Capt. Tommy Thompson's Saltwater Angler's Guides

How’s that for a ‘switcheroo’, pardner?  When I was invited to eat at Texas Tony’s BBQ Shack in Naples I was skeptical, to say the least.  In my humble opinion, Florida has NO BBQ tradition and the chance of finding anything in touristy Naples was a long shot.  I expected what most Florida folks call BBQ–essentially a ‘sloppy joe’ and some bad sides.

'Texas Tony' Phelan, with an 18-hour brisket, fresh off the smoker.

The tide turned when I met  Tony Phelan.  He’s a real Texan with a real love of BBQ.  His restaurant skills are evident in that he owns the Pinchers Crab Shack chain in SW Florida, one of the great places to eat fresh seafood, especially stone crabs.  What cinched the deal with Tony was when he told me he smoked his butts, briskets and tenderloins with CITRUS WOOD, not mesquite or hickory.  That’s a real FLORIDA TWIST on BBQ.

The food was excellent.  The meat had a nice ‘smoke ring’ and the tenderloin was served medium-rare.  No ‘boiled-in-sauce’ meat served here. The flavor of the meat was excellent, and I recommend you skip any sauce–it’s just not necessary!

There’s nothing fancy about Tony’s.  You order at the counter, get your own drinks,  and help yourself to home-cooked  pinto beans,  collards and sweet tea.

Don’t miss this place on your next fishing trip to Naples.  It’s located at 4519 Tamiami Trail East, four miles south of downtown Naples, just north of Rattlesnake Hammock Road.