Austin barbecue aficionados are having a moment in the national spotlight, with Mum Foods Smokehouse and Delicatessen securing a spot on USA Today's very first 'Restaurants of the Year' list for 2024. As reported by CultureMap Austin, this distinction not only singles out Mum Foods as a top eatery in the vibrant Texan capital but also marks the joint as Texas champion to cut a list peppered with 47 establishments nationwide.
It's been a decade-long journey for Mum Foods, which earned its initial stripes serving up smoky flavors at local farmer's markets. According to a report by KXAN, these humble beginnings paved the way to their current outpost on Manor Road, where the kitchen turns out brisket, ribs, and sausages that command queues and often sell the place out before the afternoon lull hits.
The spot, lauded for putting a unique twist on Austin's culinary scene with its famous pastrami has built a steady crescendo of heat ever since that first farmer's market taste-test. Now housed in a permanent location, they've earned widespread recognition, even scoring a nomination in this year's James Beard Awards, CultureMap Austin details.
USA Today's selection process for its inaugural lineup brought a fresh spin to the typical editorial picks. Eschewing the internal echo chamber, the publication opted to spotlight locales using the edifying words of local food critics engrained in their respective community's food scene. For instance, reviewing the restaurant, Matthew Odam of the Austin American-Statesman highlighted, "The pastrami is popular, but the coriander-buzzed corned beef is my favorite," CultureMap Austin aired Odam's flattering review.
A nod to the restaurant's barbecue prowess comes via its pitmaster, Travis Crawfords, who describes their fare as "traditional North-Central Texas barbecue," a turn of phrase captured alongside shots of meat-slicing craftsmanship in a wordless promotional video. Mum Foods stands out further on the list as the singular Western barbecue rep, sharing the broad barbecue category with Louisville's Korean-styled Nami, according to CultureMap Austin's report.
The list spans a gamut that includes both decorated winners and those cozy local joints you'd gladly introduce to visiting relatives. "Honorees, including Austin's Mum Foods, were hand-selected by a cohort of local dining reporters across the network – on a national level and reporters who are embedded in their local communities," a USA TODAY spokesperson specified, as KXAN reports.
For those keen on exploring what other culinary treasures made USA Today's 2024 roundup, or for a browse through Austin's own top-tier dining as selected by local chefs, both lists are fully accessible online, inviting foodies and epicureans alike to table-hop across the nation without ever leaving their screens.
