Lucky 7: Michelin Guide Must Tries
Words Deven Wilson | Photo Baptiste Despois
In 2024, The Michelin Guide announced to the world what we already knew since our first issue—East Austin is a world-class culinary destination. While we may not know why these spots won their accolades on the guide, we know their menus well enough to suggest what dishes might have won over the tastemakers.
La Barbecue
ONE STAR
Must Try: Shells & Cheese
While most smoked meat fanatics line up for their ribs or brisket, real La Barbecue insiders know the sides shoulder more of the weight on the tray, and their Shells & Cheese make every minute in line worthwhile. Decadently cheesy with well-cooked pasta shells that add a much-needed creamy bite between barbecued ribs, their version of mac ’n cheese is an absolute star of a side that could easily spin off as its own line-worthy stop.
2401 E Cesar Chavez St. | labarbecue.com
Micklethwait Craft Meats
BIB GOURMAND
Must Try: Lamb
Any smoked meat selection here is a winner, as any local knows, but the lamb’s an All-Star. Not a typical source for smoked meat in Texas or any barbecue state across the nation, Micklethwait makes a case to consider it more often with their fantastic pulled lamb by the pound and the combined lamb and beef stuffed inside their Tex-Czech Sausage. That unique touch of sweetness combined with the gamey, tender, and savory flavors make each pound necessary on any tray to balance out the just-as-delicious sides.
4602 Tanney St. | craftmeatsaustin.com
Kemuri Tatsu-Ya
BIB GOURMAND
Must Try: Hot Pocketz
There is something about an elevated childhood classic that always delivers, and the Hot Pocketz at Kemuri Tatsu-Ya consistently delights every first-timer to this Japanese-Texan fusion spot. Brisket and smoked gouda cheese come together inside a crispy tofu skin triangle for an explosion of flavor that most nostalgically charged bites into the original fail to deliver. If only their Hot Pocketz were available in mass-production, late-night snacking would taste more sensational than shameful.
2713 E 2nd St. | kemuri-tatsuya.com
Dai Due
BIB GOURMAND & GREEN STAR
Must Try: Charcuterie
The whole point of Dai Due is to go with the seasonal flow, and as such, their menu is constantly evolving with the times, but one thing remains consistent. They put together a mean charcuterie board. Their in-house cold meats come in a creative range of preparations and sources with choice cuts of wild boar or chicken liver mousse that leave every grill master reconsidering smoked meat supremacy.
2406 Manor Rd. | daidue.com
Nixta Taqueria
BIB GOURMAND
Must Try: Duck Carnitas Tacos
Every taco at Nixta Taqueria is a good choice, but the Duck Carnitas are the correct choice. The duck’s rich profile evokes something similar to barbacoa but spares the heaviness of the fatty meat, quickly affirming its place in the pantheon of top tacos in Austin, possibly even Texas. It’s a delectable requirement for every visit, no matter how many trips to Nixta a person can take.
2512 E 12th St. | nixtataqueria.com
La Santa Barbacha
BIB GOURMAND
Must Try: Chilaquiles
A bastion for barbacoa, La Santa Barbacha is a trailer that continues to raise the bar of what can come from a food truck, and its Chilaquiles are the crowning achievement. Fried corn strips form a base to hold up the deliciously messy topping of barbacoa, sour cream, pinto beans, guacamole, and fried egg for a life-affirming breakfast bite well into the afternoon.
2806 Manor Rd. | la-santa-barbacha.square.site
Mum Foods
RECOMMENDATION
Must Try: Pastrami
The deli cousin to brisket, pastrami is not as abundant across Austin, but Mum’s is one of the few outposts producing it and knocking it out of the park. Mum Foods brings the best of Texas and New York fused into each savory bite of their pastrami sandwich. Spare the sauerkraut, this pastrami alone commands taste buds to bow to its superiority and demands a seat at Austin’s legendary barbecue table.
5811 Manor Rd. | mumfoodsatx.com
