We all know the Alamo City is the taco capitol of the world — sorry, Austin — but a new study has also named it a hotbed for smoked meats.
The blog BBQ Revolution this week released a study of barbecue trends that identified San Antonio as No. 3 city in the nation when it comes to sheer volume of barbecue restaurants.
BBQ Revolution looked at Trip Advisor data to determine which cities had the highest number of ‘cue eateries and used that info to crown a capitol of each state. Houston can lay claim to the title of barbecue capitol of both Texas and the U.S. with a total of 167 such restaurants, according to Trip Advisor.
Los Angeles and San Antonio take the 2nd and 3rd national spots, respectively, according to the analysis. Turns out the Alamo City is home to 135 barbecue joints.
Beyond figuring out which cities have highest volume of spots serving up smoky, meaty goodness, the blog used Google search trends to determine the most popular barbecue styles across the country. And, once again, the Lone Star State had something to brag about.
Texas-style barbecue — low-and-slow smoked meats seasoned with dry rubs — is by far the most searched for by Google users. The company’s search data shows that carnivores in 33 states primarily looked for information for that style. Kansas City-style and North Carolina-style are tied next with six states apiece.
If reading about SA’s newfound barbecue capitol status has you craving smoky meats, check out our list of 20 essential BBQ restaurants for ideas on where you can get your fix.
So many restaurants, so little time. Find out the latest San Antonio dining news with our Flavor Friday Newsletter.
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This article appears in May 5-18, 2021.
