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It’s no secret that Austin is one of the best barbecue cities on the planet — and in 2026, we finally have the Michelin stars to prove it. When Michelin launched its first-ever Texas guide, three Austin BBQ joints earned one-star honors: la Barbecue, LeRoy and Lewis, and InterStellar BBQ. It was the first time in history Michelin has ever starred barbecue, anywhere. A handful more — Franklin, Micklethwait, Distant Relatives, and Kemuri Tatsu-ya — picked up Bib Gourmands.
So where do you go for the best brisket, ribs, sausage, and (most importantly) the sides? I don’t call myself a barbecue expert, so years ago I teamed up with my friend and Austin barbecue authority Taylor Welden to put this guide together. Here are our picks for the best BBQ in Austin.
SEE ALSO: 17 Best Tacos In Austin (Updated 2026)
Table of Contents
The Michelin-Starred Three
Start here. These are the only three barbecue restaurants in Texas to hold a Michelin star — and all three are right here in Austin.
la Barbecue ⭐
Brisket, beef ribs, sausage, and all the sides — if you’re not in a meat coma by the end, you didn’t do it right. la Barbecue is my number one for those fall-off-the-bone, dinosaur-sized beef ribs.
What started as one of Austin’s OG food trucks on South First is now a Michelin-starred brick-and-mortar on East Cesar Chavez. It’s run by pitmaster Ali Clem, a James Beard-recognized chef who carries on the barbecue legacy she built with her late wife and co-founder, LeAnn Mueller. The future of BBQ is female, and la Barbecue is proof.
WHAT TO ORDER: Beef ribs, chopped brisket sandwich, la frito loco, sausage, and shells & cheese.
KOKO TIP: They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and the line moves — but get there early on weekends. There are free beers while you wait, too.
2401 E Cesar Chavez St, labarbecue.com
LeRoy and Lewis ⭐
If you remember LeRoy and Lewis as the little trailer parked outside Cosmic Coffee, you’re in for a surprise. Evan LeRoy and Sawyer Lewis have graduated to a full brick-and-mortar in South Austin — bright, modern, with a separate bar, a patio, and big screens for the English Premier League. The Michelin star followed them right over.
This is the spot for “new school” barbecue — responsibly sourced from Texas ranches, whole-animal, and full of tasteful boundary-pushing that’s all about flavor, never gimmicks.
WHAT TO ORDER: The smoked beef cheeks (sourced from 44 Farms) are mind-bending. Don’t sleep on the cauliflower burnt ends or the whole hog — and save room for the cheddar cheesecake with a Ritz crust.
KOKO TIP: They’ve got a real bar now, so this one works for a sit-down meal, not just a grab-and-go. Closed Tuesdays.
5621 Emerald Forest Dr, leroyandlewis.com
— Taylor Welden
InterStellar BBQ ⭐
Tucked away in Northwest Austin, pitmaster John Bates’ InterStellar is out-of-this-world barbecue — and the third of Austin’s Michelin-starred joints. The brisket is textbook, but it’s the creative side of the menu that earns the trip up north.
WHAT TO ORDER: The smoked brisket taco, the peach tea-glazed pork belly, and the jalapeño popper sausage. Get there early — like the best in town, they sell out.
KOKO TIP: Open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm. It’s a haul from central Austin, so go on a day you can beat the cutoff.
12233 Ranch Rd 620 N, theinterstellarbbq.com
The Bib Gourmands & Icons
Franklin Barbecue
How can a list of the best BBQ in Austin not include Franklin? It can’t. I’ve been eating Aaron Franklin’s smoked meats since he was slinging brisket out of a tiny trailer off the I-35 frontage road. When he moved into the brick-and-mortar and the international press rolled in, I’ll admit I was a skeptic. One bite and I was wrong. Franklin might just be the single best expression of traditional Texas BBQ in the city — now a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a James Beard Award winner.
WHAT TO ORDER: The fatty, mouthwatering brisket is the star, but don’t miss the pork ribs or the pulled pork (a rare find done this well in Central Texas). And I dream about their espresso BBQ sauce. Wash it down with a Lone Star before your nap.
KOKO TIP: The famous line is back — or skip it and order online ahead for a pickup window. Either way, worth it.
900 E 11th St, franklinbbq.com
— Taylor Welden
SEE ALSO: Loro Austin Review — Asian Smokehouse by Tyson Cole + Aaron Franklin
Micklethwait Craft Meats
I’ve been singing Micklethwait’s praises for years, yet somehow they still fly under the radar for a lot of folks. Maybe people are nervous to pronounce it? Let’s do it together: Mick + uhl + wait (the “th” is silent). Owner Tom Micklethwait and his team nail classic Texas BBQ with German and Czech nods — and a Bib Gourmand to show for it.
WHAT TO ORDER: Always, always order the sausage — quite possibly my favorite BBQ-style sausage in Texas. If you can grab one of their dinosaur beef ribs, do it. And the jalapeño cheese grits and lemon poppy coleslaw should be illegal to skip.
KOKO TIP: It’s a trailer at 1309 Rosewood — card only, no cash.
1309 Rosewood Ave, craftmeatsaustin.com
— Taylor Welden
Distant Relatives
Parked at Meanwhile Brewing in Southeast Austin, chef Damien Brockway’s Distant Relatives explores the African roots of American barbecue — and it’s some of the most thoughtful, original ‘cue in the city. The Bib Gourmand is well earned.
WHAT TO ORDER: Whatever’s freshest off the board — the brisket and the rotating sides built around heritage ingredients are the move. Grab a beer from Meanwhile and make an afternoon of it.
KOKO TIP: Beer garden setting means it’s dog- and group-friendly. Go before they sell out.
3901 Promontory Point Dr (at Meanwhile Brewing), distantrelativesatx.com
Kemuri Tatsu-ya
Wait… isn’t this a Japanese izakaya? Yes — and it’s my wildcard. But Kemuri isn’t here as a novelty. This is genuinely some of the best barbecue in Texas, with a Japanese-Texan twist, from the team behind Ramen Tatsu-ya. Texas ingredients, Japanese technique. Japanese ingredients, Texas BBQ technique. It just works — and Michelin agreed with a Bib Gourmand.
WHAT TO ORDER: If the brisket uni is on the special menu, order every last one they have. It’s last-meal level — my single best bite in Austin. Also don’t miss the spicy pork ribs, the BBQ eel, Tokyo street corn, and the Texas ramen with two hunks of brisket.
KOKO TIP: This is the spot where I filmed the Austin episode of Somebody Feed Phil with Phil Rosenthal over a brisket bento box — so yes, it’s a personal favorite.
2713 E 2nd St, kemuri-tatsuya.com
— Taylor Welden
SEE ALSO: Best Austin Food Trucks (Updated 2026)
Always-Reliable Austin Classics
Terry Black’s Barbecue
A Michelin Recommended spot and one of the most reliable plates in town. I love the giant beef ribs, the tender brisket, the jalapeño cheddar sausage, and the sides. The Barton Springs Road location is central and easy.
WHAT TO ORDER: Giant beef rib, brisket, jalapeño cheddar sausage, and a couple of sides.
1003 Barton Springs Rd, terryblacksbbq.com
Black’s BBQ
Originally from Lockhart, the Black family brought those iconic giant beef ribs to Austin. I love the fatty beef brisket, the sausages, and the sides — and you can order smoked turkey breast and chicken, too. Save room for the peach cobbler with a scoop of ice cream.
WHAT TO ORDER: Fatty beef brisket, sausage links, pork spare ribs, chunky potato salad, extra-cheddar mac & cheese, and peach cobbler.
KOKO TIP: Call ahead at (512) 524-0801 if you want one of the giant beef ribs.
3110 Guadalupe St, blacksbbq.com
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew
St. Louis-style pork ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken, and sausage from pitmaster Lance Kirkpatrick — on North Lamar, with a proper dining room and a bar. A classic Austin sit-down BBQ spot.
WHAT TO ORDER: Pork ribs, pulled pork, sausage — and the Bloody Mary made with Barbecue Wife BBQ sauce.
6610 N Lamar Blvd, stilesswitchbbq.com
Photo credit: Stiles Switch BBQ
Rudy’s BBQ Country Store
Yes, Rudy’s makes my list — because it’s always consistent and there’s never a line. The moist brisket is always tender, the creamed corn is always creamy, and the banana pudding is always so good. When you don’t have four hours to wait, this is the move.
WHAT TO ORDER: Extra-moist brisket, creamed corn, and banana pudding.
Multiple locations, rudysbbq.com
Worth the Drive
The Salt Lick BBQ
When first-timers ask me where to get the ultimate Texas BBQ experience, I send them to Salt Lick out in Driftwood. Just look at that open pit. Go family-style for all-you-can-eat beef brisket, sausage, and pork ribs with potato salad, cole slaw, and beans ($33.95 per person; kids 10 & under are $12.95 with an adult meal, and kids 3 & under eat free) — all in a gorgeous Hill Country setting about 40 minutes from downtown.
KOKO TIP: It’s BYOB and cash only, with indoor and outdoor patio seating and live music. Bring cash, bring a cooler, and make a day of it.
18300 FM 1826, Driftwood, TX, saltlickbbq.com
And if you’re willing to road-trip a little farther for two of Texas’s most legendary pits: Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor (about an hour northeast, home of the giant peppery beef rib) and Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que in New Braunfels and Llano (home of the mesquite-grilled “Big Chop”). Both are bucket-list Central Texas BBQ.
About Taylor Welden
My name is Taylor (@TaylorWelden). I’m a product designer for global outdoor and adventure brands, a past QUESOFF champ (1st place, spicy category), an avid traveler always angling for the window seat — and I love to eat. I reluctantly call myself “a photographer.”
