Step Inside La Barbecue's Slick New Digs

One of Austin’s top tier barbecue spot La Barbecue from owner LeAnn Mueller (of the famous barbecue family) moved into its new home at Quickie Pickie on East Cesar Chavez yesterday. This means indoor lines and seating, beer, wine and coffee, and, most importantly, air conditioning.

Eater took a tour of La Barbecue’s new digs to see how it was incorporated into Quickie PIckie’s layout. The barbecue trailer’s setup took over the store’s kitchen, as well as a portion of the counter for its separate register and order prep. The line wraps along the far wall, and there are outdoor canopy tents for the times the line extends past the doors. Barbecue sauce bottles are set up on all tables.

Outside, the side patio area is all La Barbecue’s, with lights, communal tables, and the dedicated pre-order window. Out in the back are the three smoking trailers, with the third dedicated to pork and beef ribs.

Throughout the hybrid convenience store and barbecue joint are commissioned murals from artist Xavier Schipani. One features an image of Our Lady of La Barbecue with details drawn from the team’s tattoos, a beckoning cow, and another of a car which will eventually feature LeAnn’s father and legendary pitmaster Bobby Mueller and LeAnn's late chihuahua in the front seat.

La Barbecue’s moved around Austin quite a bit. It debuted on South First, then moved to East 6th, and then settled on East Cesar Chavez, moving further east along the busy street three times. It was going to open a brick and mortar on South Congress, but nixed those plans.

La Barbecue is also expanding into Los Angeles — that’s where its vibrant yellow trailer will go — this September.

• La Barbecue Sets Last Day As a Trailer Before It Moves [EATX]
• All Coverage of La Barbecue [EATX]