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Franklin Barbecue's brisket
Franklin Barbecue's brisket
Nick Solares/E

24 Iconic Meat Dishes in Austin

Perfect plates of protein

by Nadia Chaudhury Updated
4 comments / new
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Franklin Barbecue's brisket
| Nick Solares/E
by Nadia Chaudhury Updated
4 comments / new

From brisket to barbacoa, steak, to sausages, Austin is a great town for meat. The following iconic meat dishes serve to define the city with plates and bowls of perfect protein.

From the brisket at Franklin Barbecue to a bowl of Texas red at the Texas Chili Parlor to good ol' steak from ALC Steaks to pastrami at Pieous, here is an unranked look at iconic new and old school Austin meat. This update adds chicken from Olamaie, fried chicken from Lucy's, and Kerlin BBQ’s barbecue kolache to the mix, and sadly says farewell to El Azteca’s cabrito since it closed last fall.

For Austin’s other emblematic foods, scope out the city’s iconic dishes, burgers, drinks, as well as its defining restaurants and classic ones.

Everything below is listed in geographical order from north to south. See a favorite iconic meat dish missing? Leave suggestions in the comments, hit the tipline or the forum.

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Din Ho Chinese BBQ

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Din Ho is Austin's consistent favorite for juicy roasted duck.

8557 Research Blvd, Ste 116, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 832-8788
(512) 832-8788
Dan K./Yelp

Ramen Tatsu-ya

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The broth of Ramen Tatsu-Ya's tonkatsu original is one of the most time-intensive and tastiest meat preparations in town, found at both locations of the restaurant.

8557 Research Blvd, #126, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 834-8810
(512) 834-8810
Ramen Tatsu-ya/Facebook

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Dart Bowl

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Truly classic, greasy, magnificent enchiladas manifest in this old-school cafe inside of a bowling alley.

5700 Grover Ave, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 452-2518
(512) 452-2518
Andy B./Yelp

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Noble Sandwich Company

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Noble Sandwich Co.'s two Austin locations serve up some of the tastiest sandwiches in town. The signature Noble Pig sandwich is porky greatness between two slices of bread, filled with spicy ham, pulled pork, and bacon.

4805 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 382-6248
(512) 382-6248
Noble Pig Sandwich Co./Yelp

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Uchiko

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Uchi and Uchiko are Austin's best bets for sushi, but the meat dishes are not to be missed, either. Uchiko's hot rock allows diners to sear their own wagyu at the table, with delicious results.

4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 916-4808
(512) 916-4808
Uchiko/Facebook

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Contigo

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Contigo is one of Austin's best restaurants for meat: everything from its charcuterie to the stellar ox tongue sliders. The rabbit and dumplings is its most talked-about dish, a perfect new-school Austin update of tradition.

2027 Anchor Ln., Austin, TX 78723
(512) 614-2260
(512) 614-2260
Contigo/Facebook

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Hoover's Cooking

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A classic chicken fried steak may have been eclipsed by Austin's barbecue mania, but it doesn't get more Texas than Hoover's take.

2002 Manor Rd., Austin, TX 78722
(512) 479-5006
(512) 479-5006
Hoover's/Facebook

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Olamaie

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While the accompaniments of the Southern restaurant’s chicken (sourced from Dewberry Hills Farms) changes seasonally, the meat is flavorful and juicy.

1610 San Antonio St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-2796
(512) 474-2796
Olamaie/Facebook

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ALC Steaks

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ALC Steaks, formerly known as Austin Land and Cattle, is still a great bet for a classic steak.

1205 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 472-1813
(512) 472-1813
ALC/Facebook

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Texas Chili Parlor

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Chili is the state dish of Texas, and there's no better place in town to enjoy a bowl than at campus classic and politico hangout Texas Chili Parlor.

1409 Lavaca St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 472-2828
(512) 472-2828
Doug W./Yelp

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Franklin Barbecue

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There's Austin's iconic meat dishes, and then there's the Franklin Barbecue brisket. This slice of smokey meat perfection inspires carnivores to wait up to five hours in line. And, yeah, it's worth it.

900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 653-1187
(512) 653-1187
Nick Solares/E

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Micklethwait Craft Meats

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Of all the great barbecue establishments in town, Micklethwait has the most fun with the tradition of Texas hot guts. The house-made inventive sausages are not to be missed — get there before it sells out.

1309 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 791-5961
(512) 791-5961
Micklethwait Craft Meats/Facebook

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Frank

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Austinites craving hot dogs traditional and wild hit up this laid-back oasis downtown. All of the franks are good and made-in house.

407 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 494-6894
(512) 494-6894
Frank/Facebook

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Salt & Time

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A restaurant inside of a butcher shop will do meat right, and Salt & Time does not disappoint. The locally-sourced, house-butchered steaks offer one of the best values in town — try the bavette cut.

1912 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 524-1383
(512) 524-1383
Jessie Pages/E

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Joe's Bakery & Coffee Shop

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Joe's is one of Austin's best old-school Tex-Mex breakfasts in town, and the bacon is the stuff of legend. The shop batters it in flour for extra-crispiness.

2305 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 472-0017
(512) 472-0017
Dan B./Yelp

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P. Terry's

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Beloved local chain P. Terry's brings thoughtful drive-thru to nine and growing locations around town. There are many, many great burgers in town, but P. Terry's might be the most iconically Austin.

404 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 473-2217
(512) 473-2217
P. Terry's/Facebook

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Kerlin BBQ

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The barbecue trailer stuffs the already-classic Czech pastries with brisket and sausage.

1700 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 412-5588
(512) 412-5588
Kerlin BBQ’s sausage kolache Sandy B./Yelp

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La Barbecue

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La Barbecue is turning out some of the best barbecue in Austin, and nothing says "Texas barbecue" like the El Sancho Loco, featuring pulled pork, brisket, and sausage.

2027 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX, 78702
Lilo S./Yelp

Justine's Brasserie

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The steak frites at Justine's are consistently great; order a plate, a bottle of the very reasonably priced wine, and feel like it's East Austin, France.

4710 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 385-2900
(512) 385-2900
Justine's Brasserie/Facebook

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Matt's Famous El Rancho

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The famous Bob Armstrong dip at Matt's Famous El Rancho ushered in a new era of queso perfection: queso + taco meat. It's still a classic.

2613 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 462-9333
(512) 462-9333
Robert J. Lerma/EATX

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Rosita's Al Pastor

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Stellar al pastor tacos, handmade tortillas, dirt-cheap prices. What more could a person want?

1911 East Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78741
Ellen H,/Yelp

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Lucy's Fried Chicken

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Fried chicken is a hot weather staple, and all locations of Lucy’s serves up cold or warm pieces of the fried poultry.

2218 College Ave, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 297-2423
(512) 297-2423
Lucy's Fried Chicken/Official

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Pieous

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While Pieous does have pizza, don’t skip the pastrami. It comes by the pound, in sandwich form, or dressed in a plate with all sorts of fixings like pickles, onions, and that famous sourdough bread.

12005 W Highway 290, Austin, TX 78737
(512) 394-7041
(512) 394-7041
Pastrami from Pieous Phillip B./Yelp

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Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ

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The genius idea of marrying breakfast tacos and barbecue is best represented with Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ’s wonderful Real Deal Holyfield, where eggs, potatoes, beans, and bacon go to the next level with either brisket or pulled pork.

11500 Manchaca Rd, Austin, TX, 78748
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ/Facebook

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Din Ho Chinese BBQ

8557 Research Blvd, Ste 116, Austin, TX 78758

Din Ho is Austin's consistent favorite for juicy roasted duck.

8557 Research Blvd, Ste 116, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 832-8788
(512) 832-8788
Dan K./Yelp

Ramen Tatsu-ya

8557 Research Blvd, #126, Austin, TX 78758

The broth of Ramen Tatsu-Ya's tonkatsu original is one of the most time-intensive and tastiest meat preparations in town, found at both locations of the restaurant.

8557 Research Blvd, #126, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 834-8810
(512) 834-8810
Ramen Tatsu-ya/Facebook

Dart Bowl

5700 Grover Ave, Austin, TX 78756

Truly classic, greasy, magnificent enchiladas manifest in this old-school cafe inside of a bowling alley.

5700 Grover Ave, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 452-2518
(512) 452-2518
Andy B./Yelp

Noble Sandwich Company

4805 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756

Noble Sandwich Co.'s two Austin locations serve up some of the tastiest sandwiches in town. The signature Noble Pig sandwich is porky greatness between two slices of bread, filled with spicy ham, pulled pork, and bacon.

4805 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 382-6248
(512) 382-6248
Noble Pig Sandwich Co./Yelp

Uchiko

4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756

Uchi and Uchiko are Austin's best bets for sushi, but the meat dishes are not to be missed, either. Uchiko's hot rock allows diners to sear their own wagyu at the table, with delicious results.

4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 916-4808
(512) 916-4808
Uchiko/Facebook

Contigo

2027 Anchor Ln., Austin, TX 78723

Contigo is one of Austin's best restaurants for meat: everything from its charcuterie to the stellar ox tongue sliders. The rabbit and dumplings is its most talked-about dish, a perfect new-school Austin update of tradition.

2027 Anchor Ln., Austin, TX 78723
(512) 614-2260
(512) 614-2260
Contigo/Facebook

Hoover's Cooking

2002 Manor Rd., Austin, TX 78722

A classic chicken fried steak may have been eclipsed by Austin's barbecue mania, but it doesn't get more Texas than Hoover's take.

2002 Manor Rd., Austin, TX 78722
(512) 479-5006
(512) 479-5006
Hoover's/Facebook

Olamaie

1610 San Antonio St, Austin, TX 78701

While the accompaniments of the Southern restaurant’s chicken (sourced from Dewberry Hills Farms) changes seasonally, the meat is flavorful and juicy.

1610 San Antonio St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-2796
(512) 474-2796
Olamaie/Facebook

ALC Steaks

1205 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703

ALC Steaks, formerly known as Austin Land and Cattle, is still a great bet for a classic steak.

1205 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 472-1813
(512) 472-1813