The World's First Tex-Ethiopian BBQ Joint Gets Love From Both Guy Fieri And The Michelin Guide Texas

From Brooklyn, New York's Michelin-awarded Shalom Japan to this Japanese-Hawaiian SoCal eatery in a bowling alley, foodies love their fusions. Although Ethiopian cuisine and Texas barbecue seem quite the odd culinary couple, these two opposites attract the crowds at Smoke'N Ash BBQ. "At first glance, they are worlds apart — but both are built on depth of flavor, tradition, and gathering around food," co-owner Fasicka Hicks told Southern Living.

What started as a food trailer in 2012 in Arlington, Texas, has grown into what Michelin considers one of the best barbecue spots in the Lone Star State. Fasicka Hicks (Ethiopian born) and her husband Patrick Hicks (a Texas native) started Smoke'N Ash BBQ as a food trailer in 2012, before customer demand propelled them into their current South Arlington location in 2018. The menu features traditional barbecue fare with pulled pork and meat platters, alongside more traditional Ethiopian stews that you can dip into with homemade, spongy Ethiopian flatbread known as teff injera. But the real fun comes when the two cuisines co-mingle, like smoked brisket-stuffed sambusas and Guy Fieri's favorite awaze pork ribs. Michelin agrees, noting in its online guide, "There are some typical Texan classics, but it's their barbecue seared with awaze, an Ethiopian-spice sauce, that truly stands out."

Guy Fieri gave his spiky-haired nod to this trailblazing culinary mashup in an episode of his hit Food Network show, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," which aired in May 2025. In addition to the awaze ribs, the celebrity chef praised the barbecue spot's signature loaded injera nachos, "Calling this a nacho is calling a car a Ferrari," he said (via Smoke'N Ash BBQ on Facebook). Smoke'N Ash has earned accolades from critics and customers alike, making Yelp's Top 100 Barbecue Spots in the USA for 2024. 

"It's brilliant and absolutely delicious," one Yelp reviewer said, recommending the Tex-Ethiopian platter to sample the best of both worlds with side options including berbere-spiced macaroni and cheese and baked beans. When talking about the macaroni, a reviewer on Google said it was "the star of the meal," and noted that "it was creamy, cheesy, and packed with spice in all the right ways." One of the five most diverse cities in America, Arlington is a great stop on any foodie adventure and sits just over 20 miles east of Dallas. While you're in the area, make time and save room for El Fenix, the downtown Dallas restaurant with world-famous enchiladas.