Texas' Tiniest Town Is Losing A Beloved Barbecue Spot After 7 Years

In small towns with a tight-knit community, the loss of a staple, sentimental restaurant is felt much more painfully than it perhaps would be in a giant city (although this closure of the oldest restaurant in Los Angeles was deeply upsetting for many). For the past seven years, Round Top, the smallest town in Texas, has been home to a very special barbecue place, Merritt Meat Company. Sadly, the restaurant will be permanently closing its doors at the end of August, the owners have announced in an emotional Instagram statement.

"Merritt Meat Company has always been about more than just barbecue," they said in the post. Originally opened as Round Top Smokehouse, the restaurant was helmed by Lee Ellis, a beloved pitmaster. Ellis tragically passed away in 2023 due to a heart attack when he was only 63 years old, leaving the small Round Top community saddened and shocked and the beloved BBQ restaurant without anyone to run it. Leonard Botello IV and Abbie Byrom-Botello stepped in and renamed the place Merritt Meat Company two years ago. "We renamed the restaurant (Merritt was Lee's middle name) as our way of keeping his vision alive and sharing his spirit with the Round Top community," the couple said in their parting message.

It's hard to understate the tiny size of Round Top. This Texas town measures just under one square mile and numbers less than 100 people. Despite the remote location, the place remains a destination with people willing to fly from the other side of the world to this small town just to eat at a particular barbecue place. On the Instagram post announcing the place's closure, one user commented, "We fly over from Italy just to eat here. Ugh!!!"

This year has seen many painful closures, both in Round Top and across the country. After five decades, a beloved diner closed in Denver for the same reason Merritt Meat Company is now going out of business — property owners not renewing the lease. Independent restaurants often face a hard path, and it's sad to see another one go. That said, Merrit's hefty prime rib steaks and churro cheesecakes will always remain a fond part of Round Top's culinary history.