by Helen Bradshaw | April 14, 2025
How Central Florida Became the Barbecue Capital of the State
Iconic restaurants and tried-and-true recipes keep barbecue lovers coming back
When Ellie and Gladys Peebles started their barbecue restaurant in 1947, it was a side hustle. Now, it’s a mainstay and one of the reasons Polk County is called “the barbecue capital of Florida.”
“Our restaurant was opened by our grandparents on the weekends,” says Jessica Knowles, who runs Peebles Bar-B-Q. “(My grandpa) was a bus driver during the week, and on the weekends, he cooked ribs for his friends and family.”
Now, those ribs, along with chopped pork and sliced beef, have become icons of Auburndale, a small town about 11 miles outside of Lakeland. Peebles is just one of many local barbecue joints filling the air with the enticing scents of slow-cooked meat and savory sauces and dotting the Central Florida highways of Polk County.
The area’s history is rich with more than just barbecue sauce, though. Founded in 1861, Polk County and its sublime landscape of rolling hills and freshwater lakes is home to 17 different communities, including Lakeland and Winter Haven. But smaller towns, like Peebles’ own Auburndale, offer unique escapes in the bucolic countryside. It’s Florida’s sweetest spot, perfectly positioned an hour from both the Gulf and Atlantic, half an hour from some of the state’s largest tourist attractions and surrounded by lush wilderness perfect for a hike or adventure. The smell of BBQ floating on a breeze is just the cherry on top.
BBQ Runs Deep in Central Florida
In the nearly 80 years since Peebles first served up a platter of mouth-watering ribs, dozens of barbecue spots have popped up, with a range of dishes from classic Southern-style to new revolutionary twists.
The Brack Shack, just a short drive from Peebles, does a bit of both. The restaurant serves up all the classics like their meat basket, but its claim to fame is a handheld treat and an homage to its home county: The “Pulled Polk Egg Roll,” which has established itself as an Auburndale delicacy. And if you’re looking for a variety of flavors, try the brisket mac egg roll. This roll merges the Brack Shack’s renowned smoked brisket with rich mac and cheese, a combination that borders on divine.
To the southeast, Carter’s Bar-B-Que and Soul Food has brought a taste of the Carolinas to the town of Mulberry. From the sauce to the service, it’s a family operation through and through. “Carter’s Bar-B-Que was founded in 1999 with a trailer that we pulled around place to place, cooking barbecue, me and my son,” says Johnny Carter Jr., president and CEO of Carter’s Bar-B-Que.
“We use a recipe of barbecue sauce from my grandmother out of the Carolinas. It’s a mustard-based, gold, sweet barbecue sauce. My sister, she bakes all the pies and cakes and all the sweet stuff. My wife does all the beverages and salads. I cook all of the soul food, and (another relative) does all the pit work,” he says.
But despite the impressive concentration of incredible barbecue spots in the region, the competition is all friendly. Pitmasters frequently drop by each other’s establishments, looking for barbecue with a different secret sauce than their own. Even during the region’s bustling barbecue festival season, where pitmasters vie for the coveted Triple Crown title across three different events, the competition heats up, but the community stays strong. “We eat at a lot of them,” Knowles says. “We’re friends with a lot of the people that have (barbecue restaurants). (The owner of Brack Shack) eats here, and we eat at his place.”
Follow the Trail of ‘Que
Still, with such a proliferation of pitmastering prowess in Central Florida, it can be hard to know where to begin. Enter the Fire & Flavor BBQ Trail Pass, the ultimate guide to the region’s impressive barbecue scene.
After signing up for the pass on Visit Central Florida’s website, participants can pick from five fan-favorite restaurants around the region: Polk City BBQ Company, The Brack Shack, Low and Slow Smokehouse, Jimbos Pit Bar BQ and Cooter’s Smokehouse. Upon visiting each location, barbecue lovers can check in on the pass and earn perks like a free dessert at Cooter’s or 10 percent off at Jimbos.
Checking in at each restaurant offers a reward of 100 points, which, when earned over time, can unlock exclusive “BBQ Capital of Florida” merchandise. Support your newfound favorite smokehouses by sporting a “BBQ Capital” t-shirt featuring a quintessential Florida sunset illuminating a silhouetted cow and palm trees swaying in the wind, or slap the same design in sticker form on your water bottle to show Central Florida barbecue some love wherever you go.
Whether you’re visiting the area for a relaxing getaway, adventuring in the myriad of nature reserves or just swinging through, Central Florida has an unparalleled barbecue scene that shouldn’t be missed. Check out favorites highlighted on the BBQ Trail, or just let your nose guide you to the nearest barbecue smoker–in Central Florida, you’re never far from finding your new favorite flavors.
