La Barbecue

“The Cesar Chavez trailer that grew into an institution”

La Barbecue started as a trailer on Cesar Chavez and grew into one of Austin's essential barbecue destinations without losing the relaxed, unpretentious spirit that defined the early days. Pitmaster John Lewis, who honed his craft at Franklin, brought a meticulous hand to every cut, and the result is a menu that competes at the very top of a fiercely competitive city. The beef ribs are the reason to build a pilgrimage — a masterclass in restraint, just salt, pepper, and smoke, cooked until the bone pulls clean and the fat surrenders. Brisket carries a deep smoke ring and a bark with real backbone, and the jalapeño cheddar sausage is one of the city's best links, snappy and spiced. The atmosphere stays quintessentially East Austin: welcoming, laid-back, and entirely confident in what it puts on the paper.