Pizzitola's Heritage BBQ
Independence Trail Region
Pizzitola's Heritage BBQ has its origins in 1935 with John and Leila Davis' restaurant, Shepherd Drive Barbecue. John and Leila were an African American couple who turned the tables on Jim Crow by only serving African American customers inside. White customers knew to visit the back door to get their food.
Jerry Pizzitola was a frequent visitor to Shepherd Drive BBQ and became the owner in 1983 to help preserve the business. Today, James Maida and Tim Taylor continue to honor tradition by smoking their iconic ribs on the same historic brick pits built nearly a century ago by John and Leila Davis.
Pizzitola's Heritage BBQ was designated as a Texas Treasure Business in 2022.