best bbq bites

Smokin' San Antonio spot fires up Texas Monthly's best BBQ bites list

B-Daddy's beef short rib made the tasty list.

Daniel Vaughn has arguably the best job in Texas. As barbecue editor for Texas Monthly, he travels the state seeking the tastiest morsels from smoked meat purveyors. To wrap up 2019, he compiled his list of the 16 best Texas BBQ bites.

Vaughn deliberately excludes restaurants in both Texas Monthly's list of the state's top 50 barbecue joints as well as 2019's list of the top 25 barbecue newcomers. That means that the obvious choices — say, brisket at Franklin Barbecue, pork steak at Snow's BBQ, or the chile relleno sausage at Tomball's Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue — are all ineligible for inclusion. It also rules out some newer favorites like the smoked burgers at Leroy & Lewis or brisket fried rice at Bellaire's Blood Bros. BBQ.

Leaving out 75 of the state's best barbecue joints allows Vaughn's list to highlight up-and-comers, under-the-radar spots in small towns, and some promising pop-ups.

On his most recent list, the San Antonio area earns one spot: B-Daddy's BBQ in Helotes is honored for its beef short rib.

Elsewhere in Texas, the Houston area wins the most spots, represented by Brett's BBQ Shop and Los Muertos BBQ in Katy, Galveston's Buck's Barbecue Co., and Khói Barbecue.

Austin earns three spots, including new upstarts and an old favorite. Vaughn praises the Whole Hog sandwich at Banger's, the jalapeño popper sausage and scalloped potatoes at Interstellar BBQ, and the smoked sausage kolache at Kerlin BBQ. And, like San Antonio, Dallas earns one nod for Slow Bone's mammoth smoked pork chop.

The takeaway is obvious. Texas has a lot of great barbecue, and diners who are willing to drive a bit will be richly rewarded in deliciousness.

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Spurs Snacks

Pluckers scores Spurs partnership with first arena stand and free wings

Pluckers Wing Bar/Instagram

Pluckers is opening a new Frost Bank Center concession stand and offering a fun home game deal.

A match made in sports snacks heaven has been announced. The San Antonio Spurs are teaming up Pluckers Wing Bar, a Central Texas go-to for chicken wings that was founded in Austin. The partnership includes arrival of Pluckers' first concession stand at Frost Bank Center, plus a chance to redeem free wings after some games. It is expected to open in January 2025.

According to a press release, the new stand will be located at Section 222 on the Balcony Level. It will be open for all home games and arena events.

Pluckers is known for its sports bar atmosphere and wide selection of flavors, which includes classics like Buffalo sauce with multiple heat levels and variations on barbecue sauce, or more left-field combinations like maple chipotle and Dr Pepper. It already has five locations in San Antonio, and 13 between Austin and San Antonio.

Those locations will come in handy for a promotion starting December 19, preceding the Frost Bank Center location's opening. The new partnership includes a “5 Assists, 5 Free Wings” promotion, which will set fans at the arena up with digital vouchers during all regular season home games, starting with the Thursday game against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Spurs will have to record five or more assists within the 2nd quarter — then all fans in attendance will get five free wings from Pluckers. Vouchers can be redeemed at any Pluckers in the San Antonio area, excluding the one in the arena.

“We have been eager to partner with the Spurs since we opened our first San Antonio area location in 2018,” said Pluckers owner David Paul in the release. “We’re very excited to bring Pluckers food to the Frost Bank Center and give Spurs fans a chance to receive our famous five free wing coupon.”

Pluckers has run similar promotions in other Texas cities for years, so hopefully San Antonio fans are entering into a long-term relationship with free chicken wings.

“We take pride in partnering with a locally grown brand like Pluckers that has shown remarkable reach throughout our state,” said chief commercial officer at Spurs Sports & Entertainment Frank Miceli. “We appreciate this opportunity to support a business that is beloved by our Austin and San Antonio community and look forward to seeing the fans engage with this exciting new promotion and culinary offering.”

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