Biographical information courtesy of the Austin Chronicle.
See below for Austin Chronicle BBQ Links.

Kreuz Market

208 S. Commerce, Lockhart, 512/398-2361

Mon-Fri 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-6:30pm

Fanaticism, ascetism, promises of heaven, unconditional love... Barbecue inspires an almost religious devotion. And if any place will have you speaking in tongues, it's Kreuz Market.

The first time you stroll in the door, you feel you've narrowly escaped with your life. Only in Texas, the "Barbeque at Any Cost" state, is the public allowed so close to a post oak fire raging in the floor. Marvel at your luck in being alive as the smoke stings your eyes and the heat makes you cringe. Squint to see what you options are -- lean brisket, fat brisket, pork chops ($7.90/lb) and sausage -- or don't bother with all that and splurge for the prime rib ($12.90/lb).

Kreuz doesn't sauce, it seasons, and that's fine. Sauce is delicious, sauce moistens meat, sauce is fantastic, and we love sauce. But it's wholly unnecessary here, where "well-marbled" is an understatement for the tender, juicy beef with a deliciously salty crust of fat around the rim. Fat turns you off? I guarantee that you'll eat some here, then smack your lips, lick your fingers, and look around for more.

Meat is served on butcher paper with bread or crackers, and you carry your own into a dining area that sells RC Cola, cheese in wax paper, whole avocados, and plain serrano peppers. No traditional sides. It keeps the barbecue belly-aches to a minimum and lets you focus on the task at hand: eating phenomenal meat. Salt, pepper, and bottles of fluorescent Louisiana-style hot sauce are all the extras you get, and you won't dip too far into those, either.

Kreuz has been smoking meat in the German tradition since 1900. Now, due to family differences, Kreuz Market as we know and love it will close in August. Those who own the business will move to a building across from the cemetery on 183, and those who own the building will move on to something else. Unfortunately, it seems that never the twain shall meet.

Who knows what will happen. A restaurant can be great because of the food or great because of the experience. As it stands today, Kreuz Market, in an old brick building which will never not smell like smoke again, is both. --Meredith Phillips