If you find yourself in Seguin, Texas on a weekend, anticipate a line of people snaking from Austin Street around the block, all eagerly awaiting the same thing: Burnt Bean Co. barbeque. Burnt Bean Co. was a long-held dream from co-founder Ernest Servantes, who cut his teeth in competitive barbecue, earning state and national titles. Yet, competition did not satisfy the deeper craving in Servantes to have a space that felt representative of his Tejano heritage and a new era of barbecue in Seguin. Alongside his former (fierce) competitor, Dave Kirkland, Servantes set out to create a space in Seguin that revolutionized barbecue for the region. In their four years open, they’ve been named James Beard finalists and semi-finalists, and gone on to receive a Michelin BIB Gourmand recognition.
The roster of big-name celebrities who have passed through Burnt Bean Co.’s doors could rival one of their weekend lines, but Servantes remembers each and every customer that passes through his doors–not only that, but what they were wearing and their specific order. When their doors first opened, Servantes knew he would be up against years of barbecue tradition, but felt determined to expand the regional palate to introduce new favorite flavors like his street corn pudding, hot Cheeto queso mac, and bacon ranch taters. To his credit, even the longest-standing traditionalists have begun to opt out of the classic barbecue plate and sing the cowboy beans’ praises. Burnt Bean Co.’s smokers, Amelia and Belia, are hard at work from the early hours of the morning through sellout, and Servantes can be found at their sides or heading the counter each day.
Burnt Bean Co. is open Thursday through Sunday, but the seasoned regulars know that Sunday brunch is a nonnegotiable. From brisket huevos rancheros to barbacoa and chef’s specials, the brunch menu is ever-changing and always satisfying.
