With the encouragement of friends, Aaron Franklin and his wife Stacy debuted Franklin BBQ in late 2009 on an East Austin parking lot. From the walk-up window of a travel trailer turned brisket stand, patrons quickly noticed the Franklins were selling the best barbecue around. By spring, the line of admirers snaked around the block, and the press followed. In less than two years, the duo could count contributors from The Washington Post, Texas Monthly, and Cooking Channel among a growing chorus hailing Franklin among America’s BBQ elite—mentioned in the breath as Smitty’s, Kreuz’s, and other stalwart temples to the holy craft of smoked meat that line the Central Texas brisket belt. In the summer of 2010, Bon Appetit hailed Franklin BBQ as the best in America. Added on June 14, 2014 and last updated 10 years ago   A NOTE ABOUT THE HALAL STATUS OF FRANKLIN BBQ   This restaurant is listed as sourcing some/all of its meat from a known supplier of Halal meat. This means that the management or employees of this restaurant may not be aware of their own halal status if asked. However, they may be able to confirm their meat supplier is Creekstone Farms, in which case you can proceed if you feel comfortable eating there. Feel free to click on the name of the supplier and/or certifier listed in the Halal summary to learn more about their Halal procedures. Even if you do decide to eat here, we recommend you politely ask that they clean their grill and ensure no contact with non-Halal meat or alcohol.