The past 6 years, I've published an Austin-area BBQ guide (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, & 2016) in honor of Austin's annual South by Southwest (SXSW) interactive/film/music gathering. To help you navigate your way through the crazy number of BBQ joints in and around Austin, I've updated last year's guide. The list not comprehensive. I'm not recommending one over another. The list is not a recommendation list at all, actually. I just want to give you an idea of what Austin offers. Austin BBQ joints listed first, alphabetically. Then, joints outside of town listed by distance from Austin.
AUSTIN:
Black's Barbecue: The Lockhart institution has a spot near UT's campus, on Guadalupe Street. And they have an outdoor patio.
Brown's Bar-B-Que: A popular trailer on South Lamar, convenient to all of the SXSW action in and around downtown. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & chicken thighs.
Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que: The longtime Llano favorite set up shop in the heart of downtown Austin. Open 7 days a week until 10, with a bar open even later. Valet parking available after 5PM.
Franklin Barbecue: Arguably the most well-known BBQ joint in the country these days. Get there early, or you might be out of luck. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & pulled pork.
Freedmen's Bar: Located just west of the UT campus, Freedmen's smoker serves up an array of meats and hearty sides like German potatoes & pit chili. Beer garden. Iconic indoor bar. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, pork belly.
Iron Works BBQ: A prime location for SXSW'ers, with an outdoor patio, to boot. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, and macaroni & cheese.
Kerlin BBQ: Trailer on E. Cesar Chavez with a big following. Recommended order: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, beef ribs, & house-made pickles.
la Barbecue: la Barbecue is a popular BBQ trailer on E. Cesar Chavez. Always crowded, but the line moves well. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, & chopped-beef sandwich.
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue: An order-off-the-menu spot right by Austin City Hall, Lamberts has an awesome Happy Hour, a killer Sunday brunch, and the best Frito pit around. Live music upstairs. Recommended orders: Frito pie, brisket, pulled pork.
Micklethwait Craft Meats: One of the popular BBQ options east of I-35. Folks line up daily and watch the chalkboard menu to see what's sold out and what's being added after coming out of the smoker. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, potato salad, jalapeno-cheese grits.
PoK-e-Jo's: With 5 locations in the Austin area, you're not far from the joint whose BBQ is the BBQ you'll find at UT football games. Recommended orders: brisket, turkey, pork ribs, and broccoli-cheese-rice casserole.
Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q: With a diverse menu, a staff that takes it time serving samples to "rookies' to help them with their orders, and the option of ordering as much or as little of any meat you want, Rudy's is a great way to ease into Texas BBQ. Recommended order: extra-moist brisket, turkey, & creamed corn (unless you don't like creamed corn that is so rich & sweet that it's suitable for dessert).
Scotty's BBQ: A BBQ trailer on E Cesar Chavez. Recommended orders: brisket and pork ribs.
SLAB BBQ: Located in North Central Austin, SLAB BBQ now has a brick-&-mortar spot to go with it mobile truck. Very popular for huge sandwiches and sliders. An array of sauces, so you can mix and match. They even have a dish called Country Hash: a bowl of rice topped with the BBQ & sauce of your choice, along with peppers, onions, etc.
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew: Located in North Central Austin, Stiles Switch is a market-style joint whose owner and pitmaster hail from nearby Taylor, TX. Great for a big group, it's a welcome addition to North Lamar. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, creamed corn, and lemon-juice slaw.
Terry Black's BBQ: Conveniently located on Barton Spring Rd., Terry Black's is a popular spot for BBQ in Central Austin. Recommended order: brisket and beef ribs.
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ: alentina's is a late-night favorite (but open during day, too). Owned/run by a San Antonio native, the trailer serves BBQ with Mexican flare, including salsas, queso, and homemade tortillas.
OUTSIDE AUSTIN:
Schmidt Family Barbecue (Bee Cave, 17 miles west of Austin): With roots in Lockhart, SFB is a very-recent addition to the greater-Austin BBQ scene. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & ham.
Cele Store (Manor, 21 miles NE of Austin): A watering hole for farmers during the week, Cele Store serves family-style BBQ Thu-Sat. Call ahead to reserve a table. You might recognize the place from scenes in Secondhand Lions, A Perfect World and Texas Chainsaw Massacre I, II and III. Recommended order: Just go family style, & be sure to make a chopped-beef sandwich with your white bread, cheese, onions, pickles, & sauce.
The Salt Lick (Driftwood, 24 miles SW of Austin): With a rustic ambiance and a picture-perfect pit behind the cash register, TSL is a great spot to enjoy smoked meat away from the sounds of the city. BYOB. Cash only (but ATM on site). Recommended order: all-you-can-eat family style.
Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse & Southside Market (Elgin, 25 miles east-ish of Austin): Famous for its sausage, Elgin is an easy drive from A-town. These two joints are a stone's throw from each other, so stop into both. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & beef ribs (Meyer's).
Smitty's Market/Kreuz Market/Black's Barbecue (Lockhart, 29 miles south of Austin): Lockhart, dubbed by the Texas Legislature as "The Barbecue Capital of Texas," is a Texas BBQ rite of passage. Recommended orders: pork ribs and sausage (Smitty's), pork ribs and ham (Kreuz), beef ribs and turkey (Black's).
Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, 34 miles west of Austin): An easy drive out beautiful Hwy. 71. Offering an array of smoked meats, sides, and desserts, all homemade. Recommended orders: sweet-and-spicy ribs, pulled pork (weekends), spicy corn, tater-tot casserole, and banana pudding.
Hays Co. Bar-B-Que (San Marcos, 34 miles south of Austin): Very popular family-run joint. All the smoked meats, including house-made sausages. Huge smokers, a bar, a stage, and games out back around the patio. Recommended orders: brisket, jalapeno-cheese sausage, and half chicken.
Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, 39 miles NE of Austin): Get ready for the unmistakable smell of BBQ-pit smoke as you walk in, and check out what the smoke has done to the walls of this school-gymnasium-turned-restaurant. Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, turkey, & potato salad.
Hwy 29 BBQ (Bertram, 43 miles NNW of Austin): The little town of Bertram has a newish BBQ joint that is attracting more and more people. Great old building, with a pit out back. Recommended order: brisket, pork ribs, & sausage.
Snow's BBQ (Lexington, 52 miles ENE of Austin) & City Meat Market (Giddings, 55 miles east of Austin): Snow's is open only on Saturday from 8 AM until they run out. Be sure to eat outside by the pits. Recommended order: pork shoulder, brisket, & chicken. When you're done, head 17 miles down Highway 77 to the sleepy town of Giddings for a no-frills meal at City Meat Market, which started as a butcher shop. Recommended order: pork shoulder & sausage.
Showing posts with label SXSW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SXSW. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Monday, March 14, 2016
Free lunch at Franklin Barbecue!
I had the great pleasure to give away 20 seats to today's free lunch at Franklin Barbecue, courtesy of Verizon. I'm loving the pics being tweeted by some of the folks I gave seats to. I'm in San Antonio today, so I couldn't attend, but my Man Up partner, Brad, went. He texted me pics of his lunch:
Friday, March 11, 2016
BBQ stop #1 for SXSW folks?
Thousands upon thousands will descend upon Austin for its annual SXSW. To those who are coming to town, I'd like to know which BBQ joint is the one you are most excited to try. If you only had a chance to have BBQ once, where would you go?
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Free tickets to invitation-only lunch at Franklin Barbecue!
One of my favorite parts of having this blog is giving away Texas BBQ prizes. I'm so thankful to all of the BBQ joints that donate prizes for me to give away, and I'm so thankful for the companies who give me cool stuff to hand out. One of those times is now.
On Monday, March 14, 500 lucky folks will get a free lunch at Franklin Barbecue, courtesy of Verizon. Verizon wants to reward Austinites with something cool to do, while SXSW is going on. So many people flock to Austin for SXSW, but this event is just for the local Austin folks. I have the pleasure to give away 20 seats to the event.
To enter the giveaway, tweet me a picture that shows me how much you want to attend the event. Be sure to include the following hashtag in your tweet: #ATXUNITE
If you're chosen, your name will be put on the list, and I will coordinate with you your arrival time. good luck. Tweet me!!!
On Monday, March 14, 500 lucky folks will get a free lunch at Franklin Barbecue, courtesy of Verizon. Verizon wants to reward Austinites with something cool to do, while SXSW is going on. So many people flock to Austin for SXSW, but this event is just for the local Austin folks. I have the pleasure to give away 20 seats to the event.
To enter the giveaway, tweet me a picture that shows me how much you want to attend the event. Be sure to include the following hashtag in your tweet: #ATXUNITE
If you're chosen, your name will be put on the list, and I will coordinate with you your arrival time. good luck. Tweet me!!!
Friday, March 4, 2016
SXSW 2016 BBQ Guide
The past 5 years, I've published an Austin-area BBQ guide (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, & 2015) in honor of Austin's annual South by Southwest (SXSW) interactive/film/music gathering. To help you navigate your way through the insane number of BBQ joints, I've updated last year's guide. The list not comprehensive. I'm not recommending one over another. The list is not a recommendation list at all, actually. I just want to give you an idea of what Austin offers. Austin BBQ joints listed first, alphabetically. Then, joints outside of town listed by distance from Austin.
AUSTIN:
Black's Barbecue: The Lockhart institution recently opened a spot near UT's campus, on Guadalupe Street. And they have an outdoor patio.
Brown's Bar-B-Que: A popular trailer on South Lamar, convenient to all of the SXSW action in and around downtown. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & chicken thighs
Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que: The longtime Llano favorite recently set up shop in the heart of downtown Austin. Open 7 days a week until 10, with a bar open even later. Valet parking available after 5PM.
Franklin Barbecue: Arguably the most well-known BBQ joint in the country these days. Get there early, or you might be out of luck. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & pulled pork
Freedmen's Bar: Located just west of the UT campus, Freedmen's smoker serves up an array of meats and hearty sides like German potatoes & pit chili. Beer garden. Iconic indoor bar. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, pork belly
Iron Works BBQ: The longtime downtown spot recently saw a change in management and a revamping of the menu. A prime location for SXSW'ers, with an outdoor patio, to boot. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, and macaroni & cheese
John Mueller Meat Co.: Pitmaster John Mueller serves from his trailer on E. 6th St. Like a few other East Austin joints on this list, JMMCO is frequented by some of the celebs who come to town. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, turkey, & baked squash
Kerlin BBQ: New trailer on E. Cesar Chavez gaining a big following fast. Recommended order: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, beef ribs, & house-made pickles
la Barbecue: la Barbecue is a popular BBQ trailer on E. Cesar Chavez. Always crowded, but the line moves well. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, & chopped-beef sandwich
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue: An order-off-the-menu spot right by Austin City Hall, Lamberts has an awesome Happy Hour, a killer Sunday brunch, and the best Frito pit around. Live music upstairs. Recommended orders: Frito pie, brisket, pulled pork
Micklethwait Craft Meats: One of the BBQ options east of I-35. Folks line up daily and watch the chalkboard menu to see what's sold out and what's being added after coming out of the smoker. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, potato salad, jalapeno-cheese grits.
PoK-e-Jo's: With 5 locations in the Austin area, you're not far from the joint whose BBQ is the BBQ you'll find at UT football games. Recommended orders: brisket, turkey, pork ribs, and broccoli-cheese-rice casserole
Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q: With a diverse menu, a staff that takes it time serving samples to "rookies' to help them with their orders, and the option of ordering as much or as little of any meat you want, Rudy's is a great way to ease into Texas BBQ. Recommended order: extra-moist brisket, turkey, & creamed corn (unless you don't like creamed corn that is so rich & sweet that it's suitable for dessert)
Scotty's BBQ: A BBQ trailer on E Cesar Chavez. Recommended orders: brisket and pork ribs
SLAB BBQ: Located in North Central Austin, SLAB BBQ now has a brick-&-mortar spot to go with it mobile truck. Very popular for huge sandwiches and sliders. An array of sauces, so you can mix and match. They even have a dish called Country Hash: a bowl of rice topped with the BBQ & sauce of your choice, along with peppers, onions, etc.
Smokey Denmark BBQ Truck: You can find this truck slinging smoked meats on E. 5th and at various craft breweries on the weekend. Recommended order: beef ribs and the Double Oinker: a sandwich with pulled pork, sausage, & slaw.
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew: Located in North Central Austin, Stiles Switch is a market-style joint whose owner and pitmaster hail from nearby Taylor, TX. Great for a big group, it's a welcome addition to North Lamar. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, creamed corn, and lemon-juice slaw
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ: alentina's is a late-night favorite (but open during day, too). Owned/run by a San Antonio native, the trailer serves BBQ with Mexican flare, including salsas, queso, and homemade tortillas
*UT-Austin is home to Hog Wild, a trailer, as well as brick-and-mortar Bert's BBQ in West Campus.
OUTSIDE AUSTIN:
Schmidt Family Barbecue (Bee Cave, 17 miles west of Austin): With roots in Lockhart, SFB is a very-recent addition to the greater-Austin BBQ scene. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & ham
Cele Store (Manor, 21 miles NE of Austin): A watering hole for farmers during the week, Cele Store serves family-style BBQ Thu-Sat. Call ahead to reserve a table. You might recognize the place from scenes in Secondhand Lions, A Perfect World and Texas Chainsaw Massacre I, II and III. Recommended order: Just go family style, & be sure to make a chopped-beef sandwich with your white bread, cheese, onions, pickles, & sauce
The Salt Lick (Driftwood, 24 miles SW of Austin): With a rustic ambiance and a picture-perfect pit behind the cash register, TSL is a great spot to enjoy smoked meat away from the sounds of the city. BYOB. Cash only (but ATM on site). Recommended order: all-you-can-eat family style
Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse & Southside Market (Elgin, 25 miles east-ish of Austin): Famous for its sausage, Elgin is an easy drive from A-town. These two joints are a stone's throw from each other, so stop into both. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & beef ribs (Meyer's)
Smitty's Market/Kreuz Market/Black's Barbecue (Lockhart, 29 miles south of Austin): Lockhart, dubbed by the Texas Legislature as "The Barbecue Capital of Texas," is a Texas BBQ rite of passage. Recommended orders: pork ribs and sausage (Smitty's), pork ribs and ham (Kreuz), beef ribs and turkey (Black's)
Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, 34 miles west of Austin): An easy drive out beautiful Hwy. 71. Offering an array of smoked meats, sides, and desserts, all homemade. Recommended orders: sweet-and-spicy ribs, pulled pork (weekends), spicy corn, tater-tot casserole, and banana pudding
Hays Co. Bar-B-Que (San Marcos, 34 miles south of Austin): Very popular family-run joint. All the smoked meats, including house-made sausages. Huge smokers, a bar, a stage, and games out back around the patio. Recommended orders: brisket, jalapeno-cheese sausage, and half chicken
Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, 39 miles NE of Austin): Get ready for the unmistakable smell of BBQ-pit smoke as you walk in, and check out what the smoke has done to the walls of this school-gymnasium-turned-restaurant. Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, turkey, & potato salad
Hwy 29 BBQ (Bertram, 43 miles NNW of Austin): The little town of Bertram has a newish BBQ joint that is attracting more and more people. Great old building, with a pit out back. Recommended order: brisket, pork ribs, & sausage
Snow's BBQ (Lexington, 52 miles ENE of Austin) & City Meat Market (Giddings, 55 miles east of Austin): Snow's is open only on Saturday from 8 AM until they run out. Be sure to eat outside by the pits. Recommended order: pork shoulder, brisket, & chicken. When you're done, head 17 miles down Highway 77 to the sleepy town of Giddings for a no-frills meal at City Meat Market, which started as a butcher shop. Recommended order: pork shoulder & sausage
AUSTIN:
Black's Barbecue: The Lockhart institution recently opened a spot near UT's campus, on Guadalupe Street. And they have an outdoor patio.
Brown's Bar-B-Que: A popular trailer on South Lamar, convenient to all of the SXSW action in and around downtown. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & chicken thighs
Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que: The longtime Llano favorite recently set up shop in the heart of downtown Austin. Open 7 days a week until 10, with a bar open even later. Valet parking available after 5PM.
Franklin Barbecue: Arguably the most well-known BBQ joint in the country these days. Get there early, or you might be out of luck. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & pulled pork
Freedmen's Bar: Located just west of the UT campus, Freedmen's smoker serves up an array of meats and hearty sides like German potatoes & pit chili. Beer garden. Iconic indoor bar. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, pork belly
Iron Works BBQ: The longtime downtown spot recently saw a change in management and a revamping of the menu. A prime location for SXSW'ers, with an outdoor patio, to boot. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, and macaroni & cheese
John Mueller Meat Co.: Pitmaster John Mueller serves from his trailer on E. 6th St. Like a few other East Austin joints on this list, JMMCO is frequented by some of the celebs who come to town. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, turkey, & baked squash
Kerlin BBQ: New trailer on E. Cesar Chavez gaining a big following fast. Recommended order: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, beef ribs, & house-made pickles
la Barbecue: la Barbecue is a popular BBQ trailer on E. Cesar Chavez. Always crowded, but the line moves well. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, & chopped-beef sandwich
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue: An order-off-the-menu spot right by Austin City Hall, Lamberts has an awesome Happy Hour, a killer Sunday brunch, and the best Frito pit around. Live music upstairs. Recommended orders: Frito pie, brisket, pulled pork
Micklethwait Craft Meats: One of the BBQ options east of I-35. Folks line up daily and watch the chalkboard menu to see what's sold out and what's being added after coming out of the smoker. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, potato salad, jalapeno-cheese grits.
PoK-e-Jo's: With 5 locations in the Austin area, you're not far from the joint whose BBQ is the BBQ you'll find at UT football games. Recommended orders: brisket, turkey, pork ribs, and broccoli-cheese-rice casserole
Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q: With a diverse menu, a staff that takes it time serving samples to "rookies' to help them with their orders, and the option of ordering as much or as little of any meat you want, Rudy's is a great way to ease into Texas BBQ. Recommended order: extra-moist brisket, turkey, & creamed corn (unless you don't like creamed corn that is so rich & sweet that it's suitable for dessert)
Scotty's BBQ: A BBQ trailer on E Cesar Chavez. Recommended orders: brisket and pork ribs
SLAB BBQ: Located in North Central Austin, SLAB BBQ now has a brick-&-mortar spot to go with it mobile truck. Very popular for huge sandwiches and sliders. An array of sauces, so you can mix and match. They even have a dish called Country Hash: a bowl of rice topped with the BBQ & sauce of your choice, along with peppers, onions, etc.
Smokey Denmark BBQ Truck: You can find this truck slinging smoked meats on E. 5th and at various craft breweries on the weekend. Recommended order: beef ribs and the Double Oinker: a sandwich with pulled pork, sausage, & slaw.
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew: Located in North Central Austin, Stiles Switch is a market-style joint whose owner and pitmaster hail from nearby Taylor, TX. Great for a big group, it's a welcome addition to North Lamar. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, creamed corn, and lemon-juice slaw
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ: alentina's is a late-night favorite (but open during day, too). Owned/run by a San Antonio native, the trailer serves BBQ with Mexican flare, including salsas, queso, and homemade tortillas
*UT-Austin is home to Hog Wild, a trailer, as well as brick-and-mortar Bert's BBQ in West Campus.
OUTSIDE AUSTIN:
Schmidt Family Barbecue (Bee Cave, 17 miles west of Austin): With roots in Lockhart, SFB is a very-recent addition to the greater-Austin BBQ scene. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & ham
Cele Store (Manor, 21 miles NE of Austin): A watering hole for farmers during the week, Cele Store serves family-style BBQ Thu-Sat. Call ahead to reserve a table. You might recognize the place from scenes in Secondhand Lions, A Perfect World and Texas Chainsaw Massacre I, II and III. Recommended order: Just go family style, & be sure to make a chopped-beef sandwich with your white bread, cheese, onions, pickles, & sauce
The Salt Lick (Driftwood, 24 miles SW of Austin): With a rustic ambiance and a picture-perfect pit behind the cash register, TSL is a great spot to enjoy smoked meat away from the sounds of the city. BYOB. Cash only (but ATM on site). Recommended order: all-you-can-eat family style
Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse & Southside Market (Elgin, 25 miles east-ish of Austin): Famous for its sausage, Elgin is an easy drive from A-town. These two joints are a stone's throw from each other, so stop into both. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & beef ribs (Meyer's)
Smitty's Market/Kreuz Market/Black's Barbecue (Lockhart, 29 miles south of Austin): Lockhart, dubbed by the Texas Legislature as "The Barbecue Capital of Texas," is a Texas BBQ rite of passage. Recommended orders: pork ribs and sausage (Smitty's), pork ribs and ham (Kreuz), beef ribs and turkey (Black's)
Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, 34 miles west of Austin): An easy drive out beautiful Hwy. 71. Offering an array of smoked meats, sides, and desserts, all homemade. Recommended orders: sweet-and-spicy ribs, pulled pork (weekends), spicy corn, tater-tot casserole, and banana pudding
Hays Co. Bar-B-Que (San Marcos, 34 miles south of Austin): Very popular family-run joint. All the smoked meats, including house-made sausages. Huge smokers, a bar, a stage, and games out back around the patio. Recommended orders: brisket, jalapeno-cheese sausage, and half chicken
Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, 39 miles NE of Austin): Get ready for the unmistakable smell of BBQ-pit smoke as you walk in, and check out what the smoke has done to the walls of this school-gymnasium-turned-restaurant. Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, turkey, & potato salad
Hwy 29 BBQ (Bertram, 43 miles NNW of Austin): The little town of Bertram has a newish BBQ joint that is attracting more and more people. Great old building, with a pit out back. Recommended order: brisket, pork ribs, & sausage
Snow's BBQ (Lexington, 52 miles ENE of Austin) & City Meat Market (Giddings, 55 miles east of Austin): Snow's is open only on Saturday from 8 AM until they run out. Be sure to eat outside by the pits. Recommended order: pork shoulder, brisket, & chicken. When you're done, head 17 miles down Highway 77 to the sleepy town of Giddings for a no-frills meal at City Meat Market, which started as a butcher shop. Recommended order: pork shoulder & sausage
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Best BBQ at SXSW?
Did you visit Austin for SXSW? If so, did you try some Austin or Austin-area BBQ? Of course you did. So, what was the best BBQ you ate? I'd love to know which BBQ joint(s) you most enjoyed during your time in Austin. So, let's hear it!
Saturday, March 14, 2015
SXSW visitors: Have you eaten any BBQ?
I'd love to read where SXSW visitors are having BBQ while in Austin. Let me know where you've been & what you think about it. If you have pics, send them my way. And if you need some help navigating your way through Austin's enormous array of BBQ joints, check out my 6th annual SXSW BBQ Guide.
Friday, March 13, 2015
SXSW 2015 BBQ Guide
The past 5 years, I've published an Austin-area BBQ guide (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, & 2014) in honor of Austin's annual South by Southwest (SXSW) interactive/film/music gathering. Why stop with last year? Would you go to San Antonio and not see The Alamo? Would you go to the Piney Woods and not check out the trees? Would you go to Marfa and not see the lights? No! So, don't come to Austin and pass on the BBQ. To help you navigate your way through the insane number of BBQ joints, I've updated last year's guide. The list not comprehensive. I'm not recommending one over another. The list is not a recommendation list at all, actually. I just want to give you an idea of what Austin offers. Austin BBQ joints listed first, alphabetically. Then, joints outside of town listed by distance from Austin.
AUSTIN:
Black's Barbecue: The Lockhart institution recently opened a spot near UT's campus, on Guadalupe Street. And they have an outdoor patio.
Blue Ox Barbecue: Where can you get BBQ & pancakes? Right here. Recommended orders: brisket, pulled pork, & German potato salad
Blue Ribbon Barbecue: Located on the ground floor of downtown's Frost Bank building, BRB is the most central BBQ joint in Austin. If you're downtown, you're within striking distance. They start the day with breakfast tacos and then move on to BBQ for lunch. Save room for banana pudding. Recommended orders: pork ribs & turkey
Brown's Bar-B-Que: A popular trailer on South Lamar, convenient to all of the SXSW action in and around downtown. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & chicken thighs
Franklin Barbecue: Arguably the most well-known BBQ joint in the country these days. Get there early, or you're out of luck. Our pick & our Readers' Choice pick for Best Brisket of 2010, 2011, 2012, & 2014 and Best Overall of 2011 and 2012. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & pulled pork
Freedmen's Bar: Located just west of the UT campus, Freedmen's smoker serves up an array of meats and hearty sides like German potatoes & pit chili. Beer garden. Iconic indoor bar. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, pork belly
John Mueller Meat Co.: Pitmaster John Mueller serves from his trailer on E. 6th St. Like a few other East Austin joints on this list, JMMCO is frequented by some of the celebs who come to town. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, turkey, & baked squash
Kerlin BBQ: New trailer on E. Cesar Chavez gaining a big following fast. Recommended order: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, beef ribs, & house-made pickles
la Barbecue: la Barbecue is a popular BBQ trailer that recently moved South 1st St. to East 6th. Pitmaster John Lewis and the joint have developed a huge following. Always crowded, but the line moves well. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, & chopped-beef sandwich
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue: An order-off-the-menu spot right by Austin City Hall, Lamberts has an awesome Happy Hour, a killer Sunday brunch, and the best Frito pit around. Live music upstairs. Recommended orders: Frito pie, brisket, pulled pork
Mann's Smokehouse: A longtime Austin BBQ joint on the North side of town. You can get all the regular meats, plus Frito pie and a long list of comfort side items. Recommended orders: pork ribs, pulled pork, and you-pick-em sides.
Micklethwait Craft Meats: One of the BBQ options east of I-35. Winner of last year's Austin Chronicle beef-rib contest. Folks line up daily and watch the chalkboard menu to see what's sold out and what's being added after coming out of the smoker. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, potato salad, jalapeno-cheese grits.
Nutter Buster BBQ & Comfort: A trailer in Sunset Valley, just south of Ben White Blvd. You can get comfort foods from brisket to pulled pork to grilled cheeses to sweet waffles. Recommended orders: Grilled cheese with brisket & pulled-pork sandwich
PoK-e-Jo's: With 5 locations in the Austin area, you're not far from the joint whose BBQ is the BBQ you'll find at UT football games. Hit up the Brodie Oaks location for their new "straight-cut" brisket. Hopefully, the location you visit will have their broccoli-rice-cheese casserole. Recommended orders: brisket, turkey, pork ribs, and BCR casserole
Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q: With a diverse menu, a staff that takes it time serving samples to "rookies' to help them with their orders, and the option of ordering as much or as little of any meat you want, Rudy's is a great way to ease into Texas BBQ. Recommended order: extra-moist brisket, turkey, & creamed corn (unless you don't like creamed corn that is so rich & sweet that it's suitable for dessert)
Scotty's BBQ: A BBQ trailer on popular Rainey Street, a street just off downtown full of bars and food trailers. Recommended orders: brisket and pork ribs
SLAB BBQ: Located in North Central Austin, SLAB BBQ now has a brick-&-mortar spot to go with it mobile truck. Very popular for huge sandwiches and sliders. An array of sauces, so you can mix and match. They even have a dish called Country Hash: a bowl of rice topped with the BBQ & sauce of your choice, along with peppers, onions, etc.
Smokey Denmark BBQ Truck: You can find this truck slinging smoked meats on E. 5th and at various craft breweries on the weekend. Pitmaster Bill Dumas will gladly show you the smoker and talk shop. Recommended order: beef ribs and the Double Oinker: a sandwich with pulled pork, sausage, & slaw.
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew: Located in North Central Austin, Stiles Switch is a market-style joint whose owner and pitmaster hail from nearby Taylor, TX. Great for a big group, it's a welcome addition to North Lamar. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, creamed corn, and lemon-juice slaw
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ: Located in the heart of bar-filled West 6th St., Valentina's is a late-night favorite (but open during day, too). Owned/run by a San Antonio native, the trailer serves BBQ with Mexican flare, including salsas, queso, and homemade tortillas
*UT-Austin is home to Hog Wild, a trailer, as well as B&M Bert's BBQ in West Campus.
OUTSIDE AUSTIN:
Schmidt Family Barbecue (Bee Cave, 17 miles west of Austin): With roots in Lockhart, SFB is a very-recent addition to the greater-Austin BBQ scene. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & ham
Cele Store (Manor, 21 miles NE of Austin): A watering hole for farmers during the week, Cele Store serves family-style BBQ Thu-Sat. Call ahead to reserve a table. You might recognize the place from scenes in Secondhand Lions, A Perfect World and Texas Chainsaw Massacre I, II and III. Recommended order: Just go family style, & be sure to make a chopped-beef sandwich with your white bread, cheese, onions, pickles, & sauce
The Salt Lick (Driftwood, 24 miles SW of Austin): With a rustic ambiance and a picture-perfect pit behind the cash register, TSL is a great spot to enjoy smoked meat away from the sounds of the city. BYOB. Cash only (but ATM on site). Recommended order: all-you-can-eat family style
Hyatt Lost Pines Resort & Spa (25 miles east of Austin, straight out Hwy. 71): Believe it or not, the lush HLPR&S deep in the pine trees serves pecan-smoked BBQ. St. Louis-style ribs. Pork-belly and pulled-pork sliders on homemade brioche buns. Sliced brisket on Texas toast. Grilled sausage and homemade sauerkraut on a pretzel roll. And the unique sides are paired so well with the entrees. Recommended order: Any of the above
Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse & Southside Market (Elgin, 25 miles east-ish of Austin): Famous for its sausage, Elgin is an easy drive from A-town. These two joints are a stone's throw from each other, so stop into both. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & beef ribs (Meyer's)
Smitty's Market/Kreuz Market/Black's Barbecue (Lockhart, 29 miles south of Austin): Lockhart, dubbed by the Texas Legislature as "The Barbecue Capital of Texas," attracts Central Texas tourists like Lebron draws Cleveland vitriol, but it's a worthwhile Texas BBQ rite of passage. They were our Best Pork Ribs, Best Sausage, & Best Service of 2010, respectively. Recommended orders: pork ribs and sausage (Smitty's), pork ribs and ham (Kreuz), beef ribs and turkey (Black's)
Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, 34 miles west of Austin): An easy drive out beautiful Hwy. 71. Their sides and desserts are the best we've had (taking our top honors in each for 2010 - they won Best Pork of 2010, too). Recommended orders: sweet-and-spicy ribs, pulled pork (weekends), spicy corn, tater-tot casserole, and banana pudding
Hays Co. Bar-B-Que (San Marcos, 34 miles south of Austin): Very popular family-run joint. All the smoked meats, including house-made sausages. Huge smokers, a bar, a stage, and games out back around the patio. Recommended orders: brisket, jalapeno-cheese sausage, and half chicken
Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, 39 miles NE of Austin): Get ready for the unmistakable smell of BBQ-pit smoke as you walk in, and check out what the smoke has done to the walls of this school-gymnasium-turned-restaurant. Our Readers' Choice Pick for Best Overall of 2013 and 2014. Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, turkey, & potato salad
Snow's BBQ (Lexington, 52 miles ENE of Austin) & City Meat Market (Giddings, 55 miles east of Austin): Only open on Saturday from 8 AM until they run out there's no better bet for BBQ for breakfast than Snow's. Be sure to eat outside by the pits. Recommended order: pork shoulder, brisket, & chicken. When you're done, head 17 miles down Highway 77 to the sleep town of Giddings for a no-frills meal at City Meat Market, our Readers' Choice pick for Best Overall of 2010. Recommended order: pork shoulder
AUSTIN:
Black's Barbecue: The Lockhart institution recently opened a spot near UT's campus, on Guadalupe Street. And they have an outdoor patio.
Blue Ox Barbecue: Where can you get BBQ & pancakes? Right here. Recommended orders: brisket, pulled pork, & German potato salad
Blue Ribbon Barbecue: Located on the ground floor of downtown's Frost Bank building, BRB is the most central BBQ joint in Austin. If you're downtown, you're within striking distance. They start the day with breakfast tacos and then move on to BBQ for lunch. Save room for banana pudding. Recommended orders: pork ribs & turkey
Brown's Bar-B-Que: A popular trailer on South Lamar, convenient to all of the SXSW action in and around downtown. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & chicken thighs
Franklin Barbecue: Arguably the most well-known BBQ joint in the country these days. Get there early, or you're out of luck. Our pick & our Readers' Choice pick for Best Brisket of 2010, 2011, 2012, & 2014 and Best Overall of 2011 and 2012. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & pulled pork
Freedmen's Bar: Located just west of the UT campus, Freedmen's smoker serves up an array of meats and hearty sides like German potatoes & pit chili. Beer garden. Iconic indoor bar. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, pork belly
John Mueller Meat Co.: Pitmaster John Mueller serves from his trailer on E. 6th St. Like a few other East Austin joints on this list, JMMCO is frequented by some of the celebs who come to town. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, turkey, & baked squash
Kerlin BBQ: New trailer on E. Cesar Chavez gaining a big following fast. Recommended order: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, beef ribs, & house-made pickles
la Barbecue: la Barbecue is a popular BBQ trailer that recently moved South 1st St. to East 6th. Pitmaster John Lewis and the joint have developed a huge following. Always crowded, but the line moves well. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, & chopped-beef sandwich
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue: An order-off-the-menu spot right by Austin City Hall, Lamberts has an awesome Happy Hour, a killer Sunday brunch, and the best Frito pit around. Live music upstairs. Recommended orders: Frito pie, brisket, pulled pork
Mann's Smokehouse: A longtime Austin BBQ joint on the North side of town. You can get all the regular meats, plus Frito pie and a long list of comfort side items. Recommended orders: pork ribs, pulled pork, and you-pick-em sides.
Micklethwait Craft Meats: One of the BBQ options east of I-35. Winner of last year's Austin Chronicle beef-rib contest. Folks line up daily and watch the chalkboard menu to see what's sold out and what's being added after coming out of the smoker. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, potato salad, jalapeno-cheese grits.
Nutter Buster BBQ & Comfort: A trailer in Sunset Valley, just south of Ben White Blvd. You can get comfort foods from brisket to pulled pork to grilled cheeses to sweet waffles. Recommended orders: Grilled cheese with brisket & pulled-pork sandwich
PoK-e-Jo's: With 5 locations in the Austin area, you're not far from the joint whose BBQ is the BBQ you'll find at UT football games. Hit up the Brodie Oaks location for their new "straight-cut" brisket. Hopefully, the location you visit will have their broccoli-rice-cheese casserole. Recommended orders: brisket, turkey, pork ribs, and BCR casserole
Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q: With a diverse menu, a staff that takes it time serving samples to "rookies' to help them with their orders, and the option of ordering as much or as little of any meat you want, Rudy's is a great way to ease into Texas BBQ. Recommended order: extra-moist brisket, turkey, & creamed corn (unless you don't like creamed corn that is so rich & sweet that it's suitable for dessert)
Scotty's BBQ: A BBQ trailer on popular Rainey Street, a street just off downtown full of bars and food trailers. Recommended orders: brisket and pork ribs
SLAB BBQ: Located in North Central Austin, SLAB BBQ now has a brick-&-mortar spot to go with it mobile truck. Very popular for huge sandwiches and sliders. An array of sauces, so you can mix and match. They even have a dish called Country Hash: a bowl of rice topped with the BBQ & sauce of your choice, along with peppers, onions, etc.
Smokey Denmark BBQ Truck: You can find this truck slinging smoked meats on E. 5th and at various craft breweries on the weekend. Pitmaster Bill Dumas will gladly show you the smoker and talk shop. Recommended order: beef ribs and the Double Oinker: a sandwich with pulled pork, sausage, & slaw.
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew: Located in North Central Austin, Stiles Switch is a market-style joint whose owner and pitmaster hail from nearby Taylor, TX. Great for a big group, it's a welcome addition to North Lamar. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, creamed corn, and lemon-juice slaw
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ: Located in the heart of bar-filled West 6th St., Valentina's is a late-night favorite (but open during day, too). Owned/run by a San Antonio native, the trailer serves BBQ with Mexican flare, including salsas, queso, and homemade tortillas
*UT-Austin is home to Hog Wild, a trailer, as well as B&M Bert's BBQ in West Campus.
OUTSIDE AUSTIN:
Schmidt Family Barbecue (Bee Cave, 17 miles west of Austin): With roots in Lockhart, SFB is a very-recent addition to the greater-Austin BBQ scene. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & ham
Cele Store (Manor, 21 miles NE of Austin): A watering hole for farmers during the week, Cele Store serves family-style BBQ Thu-Sat. Call ahead to reserve a table. You might recognize the place from scenes in Secondhand Lions, A Perfect World and Texas Chainsaw Massacre I, II and III. Recommended order: Just go family style, & be sure to make a chopped-beef sandwich with your white bread, cheese, onions, pickles, & sauce
The Salt Lick (Driftwood, 24 miles SW of Austin): With a rustic ambiance and a picture-perfect pit behind the cash register, TSL is a great spot to enjoy smoked meat away from the sounds of the city. BYOB. Cash only (but ATM on site). Recommended order: all-you-can-eat family style
Hyatt Lost Pines Resort & Spa (25 miles east of Austin, straight out Hwy. 71): Believe it or not, the lush HLPR&S deep in the pine trees serves pecan-smoked BBQ. St. Louis-style ribs. Pork-belly and pulled-pork sliders on homemade brioche buns. Sliced brisket on Texas toast. Grilled sausage and homemade sauerkraut on a pretzel roll. And the unique sides are paired so well with the entrees. Recommended order: Any of the above
Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse & Southside Market (Elgin, 25 miles east-ish of Austin): Famous for its sausage, Elgin is an easy drive from A-town. These two joints are a stone's throw from each other, so stop into both. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & beef ribs (Meyer's)
Smitty's Market/Kreuz Market/Black's Barbecue (Lockhart, 29 miles south of Austin): Lockhart, dubbed by the Texas Legislature as "The Barbecue Capital of Texas," attracts Central Texas tourists like Lebron draws Cleveland vitriol, but it's a worthwhile Texas BBQ rite of passage. They were our Best Pork Ribs, Best Sausage, & Best Service of 2010, respectively. Recommended orders: pork ribs and sausage (Smitty's), pork ribs and ham (Kreuz), beef ribs and turkey (Black's)
Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, 34 miles west of Austin): An easy drive out beautiful Hwy. 71. Their sides and desserts are the best we've had (taking our top honors in each for 2010 - they won Best Pork of 2010, too). Recommended orders: sweet-and-spicy ribs, pulled pork (weekends), spicy corn, tater-tot casserole, and banana pudding
Hays Co. Bar-B-Que (San Marcos, 34 miles south of Austin): Very popular family-run joint. All the smoked meats, including house-made sausages. Huge smokers, a bar, a stage, and games out back around the patio. Recommended orders: brisket, jalapeno-cheese sausage, and half chicken
Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, 39 miles NE of Austin): Get ready for the unmistakable smell of BBQ-pit smoke as you walk in, and check out what the smoke has done to the walls of this school-gymnasium-turned-restaurant. Our Readers' Choice Pick for Best Overall of 2013 and 2014. Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, turkey, & potato salad
Snow's BBQ (Lexington, 52 miles ENE of Austin) & City Meat Market (Giddings, 55 miles east of Austin): Only open on Saturday from 8 AM until they run out there's no better bet for BBQ for breakfast than Snow's. Be sure to eat outside by the pits. Recommended order: pork shoulder, brisket, & chicken. When you're done, head 17 miles down Highway 77 to the sleep town of Giddings for a no-frills meal at City Meat Market, our Readers' Choice pick for Best Overall of 2010. Recommended order: pork shoulder
Friday, March 7, 2014
SXSW 2014 BBQ Guide
The past 4 years, I've published an Austin-area BBQ guide (2010, 2011, 2012, & 2013) in honor of Austin's annual South by Southwest (SXSW) interactive/film/music gathering. Time for 2014's guide. Would you go to Las Vegas and skip The Strip? Would you go to a Greek feast and not yell "Opa!"? Would you go to Pisa and not take a picture "holding up" the leaning tower with your finger? No! So, don't come to Austin without eating some Central Texas BBQ. To help you navigate your way through the ever-growing lineup of BBQ joints, I've updated last year's guide. The list not comprehensive. I'm not recommending one over another. The list is not a recommendation list at all, actually. I just want to give you an idea of what Austin offers. Austin BBQ joints listed first, alphabetically. Then, joints outside of town listed by distance from Austin.
AUSTIN:
Blue Ox Barbecue: Where can you get BBQ & pancakes? Right here. Recommended orders: brisket, pulled pork, & German potato salad
Blue Ribbon Barbecue: Located on the ground floor of downtown's Frost Bank building, BRB is the most central BBQ joint in Austin. If you're downtown, you're within striking distance. They start the day with breakfast tacos and then move on to BBQ for lunch. Save room for banana pudding. Recommended orders: pork ribs & turkey
Franklin Barbecue: Arguably the most well-known BBQ joint in the country these days. Get there early, or you're out of luck. Our pick & our Readers' Choice pick for Best Brisket of 2010, 2011, & 2012 and Best Overall of 2011 and 2012. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & pulled pork
Freedmen's Bar: Located just west of the UT campus, Freedmen's smoker serves up an array of meats and hearty sides like German potatoes & pit chili. Beer garden. Iconic indoor bar. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, pork belly
John Mueller Meat Co.: Pitmaster John Mueller serves from his trailer on E. 6th St. Like a few other East Austin joints on this list, JMMCO is frequented by some of the celebs who come to town. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, turkey, & baked squash
Kerlin BBQ: New trailer on E. Cesar Chavez gaining a big following fast. Recommended order: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, beef ribs, & house-made pickles
la Barbecue: la Barbecue is a popular BBQ trailer that recently moved South 1st St. to East 6th. Pitmaster John Lewis and the joint have developed a huge following. Always crowded, but the line moves well. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, & chopped-beef sandwich
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue: An order-off-the-menu spot right by Austin City Hall, Lamberts has an awesome Happy Hour, a killer Sunday brunch, and the best Frito pit around. Live music upstairs. Recommended orders: Frito pie, brisket, pulled pork
Mann's Smokehouse: A longtime Austin BBQ joint on the North side of town. You can get all the regular meats, plus Frito pie and a long list of comfort side items. Recommended orders: pork ribs, pulled pork, and you-pick-em sides.
Micklethwait Craft Meats: One of the newer BBQ options east of I-35. Winner of this year's Austin Chronicle beef-rib contest. Folks line up daily and watch the chalkboard menu to see what's sold out and what's being added after coming out of the smoker. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, potato salad, jalapeno-cheese grits.
Nutter Buster BBQ & Comfort: A trailer way down in South Austin (Manchaca). You can get comfort foods from brisket to pulled pork to grilled cheeses to sweet waffles. Recommended orders: Grilled cheese with brisket & pulled-pork sandwich
PoK-e-Jo's: With 5 locations in the Austin area, you're not far from the joint whose BBQ is the BBQ you'll find at UT football games. Hit up the Brodie Oaks location for their new "straight-cut" brisket. Hopefully, the location you visit will have their broccoli-rice-cheese casserole. Recommended orders: brisket, turkey, pork ribs, and BCR casserole
Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q: With a diverse menu, a staff that takes it time serving samples to "rookies' to help them with their orders, and the option of ordering as much or as little of any meat you want, Rudy's is a great way to ease into Texas BBQ. Recommended order: extra-moist brisket, turkey, & creamed corn (unless you don't like creamed corn that is so rich & sweet that it's suitable for dessert)
Scotty's BBQ: A BBQ trailer on popular Rainey Street, a street just off downtown full of bars and food trailers. Recommended orders: brisket and pork ribs
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew: The newest Austin BBQ joint, Stiles Switch is a market-style joint whose owner and pitmaster hail from nearby Taylor, TX. Great for a big group, it's a welcome addition to North Lamar. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, creamed corn, and lemon-juice slaw
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ: Located in the heart of bar-filled West 6th St., Valentina's is a late-night favorite (but open during day, too). Owned/run by a San Antonio native, the trailer serves BBQ with Mexican flare, including salsas and homemade tortillas
*The campus of UT-Austin is home to a few BBQ trailers: FullHouse, Hog Wild, & SLAB. There is also a location of Bert's BBQ in West Campus.
OUTSIDE AUSTIN:
Schmidt Family Barbecue (Bee Cave, 17 miles west of Austin): With roots in Lockhart, SFB is a very-recent addition to the greater-Austin BBQ scene. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & ham
Curly's Carolina, TX (Round Rock, 20 miles north of Austin): If you're craving Texas-syle brisket and Carolina-style pulled pork, this is your spot. Carolina-man Jay used to run Curly's Perfect Pig, a Carolina-style BBQ trailer. Jay teamed up with Jay Brotherton, who used to run Hall of Flame BBQ, a Texas-style BBQ trailer. Recommended order: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, cucumber salad, & pan-fried cornbread
Cele Store (Manor, 21 miles NE of Austin): A watering hole for farmers during the week, Cele Store serves family-style BBQ Thu-Sat. Live music on Friday, March 8. Call ahead to reserve a table. You might recognize the place from scenes in Secondhand Lions, A Perfect World and Texas Chainsaw Massacre I, II and III. Recommended order: Just go family style, & be sure to make a chopped-beef sandwich with your white bread, cheese, onions, pickles, & sauce
Milt's Pit BBQ (Kyle, 21 miles south of Austin): Milt, born in Fort Worth but California resident by age 3, knows how to cook brisket. If you're wanna start your meal with a bang, get the Haystack: sausage, brisket, jalapenos, onions, beans, and cheese, all atop a bed of Fritos. Recommended order: brisket
The Salt Lick (Driftwood, 24 miles SW of Austin): With a rustic ambiance and a picture-perfect pit behind the cash register, TSL is a great spot to enjoy smoked meat away from the sounds of the city. BYOB. Cash only (but ATM on site). Recommended order: all-you-can-eat family style
Hyatt Lost Pines Resort & Spa (25 miles east of Austin, straight out Hwy. 71): Believe it or not, the lush HLPR&S deep in the pine trees serves pecan-smoked BBQ. St. Louis-style ribs. Pork-belly and pulled-pork sliders on homemade brioche buns. Sliced brisket on Texas toast. Grilled sausage and homemade sauerkraut on a pretzel roll. And the unique sides are paired so well with the entrees. Recommended order: Any of the above
Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse & Southside Market (Elgin, 25 miles east-ish of Austin): Famous for its sausage, Elgin is an easy drive from A-town. These two joints are a stone's throw from each other, so stop into both. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & beef ribs (Meyer's)
Smitty's Market/Kreuz Market/Black's Barbecue (Lockhart, 29 miles south of Austin): Lockhart, dubbed by the Texas Legislature as "The Barbecue Capital of Texas," attracts Central Texas tourists like Lebron draws Cleveland vitriol, but it's a worthwhile Texas BBQ rite of passage. They were our Best Pork Ribs, Best Sausage, & Best Service of 2010, respectively. Recommended orders: pork ribs and sausage (Smitty's), pork ribs and ham (Kreuz), beef ribs and turkey (Black's)
Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, 34 miles west of Austin): An easy drive West out Hwy. 71. Their sides and desserts are the best we've had (taking our top honors in each for 2010 - they won Best Pork of 2010, too). Recommended orders: sweet-and-spicy ribs, pulled pork (weekends), spicy corn, tater-tot casserole, and banana pudding
Hays Co. Bar-B-Que (San Marcos, 34 miles south of Austin): Family-run joint. Father & son team up to tend the big smokers. Recommended orders: brisket, jalapeno-cheese sausage, and half chicken
Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, 39 miles NE of Austin): Get ready for the unmistakable smell of BBQ-pit smoke as you walk in - and check out what the smoke has done to the walls of this school-gymnasium-turned-restaurant. Our Readers' Choice Pick for Best Overall of 2013. Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, turkey, & potato salad
Snow's BBQ (Lexington, 52 miles ENE of Austin) & City Meat Market (Giddings, 55 miles east of Austin): Only open on Saturday from 8 AM until they run out there's no better bet for BBQ for breakfast than Snow's. Be sure to eat outside by the pits. Recommended order: pork shoulder, brisket, & chicken. When you're done, head 17 miles down Highway 77 to the sleep town of Giddings for a no-frills meal at City Meat Market, our Readers' Choice pick for Best Overall of 2010. Recommended order: pork shoulder
AUSTIN:
Blue Ox Barbecue: Where can you get BBQ & pancakes? Right here. Recommended orders: brisket, pulled pork, & German potato salad
Blue Ribbon Barbecue: Located on the ground floor of downtown's Frost Bank building, BRB is the most central BBQ joint in Austin. If you're downtown, you're within striking distance. They start the day with breakfast tacos and then move on to BBQ for lunch. Save room for banana pudding. Recommended orders: pork ribs & turkey
Franklin Barbecue: Arguably the most well-known BBQ joint in the country these days. Get there early, or you're out of luck. Our pick & our Readers' Choice pick for Best Brisket of 2010, 2011, & 2012 and Best Overall of 2011 and 2012. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, & pulled pork
Freedmen's Bar: Located just west of the UT campus, Freedmen's smoker serves up an array of meats and hearty sides like German potatoes & pit chili. Beer garden. Iconic indoor bar. Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, pork belly
John Mueller Meat Co.: Pitmaster John Mueller serves from his trailer on E. 6th St. Like a few other East Austin joints on this list, JMMCO is frequented by some of the celebs who come to town. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, turkey, & baked squash
Kerlin BBQ: New trailer on E. Cesar Chavez gaining a big following fast. Recommended order: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, beef ribs, & house-made pickles
la Barbecue: la Barbecue is a popular BBQ trailer that recently moved South 1st St. to East 6th. Pitmaster John Lewis and the joint have developed a huge following. Always crowded, but the line moves well. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, & chopped-beef sandwich
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue: An order-off-the-menu spot right by Austin City Hall, Lamberts has an awesome Happy Hour, a killer Sunday brunch, and the best Frito pit around. Live music upstairs. Recommended orders: Frito pie, brisket, pulled pork
Mann's Smokehouse: A longtime Austin BBQ joint on the North side of town. You can get all the regular meats, plus Frito pie and a long list of comfort side items. Recommended orders: pork ribs, pulled pork, and you-pick-em sides.
Micklethwait Craft Meats: One of the newer BBQ options east of I-35. Winner of this year's Austin Chronicle beef-rib contest. Folks line up daily and watch the chalkboard menu to see what's sold out and what's being added after coming out of the smoker. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, potato salad, jalapeno-cheese grits.
Nutter Buster BBQ & Comfort: A trailer way down in South Austin (Manchaca). You can get comfort foods from brisket to pulled pork to grilled cheeses to sweet waffles. Recommended orders: Grilled cheese with brisket & pulled-pork sandwich
PoK-e-Jo's: With 5 locations in the Austin area, you're not far from the joint whose BBQ is the BBQ you'll find at UT football games. Hit up the Brodie Oaks location for their new "straight-cut" brisket. Hopefully, the location you visit will have their broccoli-rice-cheese casserole. Recommended orders: brisket, turkey, pork ribs, and BCR casserole
Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q: With a diverse menu, a staff that takes it time serving samples to "rookies' to help them with their orders, and the option of ordering as much or as little of any meat you want, Rudy's is a great way to ease into Texas BBQ. Recommended order: extra-moist brisket, turkey, & creamed corn (unless you don't like creamed corn that is so rich & sweet that it's suitable for dessert)
Scotty's BBQ: A BBQ trailer on popular Rainey Street, a street just off downtown full of bars and food trailers. Recommended orders: brisket and pork ribs
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew: The newest Austin BBQ joint, Stiles Switch is a market-style joint whose owner and pitmaster hail from nearby Taylor, TX. Great for a big group, it's a welcome addition to North Lamar. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, creamed corn, and lemon-juice slaw
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ: Located in the heart of bar-filled West 6th St., Valentina's is a late-night favorite (but open during day, too). Owned/run by a San Antonio native, the trailer serves BBQ with Mexican flare, including salsas and homemade tortillas
*The campus of UT-Austin is home to a few BBQ trailers: FullHouse, Hog Wild, & SLAB. There is also a location of Bert's BBQ in West Campus.
OUTSIDE AUSTIN:
Schmidt Family Barbecue (Bee Cave, 17 miles west of Austin): With roots in Lockhart, SFB is a very-recent addition to the greater-Austin BBQ scene. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & ham
Curly's Carolina, TX (Round Rock, 20 miles north of Austin): If you're craving Texas-syle brisket and Carolina-style pulled pork, this is your spot. Carolina-man Jay used to run Curly's Perfect Pig, a Carolina-style BBQ trailer. Jay teamed up with Jay Brotherton, who used to run Hall of Flame BBQ, a Texas-style BBQ trailer. Recommended order: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, cucumber salad, & pan-fried cornbread
Cele Store (Manor, 21 miles NE of Austin): A watering hole for farmers during the week, Cele Store serves family-style BBQ Thu-Sat. Live music on Friday, March 8. Call ahead to reserve a table. You might recognize the place from scenes in Secondhand Lions, A Perfect World and Texas Chainsaw Massacre I, II and III. Recommended order: Just go family style, & be sure to make a chopped-beef sandwich with your white bread, cheese, onions, pickles, & sauce
Milt's Pit BBQ (Kyle, 21 miles south of Austin): Milt, born in Fort Worth but California resident by age 3, knows how to cook brisket. If you're wanna start your meal with a bang, get the Haystack: sausage, brisket, jalapenos, onions, beans, and cheese, all atop a bed of Fritos. Recommended order: brisket
The Salt Lick (Driftwood, 24 miles SW of Austin): With a rustic ambiance and a picture-perfect pit behind the cash register, TSL is a great spot to enjoy smoked meat away from the sounds of the city. BYOB. Cash only (but ATM on site). Recommended order: all-you-can-eat family style
Hyatt Lost Pines Resort & Spa (25 miles east of Austin, straight out Hwy. 71): Believe it or not, the lush HLPR&S deep in the pine trees serves pecan-smoked BBQ. St. Louis-style ribs. Pork-belly and pulled-pork sliders on homemade brioche buns. Sliced brisket on Texas toast. Grilled sausage and homemade sauerkraut on a pretzel roll. And the unique sides are paired so well with the entrees. Recommended order: Any of the above
Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse & Southside Market (Elgin, 25 miles east-ish of Austin): Famous for its sausage, Elgin is an easy drive from A-town. These two joints are a stone's throw from each other, so stop into both. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & beef ribs (Meyer's)
Smitty's Market/Kreuz Market/Black's Barbecue (Lockhart, 29 miles south of Austin): Lockhart, dubbed by the Texas Legislature as "The Barbecue Capital of Texas," attracts Central Texas tourists like Lebron draws Cleveland vitriol, but it's a worthwhile Texas BBQ rite of passage. They were our Best Pork Ribs, Best Sausage, & Best Service of 2010, respectively. Recommended orders: pork ribs and sausage (Smitty's), pork ribs and ham (Kreuz), beef ribs and turkey (Black's)
Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, 34 miles west of Austin): An easy drive West out Hwy. 71. Their sides and desserts are the best we've had (taking our top honors in each for 2010 - they won Best Pork of 2010, too). Recommended orders: sweet-and-spicy ribs, pulled pork (weekends), spicy corn, tater-tot casserole, and banana pudding
Hays Co. Bar-B-Que (San Marcos, 34 miles south of Austin): Family-run joint. Father & son team up to tend the big smokers. Recommended orders: brisket, jalapeno-cheese sausage, and half chicken
Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, 39 miles NE of Austin): Get ready for the unmistakable smell of BBQ-pit smoke as you walk in - and check out what the smoke has done to the walls of this school-gymnasium-turned-restaurant. Our Readers' Choice Pick for Best Overall of 2013. Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, turkey, & potato salad
Snow's BBQ (Lexington, 52 miles ENE of Austin) & City Meat Market (Giddings, 55 miles east of Austin): Only open on Saturday from 8 AM until they run out there's no better bet for BBQ for breakfast than Snow's. Be sure to eat outside by the pits. Recommended order: pork shoulder, brisket, & chicken. When you're done, head 17 miles down Highway 77 to the sleep town of Giddings for a no-frills meal at City Meat Market, our Readers' Choice pick for Best Overall of 2010. Recommended order: pork shoulder
Saturday, March 16, 2013
What's the hottest BBQ at SXSW?
To those who are visiting Austin for SXSW and/or Austin locals, I'm curious to know which BBQ joint is getting the most buzz around town during SXSW. I'm out of state this week, so I'm not privy to the chatter. To those who are visiting and have had BBQ, where was it from? What are your thoughts? Did you hit up any place on my SXSW BBQ Guide? If you've had more than one joint's BBQ while in Austin, which one was your favorite? Any joints under- or over-deliver on the hype?
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Yahoo! News does BBQ in Austin!
From our man Todd Plunk, who hit up Yahoo! News' BBQ event yesterday at SXSW in Austin. And major props to Todd for landing us in an article on Yahoo! News:
Texas BBQ speaks for itself; ask anyone for their thoughts and you will hear words like, amazing, delicious, and excellent! With South By Southwest (SXSW) bringing thousands of people into Austin this week, it's only fitting that everyone wants authentic Texas BBQ. My experience today at the Yahoo News (@YahooNews) SXSW #Hashout BBQ lunch was no exception.
One of Austin's finest BBQ joints, Stiles Switch (@StilesSwitchBBQ) was serving up lunch, including brisket, beef & pork ribs, and chicken for some lucky SXSW attendees, and I was right there talking with folks as soon as they finished chowing down. Here is a little of what they had to say.
Erin (@erin_mcpherson) had the best line when she told me that today's BBQ was "like Texans...direct and straight-forward. There was meat and more meat with no room for sides." As a native Coloradoan she also mentioned she could have handled the meat a bit more spicy. Saad (@TopicsChat) from NYC went with the chicken for his first BBQ meal on this trip down to Austin and was not disappointed.
Shannon (@leftymama) told me the 'ribs were the best' however being a native Austin-ite, she missed the sausage that didn't make the trip downtown today. Alicia (@vrhskim) commented that the "chicken was very moist ...for chicken," then when I turned around, she went back for the ribs!
As for myself, I tried the brisket and pork ribs. The brisket was indeed so moist that sauce was not needed, in my humble opinion the mark of a true professional! Enjoy a few photos and even a video report from Yahoo News.
@toddplunk
Thursday, March 7, 2013
SXSW 2013 BBQ Guide
The past 3 years, I've published an Austin-area BBQ guide (2010, 2011, & 2012) in honor of Austin's annual South by Southwest (SXSW) interactive/film/music gathering. Might as well publish a 4th. Would you go to The Vatican and skip the Sistine Chapel? Would you go to a bull fight and not yell "Ole!"? Would you go to Harlem and not do the shake? Of course not. So, don't come to Austin and eschew Central Texas BBQ. To help you navigate the bookoos of smoked-meat options, I've updated last year's guide. I'm not recommending one over another. Just giving you a sampling of what we have to offer. Austin BBQ joints listed first, alphabetically. Then, joints outside of town listed by distance from Austin.
AUSTIN:
Blue Ribbon Barbecue: Located on the ground floor of downtown's Frost Bank building, BRB is the most central BBQ joint in Austin. If you're downtown, you're within striking distance. They start the day with breakfast tacos and then move on to BBQ for lunch. Save room for banana pudding. Recommended orders: pork ribs & turkey
Franklin Barbecue: Arguably the most well-known BBQ joint in the country these days. Get there early, or you're out of luck. Our pick & our Readers' Choice pick for Best Brisket of 2010, 2011, & 2012 and Best Overall of 2011 and 2012. Recommended orders: brisket - lots of it - pork ribs, & pulled pork
John Mueller Meat Co.: Having opened just a couple of weekends ago, pitmaster John Mueller is making waves from his BBQ trailer on E. 6th St. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, turkey, & baked squash
LA Barbecue: The former home of John Mueller, LA Barbecue is a popular BBQ trailer on South 1st St., just a tad South of downtown. LA's pitmaster, John Lewis, came to them after his stint at Franklin Barbecue. Every time I drive by, they have a crowd. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, & pork ribs
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue: An order-off-the-menu spot right by Austin City Hall, Lamberts has an awesome Happy Hour, a killer Sunday brunch, and the best Frito pit around. Live music upstairs. Recommended orders: Frito pie, brisket, pulled pork
PoK-e-Jo's: With 5 locations in the Austin area, you're not far from the joint whose BBQ is the BBQ you'll find at UT football games. Hit up the Brodie Oaks location for their new "straight-cut" brisket. Hopefully, the location you visit will have their broccoli-rice-cheese casserole. Recommended orders: brisket, turkey, pork ribs, and BCR casserole
Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q: With a diverse menu, a staff that takes it time serving samples to "rookies' to help them with their orders, and the option of ordering as much or as little of any meat you want, Rudy's is a great way to ease into Texas BBQ. Recommended order: extra-moist brisket, turkey, & creamed corn (unless you don't like creamed corn that is so rich & sweet that it's suitable for dessert)
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew: The newest Austin BBQ joint, Stiles Switch is a market-style joint whose owner and pitmaster hail from nearby Taylor, TX. Great for a big group, it's a welcome addition to North Lamar. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, creamed corn, and lemon-juice slaw
Sugar Shack BBQ: A trailer on UT's campus, Sugar Shack is the place to go if you want BBQ wraps. Don't miss the Alabama White sauce. Roll Tide.
OUTSIDE AUSTIN:
Curly's Perfect Pig (Pflugerville, 20 miles N of Austin): If you're craving Carolina-style pulled pork, this is your spot. Carolina-man Jay set up his pink trailer near UT's campus, before landing a great spot at the food-trailer park on Mays St. in Pflugerville. Recommended order: pulled pork, cucumber salad, & skillet cornbread. - Note: I haven't had the pleasure to go, but Jay and others highly recommend Hall of Flame BBQ, on West Pecan St. in Pflugerville
Cele Store (Manor, 21 miles NE of Austin): A watering hole for farmers during the week, Cele Store serves family-style BBQ Thu-Sat. Live music on Friday, March 8. Call ahead to reserve a table. You might recognize the place from scenes in Secondhand Lions, A Perfect World and Texas Chainsaw Massacre I, II and III. Recommended order: Just go family style, & be sure to make a chopped-beef sandwich with your white bread, cheese, onions, pickles, & sauce
Milt's Pit BBQ (Kyle, 21 miles from Austin straight down I-35, Exit 213): Milt, born in Fort Worth but California resident by age 3, knows how to cook brisket. If you're wanna start your meal with a bang, get the Haystack: sausage, brisket, jalapenos, onions, beans, and cheese, all atop a bed of Fritos. Recommended order: brisket
The Salt Lick (Driftwood, 24 miles SW of Austin): With a rustic ambiance and a picture-perfect pit behind the cash register, TSL is a great spot to enjoy smoked meat away from the sounds of the city. BYOB. Cash only (but ATM on site). Recommended order: all-you-can-eat family style
Hyatt Lost Pines Resort & Spa (25 miles E of Austin, straight out Hwy. 71): Believe it or not, the lush HLPR&S deep in the pine trees serves pecan-smoked BBQ. St. Louis-style ribs. Pork-belly and pulled-pork sliders on homemade brioche buns. Sliced brisket on Texas toast. Grilled sausage and homemade sauerkraut on a pretzel roll. And the unique sides are paired so well with the entrees. Recommended order: Any of the above
Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse & Southside Market (Elgin, 25 miles East-ish of Austin): Famous for its sausage, Elgin is an easy drive from A-town. These two joints are a stone's throw from each other, so stop into both. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & beef ribs (Meyer's)
Smitty's Market/Kreuz Market/Black's Barbecue (Lockhart, 29 miles South of Austin): Lockhart, dubbed by the Texas Legislature as "The Barbecue Capital of Texas," attracts Central Texas tourists like Lebron draws Cleveland vitriol, but it's a worthwhile Texas BBQ rite of passage. They were our Best Pork Ribs, Best Sausage, & Best Service of 2010, respectively. Recommended orders: pork ribs and sausage (Smitty's), pork ribs and ham (Kreuz), beef ribs and turkey (Black's)
Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, 34 miles West of Austin): An easy drive West out Hwy. 71. Their sides and desserts are the best we've had (taking our top honors in each for 2010 - they won Best Pork of 2010, too). Recommended orders: sweet-and-spicy ribs, pulled pork (weekends), spicy corn, tater-tot casserole, and banana pudding
Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, 39 miles NE of Austin): Get ready for the unmistakable smell of BBQ-pit smoke as you walk in - and check out what the smoke has done to the walls of this school-gymnasium-turned-restaurant. Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, and turkey
Snow's BBQ (Lexington, 52 miles ENE of Austin) & City Meat Market (Giddings, 55 miles East of Austin): Only open on Saturday from 8 AM until they run out there's no better bet for BBQ for breakfast than Snow's. Be sure to eat outside by the pits. Recommended order: pork shoulder, brisket, & chicken. When you're done, head 17 miles down Highway 77 to the sleep town of Giddings for a no-frills meal at City Meat Market, our Readers' Choice pick for Best Overall of 2010. Recommended order: pork shoulder
Miscellaneous recommendations: Chicken-thigh sandwich at Buster's (Lakeway); pork chop and half chicken at Cooper's (New Braunfels); chicken at Live Oak (Austin); BBQ trailers: Depending on what part of town you're in, you might find any number of BBQ trailers, such as BBQ Heaven, Hog Wild, Rolling Smoke, & Valentina's.
AUSTIN:
Blue Ribbon Barbecue: Located on the ground floor of downtown's Frost Bank building, BRB is the most central BBQ joint in Austin. If you're downtown, you're within striking distance. They start the day with breakfast tacos and then move on to BBQ for lunch. Save room for banana pudding. Recommended orders: pork ribs & turkey
Franklin Barbecue: Arguably the most well-known BBQ joint in the country these days. Get there early, or you're out of luck. Our pick & our Readers' Choice pick for Best Brisket of 2010, 2011, & 2012 and Best Overall of 2011 and 2012. Recommended orders: brisket - lots of it - pork ribs, & pulled pork
John Mueller Meat Co.: Having opened just a couple of weekends ago, pitmaster John Mueller is making waves from his BBQ trailer on E. 6th St. Recommended orders: brisket, beef rib, turkey, & baked squash
LA Barbecue: The former home of John Mueller, LA Barbecue is a popular BBQ trailer on South 1st St., just a tad South of downtown. LA's pitmaster, John Lewis, came to them after his stint at Franklin Barbecue. Every time I drive by, they have a crowd. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, & pork ribs
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue: An order-off-the-menu spot right by Austin City Hall, Lamberts has an awesome Happy Hour, a killer Sunday brunch, and the best Frito pit around. Live music upstairs. Recommended orders: Frito pie, brisket, pulled pork
PoK-e-Jo's: With 5 locations in the Austin area, you're not far from the joint whose BBQ is the BBQ you'll find at UT football games. Hit up the Brodie Oaks location for their new "straight-cut" brisket. Hopefully, the location you visit will have their broccoli-rice-cheese casserole. Recommended orders: brisket, turkey, pork ribs, and BCR casserole
Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q: With a diverse menu, a staff that takes it time serving samples to "rookies' to help them with their orders, and the option of ordering as much or as little of any meat you want, Rudy's is a great way to ease into Texas BBQ. Recommended order: extra-moist brisket, turkey, & creamed corn (unless you don't like creamed corn that is so rich & sweet that it's suitable for dessert)
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew: The newest Austin BBQ joint, Stiles Switch is a market-style joint whose owner and pitmaster hail from nearby Taylor, TX. Great for a big group, it's a welcome addition to North Lamar. Recommended order: brisket, beef ribs, creamed corn, and lemon-juice slaw
Sugar Shack BBQ: A trailer on UT's campus, Sugar Shack is the place to go if you want BBQ wraps. Don't miss the Alabama White sauce. Roll Tide.
OUTSIDE AUSTIN:
Curly's Perfect Pig (Pflugerville, 20 miles N of Austin): If you're craving Carolina-style pulled pork, this is your spot. Carolina-man Jay set up his pink trailer near UT's campus, before landing a great spot at the food-trailer park on Mays St. in Pflugerville. Recommended order: pulled pork, cucumber salad, & skillet cornbread. - Note: I haven't had the pleasure to go, but Jay and others highly recommend Hall of Flame BBQ, on West Pecan St. in Pflugerville
Cele Store (Manor, 21 miles NE of Austin): A watering hole for farmers during the week, Cele Store serves family-style BBQ Thu-Sat. Live music on Friday, March 8. Call ahead to reserve a table. You might recognize the place from scenes in Secondhand Lions, A Perfect World and Texas Chainsaw Massacre I, II and III. Recommended order: Just go family style, & be sure to make a chopped-beef sandwich with your white bread, cheese, onions, pickles, & sauce
Milt's Pit BBQ (Kyle, 21 miles from Austin straight down I-35, Exit 213): Milt, born in Fort Worth but California resident by age 3, knows how to cook brisket. If you're wanna start your meal with a bang, get the Haystack: sausage, brisket, jalapenos, onions, beans, and cheese, all atop a bed of Fritos. Recommended order: brisket
The Salt Lick (Driftwood, 24 miles SW of Austin): With a rustic ambiance and a picture-perfect pit behind the cash register, TSL is a great spot to enjoy smoked meat away from the sounds of the city. BYOB. Cash only (but ATM on site). Recommended order: all-you-can-eat family style
Hyatt Lost Pines Resort & Spa (25 miles E of Austin, straight out Hwy. 71): Believe it or not, the lush HLPR&S deep in the pine trees serves pecan-smoked BBQ. St. Louis-style ribs. Pork-belly and pulled-pork sliders on homemade brioche buns. Sliced brisket on Texas toast. Grilled sausage and homemade sauerkraut on a pretzel roll. And the unique sides are paired so well with the entrees. Recommended order: Any of the above
Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse & Southside Market (Elgin, 25 miles East-ish of Austin): Famous for its sausage, Elgin is an easy drive from A-town. These two joints are a stone's throw from each other, so stop into both. Recommended orders: brisket, sausage, & beef ribs (Meyer's)
Smitty's Market/Kreuz Market/Black's Barbecue (Lockhart, 29 miles South of Austin): Lockhart, dubbed by the Texas Legislature as "The Barbecue Capital of Texas," attracts Central Texas tourists like Lebron draws Cleveland vitriol, but it's a worthwhile Texas BBQ rite of passage. They were our Best Pork Ribs, Best Sausage, & Best Service of 2010, respectively. Recommended orders: pork ribs and sausage (Smitty's), pork ribs and ham (Kreuz), beef ribs and turkey (Black's)
Opie's Barbecue (Spicewood, 34 miles West of Austin): An easy drive West out Hwy. 71. Their sides and desserts are the best we've had (taking our top honors in each for 2010 - they won Best Pork of 2010, too). Recommended orders: sweet-and-spicy ribs, pulled pork (weekends), spicy corn, tater-tot casserole, and banana pudding
Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, 39 miles NE of Austin): Get ready for the unmistakable smell of BBQ-pit smoke as you walk in - and check out what the smoke has done to the walls of this school-gymnasium-turned-restaurant. Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, and turkey
Snow's BBQ (Lexington, 52 miles ENE of Austin) & City Meat Market (Giddings, 55 miles East of Austin): Only open on Saturday from 8 AM until they run out there's no better bet for BBQ for breakfast than Snow's. Be sure to eat outside by the pits. Recommended order: pork shoulder, brisket, & chicken. When you're done, head 17 miles down Highway 77 to the sleep town of Giddings for a no-frills meal at City Meat Market, our Readers' Choice pick for Best Overall of 2010. Recommended order: pork shoulder
Miscellaneous recommendations: Chicken-thigh sandwich at Buster's (Lakeway); pork chop and half chicken at Cooper's (New Braunfels); chicken at Live Oak (Austin); BBQ trailers: Depending on what part of town you're in, you might find any number of BBQ trailers, such as BBQ Heaven, Hog Wild, Rolling Smoke, & Valentina's.
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