Last summer, I completed my personal quest to visit all the Texas Monthly Top 50 barbecue joints, a respectable list, which was last released in May 2017. It was either the most sensational, or most idiotic, endeavor of my life. I spent way too much money, put a whole lot of miles on my car, took time off work, consumed an ungodly number of calories, all in the name of Texas barbecue. But in the end, I’m happy I did it, and I’ll probably do it again with the next list.
My visit to one barbecue joint, for some reason, kept getting pushed back and ended up being one of the last places I dined at. Flores Barbecue, located in the small town of Whitney (about an hour and a half south of Dallas), came with almost no expectations. Like all the other top 50 joints, I expected some respectable smoked meat, but at the time, it was just another checkmark on my list. What I didn’t realize beforehand is that it would be serving some of the absolute finest ‘cue in the state. Barbecue that I’d personally put in my top five in Texas. It was that impressive.
With that in mind, any North Texas barbecue enthusiast should be thrilled to hear that Flores has decided to move their operation from Whitney to Fort Worth in the next few months. Personally, my heart skipped a beat when I heard this news (and it wasn’t from a barbecue-induced atherosclerotic plaque).
Flores Barbecue is led by pitmaster Michael Wyont, who brought his operation to Whitney to be closer to family when he and his wife were expecting a child. Wyont began honing his craft and the crowds began flocking to his restaurant, driving from every corner of the state.
Generally speaking, the meats at Flores are standard Texas offerings (brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork, sausage, turkey, beef ribs). They are, however, perfectly executed. In addition, this place distinguish themselves by the care and attention they put into their sides. They are another barbecue joint incorporating Mexican flavors into their offerings, with items such as freshly-made flour tortillas and Spanish rice. Their corn casserole with bacon will probably make you shed a few happy tears, and their banana pudding is rumored to be the best of any barbecue joint in the state.
In Fort Worth, Flores will be located at The Trailhead at Clearfork (4801 Edwards Ranch Rd.), a riverfront development, home to biking and hiking trails, a farmers market, coffee shops, restaurants, and more still in the works. Flores will operate out of their food trailer, likely beginning in April, while their brick-and-mortar is being completed just behind the trailer. Their last days in Whitney are this week, Thursday to Sunday, after which they’re prepping to bring their wares to Cowtown.
