Kinder's Custom Meats, Walnut Creek

In 1946, John Kinder opened his first meat market in the Bay Area town of San Pablo. More than 65 years later, the business has expanded to include more than a dozen locations throughout California and Nevada. The market owes its continued success, in part, to the second- and third-generation family members who have lent their own tireless dedication to the company.

This dedication has certainly paid off. The Kinder family’s barbecue sauces, marinades, and rubs consistently take first-place ribbons from judges across the country and have earned the market a loyal following of cowboys and outlaws alike. In a 2008 article on what to order at Major League ballparks, the New York Times hailed the ball-tip steak sandwich and its "mess of Kinder's smoky-sweet sauce" as a much-welcome relief from the typical fried menu items.