The Brisket Shoppe: Meat Me Here
Cooking low and slow in the Brisket Shoppe smoke shack
Restaurateur and pitmaster Danny Hernandez, a lifelong Tampa Bay resident with 37 years in the biz and behind the apron, has transformed his former Holy Hog BBQ on Armenia Avenue into The Brisket Shoppe and Grill & Provisions—a haven for smoked meat lovers. Word on the street: it's a BBQ masterwork. To find out if the buzz holds up, Tampa’s own food historian and fellow foodie, Andy Huse, and I stopped by on a packed Friday lunch.
The space is deceptively large, with multiple indoor and outdoor dining areas, a smoke shed out back, and a display area for grills and outdoor cookware. The vibe is classic BBQ joint casual, with country tunes playing in the background and kitschy barbeque décor everywhere.
Rear outdoor dining area with a flatscreen TV.
The Brisket Shoppe also features a bar area for beer and wine.
Ordering, however, is a snag. Customers are funneled through two front-of-house kiosks, which are frustratingly complex, especially with a line several people deep behind me. You’re required to input your email, phone number, and name just to place an order. In an age of privacy concerns and spam overload, it feels excessive, and the process is way too slow for the long lines. Feed me before you ask me to marry you. Could you please take my order and give me a number?
Customers line up in front of the frustratingly slow ordering kiosk.
Thanks, but you’re not my type.
The menu is refreshingly straightforward, built around premium beef, pork, turkey, and sausage, offered as platters, sandwiches, burgers—even an empanada. Platters come with your choice of eight house-designed sides.
This is craft barbecue, and it starts with meat. The brisket platter’s Akaushi Wagyu beef—known as the “Emperor’s Breed”—is richly marbled, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and buttery in flavor. It’s a half-pound of juicy, peppery sliced beef with a spicy rub and a flawless smokehouse cook. If you’re going to name your place The Brisket Shoppe, you better bring it. This dish shows why the lines form out the door.
It’s served with their award-winning mac and cheese (winner of the Mayor’s Mac and Cheese Throwdown), smoky cowboy BBQ beans, tangy pickled red onions, crisp house pickles, and a standout brisket bon bon—a pastry stuffed with brisket.
Akaushi Wagyu Beef Brisket, Cowboy BBQ Beans, Mac and Cheese, and a brisket bon bon.
Compart Duroc guava-glazed pork belly burnt ends, loaded potato salad, with pickled vegetables.
Also on deck: the Compart Duroc guava-glazed pork belly burnt ends (Fridays and Saturdays only). These two-inch cubes of Duroc pork—a prized domestic breed—are deeply smoky, caramelized on the outside with a sticky-sweet bark from the guava glaze, and meltingly tender inside. The espresso rub adds a rich, roasty, salty depth. While the menu claims every plate comes with a brisket bon bon, this one didn’t.
A side of loaded potato salad features big chunks of tender potato in a creamy base, topped with a dusting of paprika—simple and satisfying.
Many BBQ joints lean heavily on sauces to boost their flavor game. The Brisket Shoppe takes a different route. You’ll find four sauces—classic BBQ, habanero, mango habanero, and ketchup—but they’re supporting actors, not the main event. The meat stands on its own. Try it unsauced. The sauces are peppy and delicious if you need a kick.
Brisket Shoppe barbeque sauces.
The smoke shack outback where the magic happens
Beer and wine are available. Domestic brews include Busch Light, Yuengling, Michelob Ultra, Coors Banquet, and PBR. On the craft and import side: Shiner, Jai Alai, Jai Low, Free Dive, Postcard Pilsner, Corona, Modelo, and Stella Artois. Wines by the glass are basic but serviceable—Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, and a red blend.
In the back, there's a retail section with grills and custom outdoor kitchen setups, from stand-alone smokers to pit-mounted rigs—great for home BBQ upgrades.
Ceramic grills are ready to take home
Custom outdoor kitchen smokers and grills are available at Grill and Provisions Co.
They offer catering, dine-in, to-go, and curbside pickup. According to staff, the line can stretch across the front of the store on busy days.
Pro tip: Order online to muscle past the lines and the kiosk ordeal, but have a seat and stick around for the friendly hospitality once your food’s ready. Parking can be tricky, so scout for legal spots on side streets if the lots are full. Note: a 3% service charge applies to card payments. Prices are moderate, service is hometown-friendly, and the vibe is easygoing.
The Brisket Shoppe has a small wine store if you need some to go (or a better vintage to drink there)
The shop is located at 3501 N Armenia Ave
Hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 11 am – 4 pm or until sold out. Get there early, they do sell out! Address: 3501 N Armenia Ave Tampa, FL 33607 Phone(813) 879-4647 https://www.thebrisketshoppe.com/brisket-shoppe/
Welcome to the smoke show. This is barbecue, elevated. If you’re looking for a classic smokehouse experience, The Brisket Shoppe is a must-try.