Smokin’ Joe's Tex-Mex Kitchen began serving a fusion of barbecue and Tex-Mex food to the New Braunfels community from a food truck three years ago. With the initial success of their business, the family-owned restaurant run by Joe Ramos and his wife, Perla, joined a partnership with the Select Stop Valero Gas Station in New Braunfels to expand into a full kitchen two years ago.
“[Our menu] is unique to the San Antonio and New Braunfels areas,” Ramos said. “We provide what’s more of a local Tex-Mex barbecue fusion in the San Antonio and New Braunfels area.”
Ramos retired from the U.S. Army after 22 years of serving and decided to open up the food kitchen in New Braunfels, because he has fond memories of visiting the area while growing up. His family would frequently gather and barbecue together, fostering his passion for cooking. Ramos still uses some of the recipes he has perfected since childhood, including when he smokes brisket and pork for items on the menu.
“My family has always been involved in cooking and barbecuing,” Ramos said. “I came from a small town and grew up in a small town outside of San Antonio, and that’s all we did. We would get together to barbecue, and I grew up loving to do that with family.”
