Need a good excuse to gorge yourself with some succulent brisket and ribs? This is the week to invest in a pair of pants with an elastic waistband. Texas Monthly devotes a large amount of coverage to the best barbecue joints in the state, and now the publication is spreading the love of slow-cooked meats all across Texas with Texas Barbecue Week.
All of the restaurants on Texas Monthly's 2013 list of the "Top 50 Best BBQ Joints" will take part in the event, which runs July 15 - 19. From Austin’s BBQ in Eagle Lake to Zimmerhanzel’s in Smithville, each joint will offer a unique barbecue plate for the next five days. (You can see all of the special plates on TMBBQ.com.)
Tickets are also available for exclusive meals hosted by Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn. These Behind the Pit Dinners take place at the top four barbecue joints in the state, including Austin’s own Franklin Barbecue and the nearby Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor.
Even if you can’t make it to the exclusive dinners, Austin boasts six participating barbecue joints: Franklin, Blue Ox, La Barbecue, Lamberts, Micklethwait Craft Meats and Stiles Switch. Along with some joints right outside the city limits, this week could keep you busy checking out some of the best brisket and ‘cue in the state. Just stock up on some wet naps before you do so.
A portion of each Texas Barbecue Week plate sold will benefit Foodways Texas, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the unique Texas food culture. Texas Monthly will make an additional donation to Foodways Texas at the end of the week.
Christopher Carpenter is known for his minimal intervention approach.
Every year, the Austin Wine & Food Foundation (AWFF) chooses a featured winemaker for its Austin Wine Auction & Gala Weekend. For the 40th installation, that winemaker is Christopher Carpenter of Cardinale Winery, which is based in the Napa Valley, California. The Auction & Gala Weekend is scheduled for November 6 and 7, 2026.
AWFF is a nonprofit that fights food insecurity in Central Texas. It offers grants and scholarships, and it funds them through events and auctions throughout the year.
Carpenter is with more wineries than just Cardinale; he also works with Lokoya, La Jota Vineyard Co., Mt. Brave, and Caladan, according to a press release — all in Napa Valley. He also works with Hickinbotham in South Australia. His career has spanned two decades, and he is best-known for Cabernet Sauvignon and a philosophy of minimal intervention.
On NapaValleyWine.com, he put it succinctly: "Mother Nature does not conform to schedules or expectations."
"We are deeply honored to welcome Chris Carpenter as the featured winemaker for our 40th annual Austin Wine Auction & Gala Weekend," said AWFF executive director Sarah Weeks in the release. "He is one of the most respected figures in the industry today, and we look forward to giving our members and the Austin community the opportunity to experience his exceptional wines and hear more about his story and philosophy.”
Carpenter will show off some of his "most coveted offerings" at a luncheon at the JW Marriott Austin on November 6. The auction will follow the next day, November 7. It'll be hosted by wine auctioneer Charles Antin, who is the global head of wine auctions at Zachys. Then a gala wraps the event up with dinner and wine pairings from Austin pros.
Austinites who want a feel for the types of organizations AWFF supports should look to the following beneficiaries for 2026:
Green Corn Project helps Central Texans grow organic food gardens at home, as well as in schools and community centers. AWFF's support goes toward the spring dig-in program, which is for people who have limited access to healthy food.
Good Work Austin supports hospitality workers and locally owned businesses through community partnerships. AWFF supports the Community Kitchen program, which pays local restaurant workers to cook for people facing food insecurity. It delivers three meals a day to local shelters.
Sustainable Food Center, which Austinites may recognize from the farmers markets it hosts, also provides nutrition education and bolsters access to fresh produce. AWFF’s funding "helps double the benefits for those who use programs like SNAP and WIC to access nutritious foods," the release says.
Caritas of Austin provides housing to unhoused Austinites, and has been around for more than 60 years. AWFF funds help stock the Community Kitchen and its pantries.
Keep Austin Fed "rescues" unused food from restaurants, retailers, farms, and caterers. It then sends it to locals experiencing food insecurity. It helps the planet as well as the people who eat the food.
Sunday Lunchbox sends shelf-stable and easy-to-prepare meals to underserved Austinites. It has a program that utilizes crops that a farm has too many of, and gets them into people's hands before they spoil.
Registration for the 40th annual Austin Wine Auction & Gala Weekend starts April 15, 2026. Members will be able to purchase tickets early. Last year's Wine Auction tickets went for$375
