PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

It's 11 1/2 miles from the junction of 290 West and FM 1826 to The Salt Lick, but you'll start smelling the smoke during the last 5 miles of your trip. Moist chicken, beef, and pork, as well as terrific homemade pickles -- not to mention the pretty, verdant setting -- more than justify the drive. However, you'll be faced with a tough decision here: If you indulge in the all-you-can-eat family-style platter of beef, sausage, and pork ribs, you might have to pass on the fresh-baked peach cobbler, which would be a pity. In warm weather, seating is outside at picnic tables under oak trees; in winter, fireplaces blaze in a series of large, rustic rooms. The Salt Lick prides itself on its sauce, which has a sweet-and-sour tang. If you like your barbecue with a brew, you'll need to tote your own in a cooler, because Hays County is dry. Kids younger than 4 eat free. But you don't have to drive all the way out to the country for a smoked-meat fix. It's not quite as atmospheric as the original, but if you happen to be flying in or out of town, the Salt Lick's airport branch is convenient and quick.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's San Antonio & Austin, 8th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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