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Southside Market is receiving state recognition as a historic restaurant after having served Elgin and Central Texas for more than 140 years.
Last month, Southside Market was featured in the Texas Historical Commission’s “Texas Treasures of the Table,” a collection showcasing restaurants in the greater Austin area that have been selected through the Texas Treasure Business Award Program. The commission said in a statement the restaurants represent more than places to eat, pointing to their role as gathering places where families and friends have celebrated milestones and traditions over generations.
The program recognizes Texas businesses that have operated for more than 50 years and have made lasting contributions to their communities.
“By highlighting these businesses, we want to encourage everyone to visit the restaurants that make our communities special, while having some darn good food along the way,” Chief Preservation Officer Bradford Patterson said.
According to Southside Market, the business has roots dating back to 1882, when William Moon sold meat door-todoor on what is now FM 1704 in Elgin.
Moon later opened the first brick-and-mortar location on Central Avenue in 1886. In 1908, he sold the business to Lee Wilson, who continued running the market as a small-town butcher shop with barbecue served in the back.
Southside Market is joined on the list by several other well-known Central Texas restaurants, including The Original Black’s Barbecue and Kreuz Market in Lockhart, The Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood and Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor.
More than 700 businesses across Texas have received the designation since the program began in 2005, according to the commission.
Southside Market’s inclusion highlights a barbecue tradition that has been part of Elgin’s history for more than a century.
