Micklethwait Barbecue

"Housed in a former church, this barbecue joint’s new standalone restaurant opened in early January, offering its signature smoked meats, including juicy brisket, Tex-Czech sausage, and massive Dino beef ribs. Round out your solo plate or family-style meal with sides like lemon poppy slaw, jalapeno cheese grits, and Country potato salad. The new space and additional pits have made room for new dishes, including the chicken al carbon. Smoked Southwest Texas-style with post-oak wood and finished directly over mesquite coals, this roasted chicken is devoured like build-your-own tacos with tortillas and a side of salsa verde. Don’t leave without trying some of Micklethwait’s baked goods, which are made in-house. It’s open from 11 a.m. to roughly 4 p.m. or sellout. There is indoor and outdoor seating." - Brittany Britto Garley, Nadia Chaudhury

"Everyone in Austin has a barbecue spot where they bring visitors. When we’re playing tour guide, we bring our guests to Micklethwait. Sure, Franklin's brisket might be a hair more consistent, but deciding where to get barbecue in Austin involves a complicated formula using variables like location, wait time, brisket quality, side-dish options, and probably pi. No matter how many times we’ve run the numbers, the combination of excellent smoked meats, inventive sides (plus some actual pies), and semi-reasonable wait times makes Micklethwait perfect for visitors who want to see what Austin barbecue is all about. photo credit: Richard Casteel It’s located in a renovated old house in East Austin with a few tables inside and a large patio out back. You’ll inevitably be met with a line, but unlike other famous spots in town, the wait here won’t require you to set a pre-dawn alarm. Expect about an hour on weekends, but you can minimize your wait time by showing up on a weekday or a few minutes before they open at 11am. Micklethwait’s menu covers the classics—brisket, pork ribs, and turkey—plus a few items you might not see every day like pulled lamb, pastrami, and barbacoa. If you get here early enough, you might even have a chance to take on a beef short rib (they sell out fast). They’re massive, incredibly tender, and, most importantly, make you feel like an extra in a Flintstones reboot. photo credit: Richard Casteel But before you eat your way into a meat-induced frenzy, pay attention to the sides, because this is where things really take off. While the rest of Austin is debating between vinegar- and mayo-based coleslaws, the slaw here gets a glow-up with lemon poppy dressing. And the citrus beet salad—sweet, tangy, and with a nice bite—tastes like something we’d get at a sit-down restaurant with tiny shared plates. The next time your cousins are visiting town and want to try good barbecue, skip the difficult math and head to Micklethwait. Food Rundown photo credit: Richard Casteel Brisket The seasoning on the brisket steers away from the traditional salt and pepper, adding in things like celery seed, onion powder, garlic, chili, mustard, and coriander. The result is a thick, flavorful coating that acts like Velcro to the post oak smoke it’s slow-cooked in. The brisket here is generally very good, though we’ve had the occasional issue with consistency over repeat visits. photo credit: Richard Casteel Sausage At Micklethwait, sausage takes center stage. The mainstay on the menu is a Tex-Czech sausage, which is pretty similar to the classic beef and pork variety you see at most barbecue joints, just ground a bit coarser. But beyond that are rotating specials where we’ve seen everything from lamb to wild boar. photo credit: Richard Casteel Pork Ribs These are seasoned well, but have a little more bite to them than other spots in town. They aren’t the MVP, but it’s still worth throwing a couple in with your order. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Beef Short Rib Beef ribs tend to clock in around 1.5 pounds each, so they’re usually something you’re just getting one of for the table. These tend to sell out fast, so get here early if you want one. The bark is dense and packed full of peppery flavor, but once you peel it back you’ll meet a giant mound of soft, shreddable beef. photo credit: Richard Casteel Sides The sides here are all scratch-made and some of the best—and most unconventional—you’ll find in town. If you’re here with a large party, try them all. If not, focus on the lemon poppy slaw and the citrus beet salad—they work best as tasty palate cleansers between bites of barbecue. If the meats here weren’t so good, we’d consider making a meal out of the sides alone. photo credit: Richard Casteel Dessert Considering Tom Micklethwait’s past life as a baker, the desserts here are the perfect way to round out a meal. Grab the banana cream for their take on a classic, or get whatever nostalgia-fueled invention they came up with on any given weekend, like housemade twinkies or oatmeal cream pies." - Nicolai McCrary

"Originally a popular barbecue truck, Micklethwait Craft Meats has opened its first standalone restaurant in East Austin. The new location offers an expanded menu with specials, baked goods, and meats butchered in-house. It features new cooking styles with offset pits and plans to incorporate an on-site herb and vegetable garden." - Brittany Britto Garley

"Following in the footsteps of LeRoy and Lewis (our favorite new restaurant of 2024), Micklethwait is opening a brick and mortar. The former barbecue truck, which makes some of the best brisket in town, can now be found in the East MLK area. Don’t miss the Tex-Czech sausage. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Team Infatuation

"A new restaurant from the Micklethwait Craft Meats team, known for their MVP barbecue truck." - Nadia Chaudhury