Interstellar BBQ
Barbecue restaurant · Austin ·
BBQ beef, pork, & sausages, creative sides, & peach tea pork belly
BBQ beef, pork, & sausages, creative sides, & peach tea pork belly
"A barbecue restaurant that maintained its one Michelin star for 2025." - H. Drew Blackburn
"You could show up to Interstellar for nothing but brisket and ribs and leave perfectly content—maybe even a little giddy by how well executed they are. But you’d be depriving yourself of sweet and sticky pork belly burnt ends glazed in peach tea, rich and gamey pulled lamb shoulder, and a chalkboard of daily specials that make Interstellar worthy of the 1-2 hour line. This is a barbecue joint that decided getting an A in the classics wasn’t enough and made up its own extra-credit assignments. Frito pies arrive in sausage form—stuffed with beef, cheese, beans, and toasted corn chips—and even sides like poblano creamed corn and smoked scalloped potatoes turn humble comfort foods into sides worthy of a top-tier barbecue joint. At Interstellar, brisket and ribs are just the beginning." - nicolai mccrary, kevin gray, nick rallo
"As one of Austin’s barbecue restaurants tapped by Michelin in 2024, it was among the four Texas spots to receive stars—the first time the Guide has awarded stars to barbecue in North or South America." - H. Drew Blackburn
"The line forms long before the doors open for pitmaster John Bates’s barbecue, done low and slow over post oak, and the payoff is undeniable. Brisket with a simple salt, pepper, and garlic rub is outstanding, peach tea-glazed pork belly is meltingly tender, the beer-brined tipsy turkey is moist and delicious, and three sausages, including kielbasa, round out the meats; sides entice too, from Frito pie to smoked scalloped potatoes with a golden-brown crust and poblano creamed corn that are standouts." - Michael He
"One of Austin’s most celebrated smoke joints can be found on the very northern edge of the city right near the Cedar Park border. Interstellar is a major destination for barbecue enthusiasts nationwide, a fact easily proven by the restaurant’s painfully long lines during weekend service. Bring a beer cooler and some lawn chairs, and get ready to hang out in the parking lot for a while. But once you make your way up to the counter, you’ll be able to enjoy juicy and tender brisket, sweet and savory peach-tea-glazed pork belly, and the moistest smoked turkey breast you’ve ever tried." - taylor tobin, nicolai mccrary