Every four years, Texas Monthly releases its best barbecue list, detailing which eateries are must-tries for brisket, ribs and pulled pork alike throughout the state. Here are the 10 Austin-area spots that made the list.



1. Franklin Barbecue. The much-acclaimed barbecue restaurant is home to the "finest brisket" that celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain has ever had. It is ranked as the second-best barbecue Texas has to offer on Texas Monthly's list. 900 E. 11th St., Austin. 512-653-1187.

2. Freedmen'sOperating out of a historic building that was initially constructed as a freed slave community, the restaurant opened in 2012 and has received acclaim for its menu that also features a variety of whiskeys. 2402 San Gabriel St., Austin. 512-220-0953.

3. La Barbecue. The barbecue restaurant initially started out as a food trailer but moved to a permanent home in 2015. At that time, the business added additional pits to allow pitmasters to cook up to 30 briskets a day. 1906 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin. 512-605-9696.

4. Micklethwait Craft Meats. Ranked as the No. 8 best barbecue place in Texas, the restaurant was started in 2012 by owner Tom Micklethwait, who cooked up his first barbecue plate from his trailer on Rosewood Avenue. The restaurant collaborates with local businesses to bring their meats—like kolaches from Batch Craft Beer & Kolaches—to other dishes. 1309 Rosewood Ave., Austin. 512-791-5961.

5. Stiles Switch. Taylor native Shane Stiles named the restaurant after the historic 1800s railroad stop in Stiles Switch, Texas. Stiles plans on partnering with Lenoir co-owner Todd Duplechan to open a new restaurant in 2017 with a Southern-style menu. 6610 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin. 512-380-9199.

6. Terry Black's Barbecue. Terry Black, a native of Lockhart, brings years of barbecue experience to Austin. His twin sons own and operate the popular Austin-area establishment. 1003 Barton Springs Road, Austin. 512-394-5899.

7. Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ. The food trailer operator opened a new location in January that will eventually become a brick-and-mortar permanent location. In the new location, the restaurant will expand the menu to include more items, such as smoked meats, sandwiches and specials. 11500 Manchaca Road, Austin. 512-221-4248.

8. Kreuz Market. Located in Lockhart, the barbecue eatery has been open since 1900. The establishment serves beef brisket, pork ribs, pork chops and is best known for its sausage. 619 N. Colorado St., Lockhart. 512-398-2361.

9. Louie Mueller Barbecue.  Pitmaster Wayne Mueller is a third-generation owner of the restaurant, which has been running since 1949. The eatery is the first barbecue restaurant in Texas to be honored by the James Beard Foundation. Texas Monthly ranked Louie Mueller Barbecue fifth in the entire state. 206 W. Second St., Taylor. 512-352-6206.

10. Hays Co. Bar-B-Que. In March, owners Michael and Asenette Hernandez decided to open a new location that would also serve burgers. The couple originally opened their restaurant after buying Woody's Bar-B-Que in 2007. They changed the recipes and the name. The barbecue spot serves meat that has been smoked over the course of 18 hours in a wood-burning fire pit. 1612 S. I-35, San Marcos. 512-392-6000.