We’ve been taking you on some tours of our favorite Texas towns.
We’re back this week to take you to the barbecue capital of Texas. Let’s visit Lockhart!
Lockhart has several claims to fame. In 1999, the Texas Legislature proclaimed Lockhart the “Barbecue Capital of Texas” so make sure you snag some from one of the four major barbecue restaurants while you’re there. The Caldwell County Courthouse is absolutely stunning and you may recognize it from being featured in various TV shows and films. Some of those including Waiting for Guffman, Eating Gilbert Grape, The Faculty, Where the Heart Is, Lone Star State of Mind, Temple Grandin and Transformers. But one of the most popular one remains the HBO series “The Leftovers.” Lockhart is the perfect town for everyone from the TV enthusiast to a foodie.
Here’s your guide to the Best of Lockhart!
Eat & Drink
Chaparral Coffee has been serving the good people of Lockhart, Texas since 2015. Chaparral Coffee is more than just coffee. Recently they’ve transformed into a bodega with fresh deli meats and cheeses, artisan cheeses, local milk, local eggs, and over a hundred pantry staples. But first, coffee! Another great stop is Lockhart’s Daily Grind, which is only a couple months old it opened June 2020. Lockhart’s has a drive-thru for those are in a rush. The coffee shop offers coffee, fresh baked goods and a small selections of breakfast items.
Photo courtesy of Lockhart’s Daily Grind’s Instagram
We know Lockhart is known for its barbecue and we’ll get to that but here are a few extra options for dining in Lockhart. The Culinary Room has it all. Chef prepared meals, keto-friendly goods, fresh baked goods, and more. You can even custom order a cake! The options are endless. Another unique and fun dining experience Lockhart has to offer is Little Trouble! This is one culinary experience you don’t want to miss and if you’re not hungry because you’ve had way too much BBQ, don’t worry they’re a bar too.
Photos courtesy of The Culinary Room and Little Trouble’s Instagram accounts.
The Black’s BBQ family has been actively serving the barbecue community for over three generations, originally making a name for themselves at the Black’s BBQ family-owned restaurant in Lockhart, the barbecue capital of Texas! They now have four locations, New Braunfels, Austin, San Marcos, and the original in Lockhart. Of course they’re not the only BBQ stop you need to make. There is Smitty’s Market, Kreuz Market, and Lockhart Chrisholm Trail BBQ. We hope you bring you appetite because you’re going to need it. They don’t call it the barbecue capital of Texas for nothing!
Photos courtesy of Smitty’s Market, Kreuz Market, and Lockhart Chrisholm Trail’s Instagram accounts
Shopping
Take Care Apothecary was started in 2018 by Lauren Hess as a way to combine her interest in herbs & nutrition with helping people in a retail setting. Quickly growing out of the first location, Take Care moved to Main St in late 2019. Ever expanding, along with all your favorite products, you can now find kombucha on tap, tea to go and more coming soon! Another one of a kind shopping experience is Magic Mirror Vintage. Full of whimsical and one of a kind finds you’ll want to spend hours rummaging through their store. Every Texan needs a cowboy/girl hat don’t they? Manny Gammage’s Texas Hatters Inc. has everything you need. This millinery shop offers custom cowboy hats, signature straw, felt combos and many other styles. This hat shop has been owned by four generations of the Gammage family dating back to 1926! Their hats have been worn by many famous celebrities including the cast of The Walking Dead!
Photo courtesy of Magic Mirror Vintage, Manny Gammage’s Texas Hatters, and Take Care Apothecary’s Instagram accounts.
Experience
Aside from filling up on delicious barbecue, there’s still a lot more to do in Lockhart. You can visit the Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches, which is actually a lot more interesting than it sounds. There’s so many beautiful buildings to see in Lockhart, like the Caldwell County Museum, the Dr. Euguene Clark Library, and of course the Caldwell County Courthouse. Find all the details on these structures here.
Photo’s courtesy of @Rachealstalbaumbenitez and @joshlmcdonald via Instagram
Lockhart has been a prime filming location since 1972. They’ve filmed countless movies there. It’s fun to walk around finding filming locations. You can even find self-guided The Leftovers tours online! In which Lockhart was portrayed as a town called Miracle. Click here is one of our favorites The Leftover filming guides.
Stay
With so much to see and eat, you’re going to need more than one day in Lockhart! So why not make where you sleep just as unique as the city you’re staying in? With the creation of Airbnb finding unique places to stay has become a both trendy and convenient. Tiny homes, shipping containers, and rustic farmhouse decor have become the latest trends. Lockhart delivers. We recommend, The Prairie Lea Carriage House, The Hi-way Ranch, The Dragonfly Cabin, and Historic Birdie House.
Photos courtesy of Airbnb via links provided above.
Stay tuned for next week’s Texas town!
