Day Trips: Tejas Chocolate Craftory, Tomball

Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue in Tomball mixes the two major food groups in a natural pairing that seems so obvious, it is a wonder that no one has thought of it before.

The chocolate company began in Scott Moore Jr.'s kitchen. Along with his partner Michelle Holland, Scott roasted cocoa beans and made his own chocolate. By controlling the roasting process, Scott could bring out unique flavors of the cocoa beans.

Tejas' truffles are golf ball-sized masses of pure decadence – melt-in-your-mouth goodness inside a dense chocolate shell. Michelle says they add new flavors constantly.

Brisk sales of their chocolate bars led the couple to open a storefront. The small house off of Main Street in the old part of Tomball across from the railroad tracks was the perfect fit for the chocolate factory: Texas' first bean-to-bar chocolate company.

But the business needed something extra, and the natural addition to the menu was smoked meats. That's when Scott's younger brother Greg joined the team as head chef. In 2017, Tejas was ranked No. 6 of the top 50 barbecue joints by Texas Monthly. The honor was well-deserved. The top-quality cuts of meat come with a thick, peppery bark that complements the vinegary sauce. They even have a mole sauce made with Tejas roasted chocolate.

Tejas Chocolate Craftory is at 200 N. Elm St. in downtown Tomball. Doors open Tue.-Sat. at 11am and close at 6pm (5pm on Saturday) or when they sell out, commonly around 3pm. You can see the status of your favorite meats on their Facebook page. For more info: 832/761-0670 or www.tejaschocolate.com.

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