John Bates's North Austin smokehouse has rapidly become one of the city's most decorated barbecue joints — Texas Monthly ranked it among the state's very best, and the lines have followed. Beyond the exceptional brisket, the draw is the creative sides and specials (the peach-glazed pork belly, the scalloped potatoes) that push past traditional BBQ orthodoxy. For diners who want a barbecue destination that innovates rather than just preserves.