Many travelers arrive in Austin and immediately seek out good barbecue. And Evan LeRoy, co-owner of LeRoy and Lewis, knows a lot about that.
What started as a food truck in 2017 has become an award-winning enterprise famous for bacon ribs, beef cheeks and more. Now a brick-and-mortar shop in the Garrison Park neighborhood, LeRoy and Lewis serves “new school barbecue,” sourcing responsibly and pushing the boundaries of the traditional barbecue menu.
Evan LeRoy, co-owner of LeRoy and Lewis
2026 Jessica Attie
But LeRoy isn’t just a pitmaster — he’s an Austin local and a dad, who now sees the city through the lens of his child. Here’s how clients with kids might experience the best of the Texas capital, according to LeRoy.
For outdoor time with the family: take a walk on Lady Bird Lake Trail and the Barton Creek Greenbelt, or play disc golf at Mary Moore Searight Park or golf at Butler Pitch & Putt. My daughter and I also love visiting Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, about 12 miles from downtown.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is just 12 miles from downtown.
2026 Larry D. Moore
The best playground in town is at:Alliance Children’s Garden. It has all kinds of climbing options and city skyline views.
If the kids are older or just love sports: get tickets to an Austin FC game. The team plays at Q2 Stadium in North Austin.
The most underrated place to take the whole family is: any brewery in Austin with a playground and great food trucks. We like Meanwhile Brewing in South Austin; they’ve got a soccer field, lots of tree-shaded seating by a playground and an outdoor stage for shows.
Lockhart is a great day trip option from Austin.
2026 A Beautiful World/stock.adobe.comFor a day trip: I love Lockhart, which is about 40 minutes from Austin. There’s excellent barbecue, a great wine store — Best Little Wine Shop — and fun vintage shopping. You also can’t go wrong with tubing in San Marcos and New Braunfels; both are less than an hour away.
Make a stop at LeRoy and Lewis and be sure to order: beef cheeks, flat iron, an L&L burger, sausage, Texas red chili Frito pie, onion rings and at least one dessert.
LeRoy and Lewis’ L&L burger
2026 Jessica AttieWhen there’s time for a kid-free date night: my wife and I love checking out new restaurants or visiting ones run by our friends in the industry, such as Este, Uptown Sports Club, Konbini or Birdie’s.
