ATXReview
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
Micklethwait Craft Meats
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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 is a complicated, situational formula involving variables like wait time, brisket quality, side dish options, and probably pi. And 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.
It’s located in a small vintage Comet trailer in East Austin, painted yellow and covered in illustrations of leaves and chestnuts in what feels like the home of a well-to-do squirrel.
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
There’s a large, partially-shaded lot with plenty of tables, but this is an outdoor situation. You’ll inevitably be met with a line, but unlike their famous competitor a few blocks down the street, 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.
The barbecue here is some of the best in town, with a menu that 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. Sausage takes center stage here, with creative options that include things like lamb or wild boar.
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
But before you eat your way into a meat-induced frenzy, pay attention to the sides, because this is where things really start to 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, citrusy, and with a nice bite—tastes like something we’d get at some New American restaurant with tiny shared plates and an ampersand in the name. While most barbecue places might serve Mrs. Baird’s for mopping, Micklethwait offers a few slices of fresh-baked, pillowy bread, and the housemade pickles are sliced thick to help cut through bite after bite of rich, smoked meat.
Like most barbecue spots in town, they generally sell out in the early afternoon. Fortunately, Taco Bronco right next door basically opens when Micklethwait closes, so you can always wolf down smoked meat tacos stuffed with braised beef cheeks or pork carnitas if you show up late. And if you want more than just water to wash it all down with, pop into their other sister concept, Saddle Up, to grab coffee, wine, beer, and pastries.
At first glance, this little acorn-clad trailer might look like a barbecue restaurant for squirrels, but if squirrels are eating smoked meats this good, we’d give up our day jobs to take up a life in the trees.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
Brisket
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
Sausage
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
Beef Short Rib
photo credit: Nicolai McCrary
Sides
Dessert