Convenience West

Today we are searching for the best brisket, and we’ve heard Convenience West is the place to go in Marfa.

A fortuitous smoker

Convenience West began in 2017 when Marfa did not yet have a reputable name in the barbecue world. Thankfully, Mark Scott, who has lived in Marfa since 1995, had a friend who offered him an otherwise unused offset smoker. 

The building was a convenience store before it was the prep kitchen for another local favorite, Food Shark. As the team brought everything together for the BBQ restaurant, they found a piece of wood that had the words, ‘Convenience West’ from the space’s past. They had found their name.

How to guarantee yourself some brisket

You have to plan ahead for most things these days, and Convenience West is no exception. Up to two days in advance, you can order from a limited online menu. We drive to pick our bags of ‘cue up on Friday, and they’ve sold out for Saturday, too. We see the huge smokers they use with oak to really let the brisket shine, and can’t wait to dig in. 

Brisket and pickles and bananas, oh my

The Brisket Sandwich Kit for two is the star of the show. The fluffy rolls are hefty and soft, and we slather on the creamy homemade mayo they’ve included in the box. The slices of brisket are ample, and equal parts lean and fatty. You can taste all the flavors in each bite: juicy meat, tangy and crunchy pickles, rich mayo, soft bread. It’s really enough for four, or leftovers for two.

The potato salad has sweet potatoes, for a slightly sweet change of pace, and the elote corn, though beautiful, is slightly overcooked. The real finale comes in the form of the Caramelized Banana Pudding. This is so delicious. It’s creamy and banana-y, with layers of cookie and caramelized bananas that almost taste as if they’ve also been barbecued. I wish we had gotten two.