On Thursday I began my investigation of Austin barbecue joints. In preparation I skimmed part of a reddit post that listed some good ones and then started with InterStellar because it was the closest.

InterStellar opens at 11:00 and people start lining up an hour earlier. It’s like waiting for Space Mountain, but there’s no FastPass. And it’s not a ride. But it’s similar in that you’re just standing there.

I had turkey and brisket, both of which were excellent, and the peach cobbler rice pudding was an unexpectedly good juxtaposition. I got a Big Red because it’s a Texas thing, but it was kind of like drinking bubblegum, so I didn’t finish it.

On Friday I went to KG BBQ, which is run by an Egyptian dude who left a finance career in Cairo to move to Austin and learn the Ways of the Barbecue Pit Masters.

He learned very well indeed. I had Sumac & Cinnamon Lamb Shoulder, Egyptian Baladi Salad, and Egyptian Iced Ahwa. Ahwa is cold brew with cinnamon and vanilla infused whole milk.

On Saturday I tried Terry Black’s, not to be confused with Black’s, which is one of the best known Austin barbecue spots, and is thus more touristy than the others. I had brisket, sausage, Mexican rice, and peach cobbler.

Sunday I opted for KG again. This time I had the brisket, mediterranean rice, cardamom pistachio rice pudding, and ahwa.

At KG I ate outside, which meant that I had to keep an eye out for grackles. They kept their distance, but I could tell they were just waiting for an opportunity.

All three places were comparable, but I think the best brisket was at InterStellar, followed by KG, then Terry Black’s. However, KG has much better sides than the other two, so I’m giving KG the coveted I’ve-Been-To-Three-Barbecue-Spots top ranking.

Fun fact! Austin is almost the same latitude as Cairo.