Local legend and BBQ star Ray Lampe, a.k.a Dr. BBQ, is back in the restaurant world in a big way. The Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach (100 Coronado Drive) today announced the upcoming opening of Squiki Tiki, a tiki-inspired BBQ restaurant from the famous pitmaster himself.
As an author, TV personality, and local hospitality veteran, Lampe is best known for his smoked meats. However, his love for all things tiki (down to his wardrobe and self-portrait tiki cocktail mugs) has been a recurring theme in everything he does. This new venture with the beachfront resort combines the two perfectly. No official opening date has been set, with the announcement saying guests can expect to visit beginning in December.
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The restaurant will serve up all the BBQ classics for which Lampe has been celebrated, including pulled pork sandwiches and St. Louis-style ribs, as well as new creations such as a burnt ends bao and smoked shrimp summer rolls. That smoky-sweet barbecue will be perfectly complemented by a range of tiki cocktails – a staple of Dr. BBQ’s namesake former restaurant in St. Pete.
The Wyndham Grand says the space will be transformed into a tiki oasis for guests that “will transport them to paradise with bamboo accents, thatched roofing, plush lounge seating and the warm glow of string lighting.” It’ll be a slice of ohana right here on the Gulf.
“Squiki Tiki combines my passion for barbecue with Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach’s welcoming hospitality and commitment to the local community,” Lampe said in a release. “Our hope is that guests and locals alike can relax, unwind and escape to an island oasis at Squiki Tiki – whether stopping in for a meal and refreshing cocktails or making it part of their week-long getaway at the resort.”
The combination of barbecue and tiki cocktail culture may not be as common a sight locally as other pairings, but it’s one that works particularly well. The fruit juices and pronounced bitters of tiki drinks are an ideal match for the smoky and sweet flavors of smoked meats and barbecue sauce. Spiced or aged rums with pineapple-glazed pulled pork or saucy ribs are the kind of pairings some people (*glances at camera Jim Halpert-style*) dream about.
Once it debuts, Squiki Tiki will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. If you’d like an early taste, you can try out the new concept at the Savor St. Pete food festival in November.
