On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” CultureMap editor Eric Sandler is joined by three special guest to discuss Texas Monthly’s new list of the 50 best barbecue joints in the state.

They are:

• Ernest Servantes, pitmaster and co-owner of No. 1 ranked Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin
• Leonard Botello IV, pitmaster and owner of No. 9 ranked Truth BBQ in Houston
• Robert Jacob Lerma, a photographer who has captured some of the most iconic images in Texas barbecue

  

Photo by Robert Jacob Lerma

Ernest Servantes and Leonard Botello IV are two of this week's guests.

Servantes is candid in saying that earning No. 1 on Texas Monthly’s list has been a goal of his since he opened Burnt Bean in 2020. In its writeup, the magazine hails the restaurant as “a museum of small-town Texas, with barbecue perfection the main exhibit.” Servantes shares that his wife told him he can’t complain about the hard work or attention, because “you asked for it.” He continues:

“The pressure to be No. 1. You have to be willing to accept it and say you asked for it. I grind every day. I try to be innovative. I love what I f—ing do. I love to be here. I love to work and innovate. I asked for this. I’m honored to take the No. 1 position, but at the end of the day, we’ll just keep on doing what we do now.”

Botello has his own perspective on the list. Truth is one of only two restaurants statewide to make the list in 2017, 2021, and 2025. With so many new places opening every year, he’s had to innovate and improve to maintain his status within the world of Texas barbecue.

“All of the information to cook a good brisket is out there. I’ve put information out there,” he says. “You can buy a Mill Scale or a Moberg [smoker]. So, what’s next? What is going to change the era of barbecue? I think that’s where we’re at today on the list. Brisket, ribs, and sausage aren’t going to make the cut, because so many people do it so good.”

Sandler turns to Lerma for his perspective on Snow’s BBQ. Located in the small town of Lexington, the restaurant is arguably one of the world’s most famous barbecue joints, complete with an episode of Netflix’s Chef’s Table documentary series centered around its pitmaster, Tootsie Tomanetz. Ranked No. 9 in 2021, it fell into the unranked, alphabetized portion of the Texas Monthly list for the first time in 2025.

“To me, it’s quintessential Texas barbecue that encompasses more than food. You have the history with Tootsie. You have this feeling on Saturday morning that reminds me of a Sunday church pot luck with people coming from all over the world. The common denominator is their love for barbecue and their love for this lady and this place,” he says. “Does it need to be number one for me to have a good time there? Absolutely not . . . To me, whether it’s 10 or 25 or one, it’s arbitrary.”

As for Servantes, he shares that he’s achieved his goals of making No. 1 on Texas Monthly’s list, earning a spot in the Michelin Guide, and a James Beard Award nomination. He’ll celebrate with a great bottle of champagne and then get back to work serving people barbecue.

“I feel like Thanos right now with all the stones. People say, what’s next? What’s next is what I asked for. We’re bringing people from all over the world to try the barbecue and tell my story to everybody,” he says.

“I’m still evolving. We’ll be snapping necks and cashing checks.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Servantes’ plans for the future. Botello also shares more thoughts on the evolving role of pitmasters in the larger culinary scene. Sandler and Lerma discuss some of the other places in the top 10 as well as some of the restaurants that earned honorable mentions.

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