Smitty's Market Menu 2026: Brisket, Ribs & Smoked Sausage in Lockhart, TX

Smitty's Market is at 208 S. Commerce Street, Lockhart, Texas 78644 — about 30 miles south of Austin. Lockhart is designated the BBQ Capital of Texas by the state legislature.

No. Smitty's Market has never served BBQ sauce, following the old Central Texas tradition that well-smoked meat needs no sauce. If you want sauce, a bottle of store-bought sauce is sometimes available on the tables, but it is emphatically not part of the experience.

Smitty's Market is generally open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, and Sunday for lunch. Hours can change for holidays or special events. Check the official website or call ahead before visiting, as they sell out of popular cuts like prime rib early in the day.

All smoked meats are sold by weight (per pound). You approach the pit room counter, choose your cuts, and the pitmaster slices or portions your order. Meat is served on butcher paper. Sides are ordered and priced separately.

The fatty brisket is universally recommended as the must-order item — heavily marbled, deep bark, and pronounced post-oak smoke. The beef sausage links (a recipe with roots in the original Kreuz Market era) are equally essential. On weekends, the prime rib sells out fast and is worth arriving early for.

Yes. Both share a common ancestor: the original Kreuz Market business that Edgar "Smitty" Schmidt ran from 1948 on S. Commerce Street. When the family split in 1999, Rick Schmidt took the Kreuz Market name and opened a new, larger building on Highway 183, while his sister Nina Schmidt Sells kept the original building and renamed it Smitty's Market. The two restaurants have operated independently ever since, each with their own pits and recipes.

Smitty's Market has historically been cash-only, though payment policies can change. Confirm current payment options on their website or by phone before visiting.

Yes. Smitty's is a casual, no-frills smokehouse with communal seating and an informal atmosphere well-suited to families. The smoke-filled pit room may be intense for very young children; parents typically order at the counter and find seating in the larger dining rooms.

Smitty's Market offers smoked prime rib on weekends (typically Friday through Sunday) while supplies last. It is a thick-cut standing rib roast finished in the smokehouse pits rather than an oven. It is considered one of the great BBQ experiences in Central Texas and frequently sells out by midday — plan to arrive at or before opening if prime rib is your goal.