During a recent work trip, I decided to seek out some of the highest-praised shrimp & grits in Charleston, South Carolina. Transplants and locals alike raved about the amazingly delicious food scene and dropped the names of their favorite area restaurants. I listened and was appreciative of all their insights, but adamantly made clear that I only had eyes for shrimp & grits. Some of their suggestions made it onto my list, while others were left off based on the limited time that I was available. Regardless, over my 9-day rampage across Charleston, I experienced 11 of the best shrimp & grits restaurants in the area.

On a recent work trip to San Marcos, I decided to seek out some of the highest-praised BBQ in central Texas. Like many of my travels, it began with an idea and led to an obsession and gluttonous adventure. My ultimate goal was to visit a different place each day and then rank them. To maintain fairness, I decided I would order the same items at each location: brisket (some lean, some fatty), pork spare ribs, coleslaw, and beans. I conducted some preliminary online research to identify the highest rated barbecue places within a 1 ½-hour drive of San Marcos. After considering each location’s days and hours of operation against my schedule, I narrowed down the list and began my “7 days of Q.”