquely Texas vibe where strangers become friends over a shared love of brisket bark. For anyone bringing a camera, whether pro or phone pro, Lockhart offers a feast for the eyes as much as the stomach. The limestone Caldwell County Courthouse, the red-brick storefronts, and the rising smoke at golden hour make for stunning visuals. Pitmasters tending the fires, trays piled high, and families gathered tell the real story of the event, one of craft, heritage, and community pride.

This year’s festival also serves a greater purpose. A portion of proceeds goes to Feeding Texas, helping fight food insecurity across the state. It’s a reminder that while barbecue might be about indulgence, it’s also about sharing, something us Texans have always done well.

So, grab your felt hat, your appetite, and maybe an extra napkin or two. The Texas Monthly BBQ Fest isn’t just another food event, it’s a celebration of smoke, flavor, and Texas soul, all set in the town that defines barbecue itself.

Red Oak launched the TEACH program, aimed at helping local educators become homeowners.

LOCKHART, Texas — Lockhart ISD leaders are taking steps to create affordable housing for its teachers and staff.

The district teamed up with the real estate developer Red Oak to launch Teachers’ Economic Advancement through Community Homeownership (TEACH), which is a program aimed at helping local educators become homeowners.

On top of that, a new middle school will neighbor the community and is scheduled to open in August 2027. Lockhart ISD signed off on a bond to construct the campus and relieve overcrowding.

Superintendent Mark Estrada noted that Lockhart Junior High is over capacity. Once the new middle school opens, he said they will have roughly 800 students with an overall full capacity of 1,250 students.

The idea is to bring a chunk of the students and staff from Lockhart Junior High to the newly constructed campus.

Estrada noted that 75% of teachers live outside of Lockhart; he hopes this new community will allow the district to retain staff and give them the chance to have a closer commute.

"There are lots of homes being built in Lockhart, so that is pushing us to ensure that we're prepared for that growth," said Estrada.

Red Oak donated the land and will help with the infrastructure of the homes and the middle school. CEO Tom Staub said the company is investing over $100 million through 2030 to complete the project.

"It truly is about investing in things that people care about," said Staub.

The mixed-community will be known as "Moxie."

Construction for the first phase is well underway, with roughly 400 homes set to open by next spring. The overall goal is to build 2,500 homes.

Teachers will have to be eligible to apply. Estrada said they are currently ironing out those details.

Elaina Walzel is a band director for Lockhart Junior High, and said her commute from South Austin where she currently lives is roughly 45 minutes.

Walzel said not only does the commute eat up time, but also money because of tolls.

Walzel is in her second year as the school's band director, and wants to remain in the district long-term. However, she recently got engaged and is in the process of looking for a new home.

With the city of Austin off the table due to prices, and more people moving to Lockhart, she fears being a homeowner isn't in the cards. However, she was elated to learn there was a possibility of it becoming a reality.

"It seems too good to be true, like there has to be a catch - but the more we find out about it, it's more of a teacher incentive to stay," said Walzel, "And it it seems like a wonderful and great opportunity to keep more people in Lockhart and build our community."

Juliana Riecss is also a band director at the junior high and echoed Walzel's statement.

Riecss also has a roughly 45-to-50 minute commute from West Lake Hills. Not only would she prefer to be closer, but Riecss said she would like the opportunity to own a home.

"There's only so much time in the day and you have families and kids and spouses, you know, where do you want to invest your time, in the car or with people?," said Riecss.

Boomtown is KVUE's series covering the explosive growth in Central Texas. For more Boomtown stories, head to KVUE.com/Boomtown.

One of the biggest barbecue festivals in the Lone Star State is back—Texas Monthly BBQ Fest, benefiting Feeding Texas, in Lockhart. This year’s two-day event in the Barbecue Capital of Texas will bring together pitmasters and fans to celebrate the big, wide world of ’cue—and will provide a chance to sample dishes from dozens of the restaurants on Texas Monthly’s new Top 50 BBQ list.

The mouthwatering festivities begin with the BBQ World’s Fair on November 1, in historic downtown Lockhart, from noon to 7 p.m. The free street festival will feature live-fire cooking demos, a bustling marketplace with a variety of artisan and apparel vendors, and food and drinks for purchase from a curated barbecue-vendor lineup showcasing the diverse flavors across the barbecue world. The featured joints are BBQ Fiends, Black Board Bar B Q, CM Smokehouse, Eaker Barbecue, Harlem Road Texas BBQ, Jimenez y Friends Barbecue y Taqueria, Khói Barbecue, the Original Black’s Barbecue, Parish Barbecue, Smitty’s Market, and Smoke ’N Ash.

There will also be live music from the two-time Grammy-winning group Lost Bayou Ramblers, Texas Country Music Awards 2023 Female Artist of the Year Summer Dean, the award-winning Croy and the Boys, Garrett T. Capps & NASA Country, and Hondo.

On November 2, the highly anticipated Top 50 Picnic will take place at Lockhart City Park from 1–4 p.m. Forty of the barbecue joints from this year’s Top 50 list, including three Michelin-starred restaurants, will be there to help attendees experience why Texas barbecue is king. There will also be performances from the Austin Music Awards Best DJ nominee Mixer Rogers and the award-winning Selena tribute band Bidi Bidi Banda.

The featured joints at the picnic are 1701 Barbecue, 2M Smokehouse, B4 Barbeque, Bar-A-BBQ, Brendyn’s BBQ, Briscuits, Burnt Bean Co., Cattleack Barbeque, Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, Evie Mae’s Pit Barbeque, GW’s BBQ Catering Co., Helberg Barbecue, Interstellar BBQ, Jay’s BBQ Shack, KG BBQ, LaVaca BBQ, La Barbecue, Leroy and Lewis Barbecue, LJ’s BBQ, Miller’s Smokehouse, Mimsy’s Craft Barbecue, Mum Foods Smokehouse and Delicatessen, North Texas Smoke BBQ, Panther City BBQ, Pinkerton’s Barbecue, Redbird BBQ, Reese Bros Barbecue, Rejino Barbeque, Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q, Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue, Sabar BBQ, Slow Bone BBQ, Smoak Town BBQ, Smokey Joe’s BBQ, Snow’s BBQ, Stiles Switch BBQ, Sunbird Barbecue, Teddy’s Barbecue, Truth Barbeque, and Yearby’s Barbecue & Waterice.

VIP tickets for the Top 50 Picnic have already sold out, but general admission passes are still available, at $135 per person. All tickets, which can be purchased here, include food. A portion of the ticket proceeds will be donated to Feeding Texas and its network of food banks across the state.

Texas Monthly thanks its 2025 sponsors, Aviation American Gin, Balcones Distilling, Bud Light, Casamigos Tequila, Chief Firewood, the City of Lockhart, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Deloitte, Freshfields, Greater Texas Credit Union, Jim Beam, La Vieille Ferme, Liquid Death, Mill Scale Metalworks, Nomad Grills, Perry Homes, Prasek’s Family Smokehouse, Republic Services, Rodeo Austin, Sendero Provisions Co., San Pellegrino, Texas Tech University, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Trialmed, True Texas BBQ, Turtlebox, Visit Cedar Park, and Yeti.

To stay updated on BBQ Fest news, subscribe to the Texas Monthly barbecue newsletter or follow the @tmbbqfest Instagram account, the BBQ Fest Facebook page, or Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor, Daniel Vaughn, on X and Instagram.

The hottest barbecue rivalry in Texas is about to get a whole lot hotter. With construction underway for a "barbecue restaurant" at the former Los Cucos Mexican Restaurant in New Braunfels, locals have been speculating what is taking over the vacant site. Now, the mystery is solved.

Terry Black’s Barbecue, the famous Central Texas chain with locations in Austin, Dallas, Waco, Fort Worth and Lockhart, has confirmed plans to open its first New Braunfels smokehouse at the former Los Cucos space.

"New Braunfels is one of the premier small cities in the state," co-owner Mark Black explains to MySA. "It’s an area we wanted to be, and we love what they’ve got going on there. We’re excited to open in that market."

What makes this so steamy is, once open, Terry Black's will on the same street as Black's Barbecue, the legendary smokehouse that Terry Black's splintered from amid a family feud over a decade ago. The former Los Cucos at 1310 E. Common Street is only a three-minute walk east of the Black's Barbecue at 936 TX-337 Loop.

The Black family has been in the pit business since 1932, when Edgar Black Sr. opened the original Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart. In 2013, a falling-out split the family, with Terry Black and his twin sons, Mike and Mark, parting ways with Terry’s brother, Kent Black.

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The trio went on to launch Terry Black’s Barbecue in Austin the next year, a move that led to lawsuits, dueling signs and what became known as the "family beef." When asked about the family history, Mark Black added no further comment, saying "the whole story’s been told," but he emphasized his excitement about expanding to New Braunfels.

"Barbecue-obsessed city, that’s one of the reasons we wanted to be there," Mark said. "There’s a lot of barbecue, that’s where people go for it. We’re really excited."

Crews are currently renovating the building, as the upcoming site prepares to welcome another chapter of Central Texas barbecue to New Braunfels. There is no official timeline for opening as construction continues, the restaurant confirmed. Locals and fans of Terry Black’s will have to wait to see how the newest smokehouse will fit into the city’s already crowded barbecue scene.

Find it: 1310 E. Common St., New Braunfels, TX 78130

The last light of a Texas sunset fades to pink as I step onto Lockhart’s town square. At its center, the impressive limestone courthouse towers above a crowd drifting between art galleries and boutiques, wine in hand. Like most, I came for the barbecue — but between sips of a crisp Martini and bites of award-winning banana pudding, I realize Lockhart’s culinary renaissance has transformed this barbecue town into an all-around destination.

Located 35 miles southeast of Austin, Lockhart has long been celebrated as the “Barbecue Capital of Texas,” home to legends like Black’s, Chisholm Trail, Kreutz Market, and Smitty’s. And in recent years the city has drawn chefs, musicians, and entrepreneurs from Austin and beyond. Everywhere I visit is recommended by word of mouth, with owners and chefs championing one another in every conversation. That spirit extends to the city’s leaders.

“To have a direct line to the mayor and city council is huge,” says bar owner Travis Tober. “They want to influence the town in a positive way and understand how important hospitality is to that.” It’s part of what draws newcomers here: the accessibility, creative energy, and the sense of shared investment.

I begin my evening at Old Pal, Travis Tober’s love letter to old Austin — cold beer, fried chicken, and good conversation. Behind the bar, Margaritas are hand-squeezed to order, and the crowd is a mix of locals and weekenders spilling in from the square. Over a plate of jojos and a Dr. Pepper Old Fashioned, a friendly regular tells me not to miss Barbs-B-Q next door.

At Barbs, pitmaster Chuck Carnichart slings Texas barbecue her own way: brisket finished with lime zest, green spaghetti in roasted poblano sauce, and cinnamon-swirl bread to mop up extra drippings. Across the square, chef Sarah Heard of Austin’s Foreign & Domestic brings her farm-to-table philosophy to Lockhart at Commerce Café, where smothered pork chops and housemade pasta meet popovers the size of your hand. Just down the street, Loop & Lil’s serves hand-tossed, wood-fired pizzas with perfectly blistered crusts. Together, these spots capture modern Lockhart: familiar comfort food elevated with quality ingredients, creativity, and an easygoing sense of place.

What makes this shift so distinct is how organically it’s happened. Much of Lockhart’s growth is driven from within, with locals voicing their eagerness for more and businesses delivering. As Heard puts it, she wanted Commerce Café “to be a bridge into slightly finer dining, while still serving the food everyone wants”—meals that, as she describes, “remind people of what Mom would put on the table.”

As the night cools, I wander past the courthouse to Commerce Gallery, where local artists and curious travelers mingle over wine and contemporary art. Owners Tamara Carlisle and Donna Blair not only showcase rotating exhibitions and host artists-in-residence, they’re also deeply invested in the town. As founding members of the Lockhart Initiative for Tourism, they help preserve the small-town character while promoting arts, culture, and heritage — funding events, forging partnerships, and attracting visitors to support local businesses.

“Lockhart moves at a human scale,” says tourism board member Celeste Quesada. It’s one of those rare small towns where you feel welcome right away. You’re not just sharing a drink, you’re sharing a conversation about life.”

As I consider my options for a nightcap, locals gush about the sheer range of spots that are ideal for ending an evening. Longtime Austin honkytonk owner Dennis O’Donnell — of White Horse and Sagebrush — brings weekly live music to O’Donnell’s, a casual café and pub where you can two-step with a local crowd and soak up Lockhart’s particular brand of cowboy cool. For something cozier, Best Little Wine & Books features curated wines, craft beer, and sake in a space that’s part living room and part tiny bookstore. Despite having the best patio in town, guests linger for hours under the thoughtful guidance of owner Kaye Askins, a CMS-certified sommelier. Tucked away down an alley, The Case Room provides an intimate speakeasy experience where I sip an ice cold Martini as bluegrass drifts in from the attached Fiddler’s Green Music Shop.

When it’s time to call it a night, I head to The Leona. On the short walk from the town square, I reflect on the vast creativity packed into this tiny town. It’s easy to see why so many have traded city noise for Lockhart’s slower rhythm in a community that values connection as much as craft. The Leona’s private cabins blend modern design with rustic charm, set amid native gardens and a natural spring. Thoughtfully built and deeply serene, it resembles a true oasis. For larger groups, Nightbirds Hospitality offers expertly restored colonial homes and turn-of-the-century estates that marry well-curated design with old-world luxe.

The next morning, I fuel up at Thorn & Bred Mercantile for coffee and Chaparral for breakfast tacos, before wandering the town for souvenirs. After exploring Saturday’s farmers market, I wander into The Culinary Room, where Alana Webre has created a treasure trove of small-batch gourmet goods, from locally made jams and olive oils to globally sourced treats. Of course, the real draw is her award-winning banana pudding: thick, rich, and made fresh daily. Every item on the shelves reflects Alana’s mission: to bring Lockhart a taste of the world while championing small brands you won’t find elsewhere.

And because all roads in Lockhart eventually lead back to barbecue, my final stop on the way out of town is Mill Scale Metalworks. Brothers Matt and Caleb Johnson build live-fire grills and smokers designed for chefs and home cooks alike, supplying some of the best pitmasters in Texas and around the world. For these brothers, barbecue is about the ritual of cooking with fire, the conversations around the pit, and the joy of sharing a meal with others. For anyone inspired to bring a bit of that spirit home, Mill Scale’s retail shop offers a selection of rubs, sauces, and hand-forged cooking tools.

Theirs is a sentiment that captures Lockhart — a town built on smoke, storytelling, and genuine connection. Barbecue may remain its heartbeat, but the true flavor of Lockhart lies in its people, its hospitality, and the unexpected discoveries that keep you coming back.