I’m going to let y’all in on an Austin barbecue secret. Sure, Salt Lick is amazing and the experience of driving out in hill country and seeing the meat smoked on the open pit is one not to be missed. I plan on taking all of my out of town visitors to Salt Lick still. But if you’d rather stay in Austin and eat the best barbecue I’ve ever eaten, you’re going to go to Franklin’s.
Yes, Franklin’s BBQ. The one that used to be the trailer on the side of the highway. It is now a proper restaurant that just so happens to be nextdoor to my boyfriend’s apartment.
The wonderful thing about Franklin’s is the ritual involved. It is open “11am-sold out” and they mean it. I’ve been twice now and each time, upon getting in line at 10:30am along with several other die-hards, it still took over an hour to get through line. There is nothing like waiting outside in the Austin sun for over an hour and then finally getting inside the restaurant and smelling the food.
We chose to take the food back to his place to eat this time, but when the weather is nice I recommend sitting outside and soaking in the barbecue. Rahul and I actually went on our second date to Franklin’s so it is his fault I’m so obsessed.
(sorry for the blurry photo!)
I recommend getting the two-meat plate (which we split) and some extra meat on the side to share as well. The pork ribs are my personal favorite, being a Virginia gal, but the brisket (lean and fatty) is out of this world. The pulled pork is good by Texas standards (but not by Virginia standards) and I have yet to try the sausage but it looks great. The pies look delectable, too.
So get your butt to Franklin’s BBQ around 10:30am, prepared to stand in line for a while, and earn yourself the best barbecue I’ve ever eaten.
