This Tiny BBQ Joint Serves World-Class Chocolate Too

Who says you can’t have your brisket and eat chocolate too? Welcome to Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue, where a chocolatier turned pitmaster is serving up one of the most unexpected — and delicious — combinations in Texas.

Located in Tomball, about 30 miles northwest of Houston, this quirky spot in one of the town’s oldest buildings has earned a spot on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ list and received a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2025.

Not bad for a place that started as a hobby making chocolate at farmers’ markets.

From Bean to Bar to Brisket

Here’s the thing about Tejas: it wasn’t supposed to be a barbecue joint at all. Scott Moore Jr. and Michelle Holland launched their bean-to-bar chocolate operation in 2011, becoming Texas’s first craft chocolate maker.

They roasted cacao beans, stone-ground them into velvety chocolate, and sold their creations at local markets. Business was good, but not quite good enough to sustain a retail location on chocolate alone.

When they found the historic building on North Elm Street and looked at the Tomball market, they decided the town could use a good barbecue joint.

So they added a custom offset smoker out back, brought in Scott’s brother Greg (a classically trained Italian chef), and started smoking USDA Prime briskets alongside their artisan chocolate.

The result? A combination so unexpectedly perfect that people now line up on the porch before doors open.

What Makes It Special

The barbecue here is serious business. They use a manual stick burner fueled entirely by post oak wood, maintaining a clean fire that produces a thin blue smoke for subtle, perfect flavor.

The brisket gets the classic Texas treatment with just salt and pepper, and the Flintstone-sized beef ribs — available Fridays only — feature salt and pepper bark with melting threads of fat.

On Thursdays, they offer house-made pastrami that’s been brined for about a week and smoked for more than a day.

The burnt ends sell out fast, so arrive early if that’s what you’re after. Other standouts include the chile relleno sausage and the surprisingly stellar carrot soufflé that walks the line between sweet and savory.

And then there’s the chocolate. Not just any chocolate — we’re talking about handcrafted, single-origin chocolate made from raw cacao beans that are fire-roasted low and slow in a clay brick oven, then stone-ground over days to create a smooth texture.

The truffles are legendary, and Chef Greg’s Italian roots shine through in desserts like chocolate panna cotta and crème brûlée.

Don’t skip the house mole barbecue sauce, which incorporates their own chocolate for a depth of flavor you won’t find anywhere else.

What Visitors Should Know

Tejas is open Monday from 11 AM to 5 PM, Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 9 PM, and Sunday from 11 AM to 7 PM.

The space is cozy and tight, housed in a historic building with character to spare. The restaurant employs 41 people, all from surrounding communities, and the locals have fully embraced this hidden gem.

Expect a line, especially on weekends, but it moves quickly. The beef ribs are a Friday-only special, so plan accordingly if those massive beauties are calling your name.

Items do sell out — barbecue is made fresh daily, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. Arriving earlier in the day gives you the best selection.

The setting is part of the charm.

You’ll find the barbecue pits parked under a shed next to a mountain of chopped wood, and the front room is small but welcoming, with a display case of chocolate truffles that’ll tempt you before you even glance at the menu.

Many visitors come for the barbecue and leave with bags of chocolate (or vice versa).

Tomball itself is worth exploring, with its Old Town charm and friendly atmosphere. The community has embraced Tejas, and the restaurant has embraced Tomball right back, creating the kind of symbiotic relationship that makes small-town Texas special.

Worth the Drive

Have you made the trip to this unexpected barbecue and chocolate haven?

Whether you’re a die-hard barbecue enthusiast, a chocolate lover, or just someone who appreciates when two great things come together in the most surprising way, Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue deserves a spot on your Texas bucket list.

Bring your appetite for both savory and sweet — you’re going to need it.