Owner Buddy Adams, a Pinehurst native, said he opened The Meating Place Barbeque & Bakery last summer to fill a void. “There’s just nothing else really in the area,” he said. Nestled along Hwy. 249 at the intersection of FM 149, The Meating Place is one of few dine-in restaurants in Pinehurst. “People say it’s the best [barbecue] they’ve ever eaten,” Manager Samantha Hunt said. The eatery’s newest sandwich, dubbed the “1904,” pays homage to Pinehurst’s roots, she said. According to the Texas State Historical Association, Hunter’s Retreat was renamed Pinehurst in 1904 a few years after the railroad was built. “It has to do with the history of Pinehurst, and this is where we are,” Hunt said. The menu features other nontraditional barbecue items, such as a barbecue burrito and a barbecue Frito pie as well, baker Hanna Hesse said. The eatery opened in July, offering a breakfast menu, barbecue items, sides and baked goods. Catering and drive-thru services are also available. Additionally, the eatery received its license in January to serve beer and wine. Hesse said Adams founded the restaurant with his own barbecue recipes and techniques. “Buddy’s always loved barbecue, and he really saw a need for that in our community,” she said. In addition to barbecue, key lime, pecan and apple pies are popular items, Hesse said. Baked goods are made fresh each morning. “We always want our guests to feel like they are coming to our house for dinner,” she said. “We have customers that we know what to make them as soon as they walk in the door.” From the signature sauce to each cut of meat, Adams said the flavor of the food and the service keep guests returning. “We treat everybody like they’re family,” he said. The Meating Place Barbeque & Bakery 35421 Hwy. 249, Pinehurst 281-259-6328 www.facebook.com/themeatingplacebbq Hours: Tue.-Sat. 8 a.m.-8 p.m., closed Sundays and Mondays