Southern Living named this Austin barbecue joint the best in Texas for the third year
Many consider Texas to be the heart of the South, and few things are more Texan than barbecue. And one particular spot has been named the best barbecue joint in the Lone Star State — for the third year in a row.
For the ninth year, lifestyle magazine Southern Living has published "The South's Best," to celebrate readers' favorite places throughout the South. Rating beach towns, seafood dives, resorts and more, the magazine received over 10,000 survey results for the 2025 lists.
"One thing we can say about our readers: You are remarkably steadfast in your loyalties, especially when it comes to barbecue," contributing Barbecue Editor Robert F. Moss wrote.
So which barbecue joint takes the biscuit — or shall we say "brisket?" — for the best in Texas? If you've been paying attention, you already know the answer.
For the third year, Southern Living has declared the best barbecue in the state to be Franklin Barbecue — where pilgrimages are made, and lines stretch longer than a Texas summer.
"In 2009, Aaron Franklin helped launch the craft barbecue movement from a small Aristocrat Lo-Liner camper trailer parked near I-35 in downtown Austin," Southern Living wrote. "Flawless prime-grade brisket, tender pork ribs, and snappy jalapeño cheddar sausage — plus a dose of nascent social media — rocketed him to Internet celebrity. Franklin Barbecue moved into its current blue and white building on East 11th Street in 2011, and barbecue fans from around the globe have been lining up for hours to experience it."
Even with the year-after-year wins from Southern Living, Franklin Barbecue has distinguished itself with other honors. Last year, the Austin eatery was awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide.
Matthew Odam, the Statesman's food oracle, noted that while the lines have mercifully shrunk (slightly), the brisket remains a transcendental experience. "The fat is always rendered to perfection, creating the trademark suppleness that has set the brisket apart for 15 years," he explained, placing the barbecue spot at number 11 in the Statesman's 2024 Dining Guide.
Here's the full list of this year's best barbecue joints, as nominated by Southern Living readers:
State
Barbecue joint
City
Alabama
Big Bob Gibson's
Decatur
Arkansas
Wright's Barbecue
(various locations)
Florida
Big John's Alabama BBQ
Tampa
Georgia
Southern Soul Barbeque
St. Simons Island
Kentucky
Moonlite Bar-B-Que Inn
Owensboro
Louisiana
The Joint
New Orleans
Maryland
Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar
Baltimore
Mississippi
The Shed BBQ Joint
Ocean Springs
Missouri
Arthur Bryant's BBQ
Kansas City
North Carolina
Lexington BBQ
Lexington
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Joe's Bar-B-Cue
(various locations)
South Carolina
Lewis Barbecue
Charleston, Greenville
Tennessee
Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous
Memphis
Texas
Franklin Barbecue
Austin
Virginia
Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que
Williamsburg
West Virginia
Rollin' Smoke BBQ
Charleston
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin barbecue joint named best in Texas for third year in a row
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