The Frisco Shop

OK, so technically I’m fudging a bit. The Frisco Shop is only 48 years old, but the business and the burger that it’s named after go back two more decades. And that adds up to well over a half-century on the grill. Besides, when it comes to Austin’s social history, few places have contributed more to 20th century change. The Frisco was part of the Night Hawk chain founded by Harry Akin, who served as mayor of Austin in the late 1960s. But it was earlier in the decade when Akin, through his restaurants, was the first to integrate public dining facilities in Austin. The home of the “Frisco Burger,” the signature dish of the Night Hawk chain, thus helped move the Capital City forward. Today, all that’s left of the chain is the Frisco Shop, one of the first restaurants in North Austin, which was sold in 1994 to R. Harry Akin, the nephew of the founder, and Lawrence Baker. The place may have changed hands, but the original burger is there in all its glory. The famous “Frisco” is served with lettuce, cheese, pickle relish and Russian-style dressing on a toasted bun enclosed neatly in its own paper envelope. With the platter ($6.25), you can add sides of marinated cole slaw and crisp French fries. And while you savor the Frisco, you can think about the way an individual affected history, the way a burger was the vehicle for progress.