Florida is known for beaches and theme parks, but the state also hides some serious barbecue history. All across the Sunshine State, family-run smokehouses have been cooking meat over wood fires for decades, passing recipes down from one generation to the next.
These are the kind of places where the smoker never really cools off and the sauce recipe is a family secret. Here are seven Florida barbecue joints that have stuck around for generations, and why each one earns a spot on the list.
1. Sonny’s BBQ, Gainesville, Florida
Back in 1968, Floyd “Sonny” Tillman opened a single barbecue spot in Gainesville, and that little joint grew into one of the most recognizable barbecue names in the South.
The original idea was simple. Slow-smoke meat over oak and serve it at a fair price…