5 Best Restaurants in San Antonio, Texas

A continuation of a family-run Southside business since 1958, this version of B&B opened in 1984 and has a menu that goes beyond the usual barbecue fare. In addition to the typical brisket, smoked sausage, and pulled pork, they also offer burgers, club sandwiches, tacos, and a veggie chef salad that's fresh and flavorful. Choose from barbecue plates with multiple meats or pork rib plates with a half-rack or full-rack. Huge baked potatoes start with only butter and cheese, then you can add chicken, brisket, or turkey to top them. Among other tasty sides, the potato salad is a standout.

What looks like an old gas station is actually home to some of San Antonio's favorite barbecue. The wait to place your order is worth it once you bite into some tender brisket (their original "sause" is on the side) or smoked turkey dry-rubbed with flavor and cooked in wood-fired pits. Or try some chicken, sausage, baby back ribs, pork ribs, or their special chopped brisket, turkey, and pork combination in "sause."  Sides are creamed corn, beans, potato salad, and coleslaw, with peach cobbler for dessert. Outdoor picnic-table seating completes the picture.

Though its former filling station location is inconspicuous—apart from the line of hungry patrons—this family restaurant meets any barbecue hankerings. Mouthwatering, dry-rubbed beef brisket, smoked turkey, pork ribs, pulled pork, and sausages are served with tangy sauce (on the side), pickles, and slices of white bread. Scratch-made sides of creamed corn, potato salad, green beans, pinto beans, and coleslaw help soothe the palate. There's a sizable outdoor patio, too.

A household name in barbecue with several locations in Texas and one in Albuquerque, the Country Line is famous for its barbecued ribs, smoked brisket, and related fare. The barbecue here is dry-rubbed, with the sauce on the side, and the various combo platters and family-style options let you sample from smoked turkey and sausage, brisket, beef and pork ribs, and more. They even provide recipes for sides on their website. The atmosphere is rustic-casual, so don't be afraid to put your elbows on the table. There is a second location at 4334 Hyatt Place Drive.

This turn-of-the-century home at The Pearl is one of the new hot spots to discover the pleasure of slow-smoked meats and barbecue. A counter-service barbecue joint by day and a brew pub and full-service restaurant serving globally-inspired barbecue plates by night, the Granary is for those with a Texas-sized appetite for meat. On any given day you'll find anything from house-made pastrami to thick-cut Niman Ranch smoked pork butt on the menu here. Soulful sides include crispy grit fritters and a version of Texas Toast griddled with a smear of beef tallow and served with a side of butter infused with drippings straight from the smoker. The house beers are pretty good as well, especially the Belgian-style Rye Saison and the dark and stormy Brown Ale. And you can't beat a cold mug of homemade root beer made with pure cane sugar and sarsaparilla.