With barbecue staples like brisket and sausage, you can get your fill, but the best reviews consistently hit on the ribs, both pork and beef. While it may be cliché, the most special aspect of The Salt Lick truly is the secret sauce, which was inspired by co-founder Hisako Roberts’ Japanese heritage. Texas Monthly said that the vinegar-based barbecue sauce is “good on everything—ribs, brisket, sausage, bread, onions, cobbler, the sleeve of your jacket, a balled-up napkin, the menu, stray bits of pocket lint.”

But The Salt Lick is more than barbecue folklore. It is truly a one-stop shop for everything in Texas. From the meandering roads of the Texas Hill Country to the open fire barbecue pit to picnic tables and live music under Live Oak trees, The Salt Lick is a Texas as Texas gets.

Located on the same grounds as The Salt Lick is Salt Lick Cellars which features the very best local wines and craft beers. Many fine Texas wines are available, including award-winning wines that were made from grapes grown right on the property. Guests can either enjoy their fine Texas beverages at the tasting room beneath the Live Oaks or make the short walk over to the restaurant to compliment the BBQ.

The Twisted X Brewing Company, located near the intersection of Ranch Road 12 and FM 150, offers up an array of fine small-batch craft beers in both an indoor and outdoor venue. On top of the great brews, there is a food truck and the venue often hosts live music. A visit to Twisted X allows visitors to sample favorites like the Austin Lager, Later Days, Chupahopra, and Whoa-Mango, and their latest creations, many of which are only available in their tasting room.

Home to some of the prettiest nature paths, cross-country jogging trails, and birdwatching in the area, Charro Ranch Park gives visitors a rustic, away-from-it-all feeling, even though it’s right off FM 150. The park has picnic tables and a pavilion, but the emphasis is on enjoying nature in all its calming beauty. For a healthy and fun start to your day, hike the trails from the bird viewing station to the chimney swift tower, then over to the solstice circle and peace walk.

Desert Door is a craft distiller of a premium and unique Texas spirit known as Texas sotol. Their liquor is made from the sotol plant which they wild-harvest all across Texas, from Driftwood to Marfa. Sotol was the first alcoholic beverage ever consumed by humans in Texas 800 years ago, and the plant has been in use for over 13,000 years. The sotol is smoother than whiskey, less smokey than mezcal, and it doesn’t burn like tequila. The intriguing and complex flavor will give you a sensation of west Texas in every sip and you can substitute your usual spirit with sotol for a more compelling cocktail.

Desert Door Distillery is located in Driftwood, on the eastern edge of wild sotol country, where you can drop by the desert modern tasting room and enlighten your palate. Enjoy live music every weekend and delicious bites from the onsite food truck.

Looking to sample the very best wines, beers, and spirits of the Texas Hill Country? Then visit the Hill Country Tasting Room where they curate the best locally made beers, wines, ciders, and meads from all across Texas, and offer them in their welcoming and quaint tasting room. With 14 taps, there is sure to be either something new to try or an old favorite waiting in the wings. And every time you visit, you are likely to find something new to try as the offerings continually change.