Smokin' Crown: Austin's Franklin Barbecue Takes Top Spot in Texas Monthly's 2013 Top 50 Barbecue Joints List

In Texas, barbecue is a big food staple.  Texas is a big state.  So when it comes to BBQ joints, there are almost too many options throughout the state.  Just within Austin's city limits, I've hit more than a dozen spots.  Throughout the whole state?  Not sure, but a reasonable source says there are at least 658 different 'cue purveyors within the borders of Texas.  That's how many places the staff at Texas Monthly Magazine claims to have visited in compiling 2013's list of Top 50 Barbecue Joints.

Hot guts and brisket from our trip to Kreuz Market in Lockhart in 2008

The top spot?  Franklin Barbecue, right here in Austin.  Given the buzz Franklin's received over the last few years, and the love it gets from Texas Monthly BBQ editor Daniel Vaughn, that wasn't too much of surprise.

Does the list match my experience? I've eaten at Franklin once and was very impressed, and would rate it up there with the very top spots.  My favorite spot in the state, Louie Mueller in Taylor, was also in the top four.  Of the entire top 50, I've chowed at ten of them, and with one or two exceptions they all served excellent barbecue -- and those other one or two weren't bad either, just not "excellent."  In other words, the list passes my smell (taste?) test.

What greets you at the front of the line at Cooper's in Llano

Below is the full list. The other two joints that made the top four were Pecan Lodge in Dallas and 2008 champ Snow's BBQ in Lexington.  Places with an asterisk were also on the 2008 list.

Brisket with a nice crust from a visit to Opie's in Spicewood last year

Alamo

• The Original Willie's Bar-B-Que

 

Amarillo

• Tyler's Barbecue

 

Austin

• Franklin Barbecue (#1)
• John Mueller Meat Co.
• La Barbecue
• Lamberts Downtown Barbecue*
• Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew [Here's a short post about Stiles Switch's "famous" location]

 

Belton

• Miller's Smokehouse

 

Bryan 

• Fargo's Pit BBQ

 

Cypress

• Brooks' Place

 

Dallas

• Lockhart Smokehouse
• Pecan Lodge

 

Eagle Lake

• Austin's BBQ and Catering*

 

Fannin

• McMillan's Bar-B-Q*

 

Fort Worth

• Cousin's Bar-B-Q*
• Longoria's BBQ

 

Fredericksburg

• Cranky Frank's Barbecue Company

 

Galveston

• Leon's World's Finest In & Out Bar-B-Que

 

Garland

• Meshack's Bar-B-Que

 

Giddings

• City Meat Market*

 

Grapevine

• Bartley's Bar-B-Q

 

Henderson 

• Bob's Bar-B-Que

 

Houston

• Gatlin's BBQ & Catering
• Virgie's Bar-B-Que*

 

Jasper

• Billy's Old Fashion BBQ

 

Jefferson 

• Joseph's Riverport Barbecue

 

Kerrville

• Buzzie's Bar-B-Q*

 

Lexington

• Snow's BBQ*

 

Livingston

• Hitch-N-Post BBQ

 

Llano

• Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que* [Read about a trip out to Cooper's in 2009 here]

 

Lockhart

• Black's Barbecue [Yeah, we did Black's (and Smitty's) back in 2008]
• Kreuz Market* [Read about a trip to Kreuz in one of our first posts about barbecue from back in 2008]

 

Luling

• City Market*

 

Marlin

• Whup's Boomerang Bar-B-Que*

 

McKinney

• Hutchins BBQ

 

Mexia

• Kirby's Barbecue

 

Peadenville

• Hashknife on the Chisolm*

 

Pearsall

• Cowpoke's*

 

Pecos

• Pody's BBQ

 

Rockport

• Hatfield's BBQ & Blackjacks Beer Garden

 

San Antonio

• The Granary 'Cue and Brew
• Two Bros. BBQ Market

 

San Marcos

• Hays Co. Bar-B-Que and Catering

 

Smithville 

• Zimmerhanzel's BBQ

 

Spicewood

• Opie's Barbecue*  [Read about our 2012 wildflower tour and trip to Opie's here]

 

Spring

• Corkscrew BBQ

 

Sweetwater

• Big Boy's Bar-B-Que

 

Taylor

• Louie Mueller Barbecue*

 

Tyler

• Stanley's Famous Pit Barbecue*

 

Victoria

• Mumphord's Place BBQ