The full ranking
Post oak smoke, peppery bark, and brisket worth a four-hour line. Austin is the capital of Texas barbecue, and these are the pits at the top of the heap.
Franklin Barbecue (East Austin)
Aaron Franklin's James Beard-winning East Austin temple, the spot that made the four-hour brisket line a national pilgrimage. A ranked Southern Living South's Best Top 50 honoree and a fixture on every ranking.
LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue (South Austin)
The unanimous number one, the Infatuation's 9.5 and the top Austin joint on every list. Evan LeRoy's new-school trailer-turned-restaurant smokes beef cheeks, house charcuterie, and barbecue that pushes the craft forward.
KG BBQ (MLK)
Kareem El-Ghayesh's Egyptian-Texan crossover, the Infatuation's 9.4, where brisket meets harissa and koshari. One of the most exciting things happening in Austin smoke.
Briscuits (South Austin)
A South Austin newcomer that cracked Texas Monthly's Top 50, named for its biscuit-and-brisket specialty. One of the city's most buzzed-about new smoke joints.
Micklethwait Barbecue (East Austin)
Tom Micklethwait's East Side trailer, an Infatuation favorite famous for its sausages, beef ribs, and homey sides. A craft-barbecue original.
B. Cooper Barbecue (East Austin)
An East Austin operation turning out exceptional brisket and house sausage to some of the highest ratings in town. A rising star on the Austin barbecue scene.
Interstellar BBQ (Anderson Mill)
John Bates's Michelin-recognized northwest Austin joint, a Texas Monthly Top 10, famous for peach-glazed pork belly and pristine brisket that rivals anything downtown.
Mum Foods Smokehouse (Manor Road)
A Texas Monthly Top 50 joint on Manor Road known for house pastrami and a brisket that has quietly become an East Side favorite.
Moreno Barbecue (South Austin)
A South Austin spot praised by the Infatuation for tender brisket and Tex-Mex-inflected sides. A neighborhood favorite climbing the city's rankings.
Distant Relatives (South Austin)
Damien Brockway's African-American-rooted barbecue at Meanwhile Brewing, a Michelin Bib Gourmand spot the Infatuation scores 8.4 for its smoked sweet potatoes and inventive sides.
Ranked across 6 sources: The Infatuation Austin · Best BBQ (by 0–10 score) 2025; Texas Monthly · Top 50 BBQ 2025 (Austin joints in the ranked Top Ten); Texas Monthly · Top 50 BBQ 2025 (Austin joints in the Best of the Rest, unordered); Southern Living · The South's Best Barbecue 2025 (Austin joints, ranked); Yelp · Ranked by Rating (June 2026); Google Reviews · Ranked by Rating (June 2026). Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.
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