Best Barbecue in Austin · Austin, TX
Franklin Barbecue turned a trailer into a national phenomenon. Since 2009, Aaron and Stacy Franklin's East Austin smokehouse has drawn hours-long lines for brisket so tender it has become the modern benchmark for Texas barbecue — it sells out most days, and the wait is part of the legend.
Aaron Franklin won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest — rare for a pitmaster — and the smokehouse on East 11th is a genuine pilgrimage. It's the 2026 Centurion Award winner in Austin.
Each Centurion Award is a dated record tied to one year’s evaluation — earned annually, never carried over. Open a year for the full citation and verification details.
Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Franklin Barbecue
This page is the standing record for Franklin Barbecue (2026). It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
If you’ve put in the years, you may already clear the bar. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.