We’ve been searching for meal deals to help families save cash this year. With only eight days until Thanksgiving, the turkey countdown is on. Whether you’re planning to feed a small family or a big crowd, there are plenty of ways to save on essential ingredients for the moveable feast with deals from a variety of retailers.
Retailers andgrocery stores with Thanksgiving dinner deals
From grocery stores like Aldi, Walmart, and Target to big-box warehouses like Sam’s Club and Costco, there are plenty of options for cooking a complete holiday dinner this year without breaking the bank.
Walmart recently added its “inflation-free” Thanksgiving meal, which serves eight people for less than $7 per plate. The meal comes with 29 customer-favorite holiday items, including turkey —which costs just $0.88 per pound of trimmings, and dessert.
The Minnesota-based retailer recently announced the return of its famous Thanksgiving dinner — for $5 less than last year.
The $20 dinner feeds four people and includes all the traditional Thanksgiving favorites: a Good & Gather Turkey up to 10 pounds, Del Monte Cut Green Beans, Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce, Heinz Home Style Roasted Turkey Gravy, Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Turkey, and Russet potatoes.
Turkeys start at 79 cents per pound, 20% less per pound than last year. Side dishes such as Good & Gather Cheddar Mac and Cranberry Goat Cheese and desserts, including Favorite Day apple and pumpkin pies, are all under $5.
Target’s Chief Commercial Officer Rick Gomez said in a statement that the company was “serving up the kind of exceptional quality and value that sets Target apart” by “lowering the price of our Thanksgiving dinner menu to just $20 ” and adding more Target Circle 360 offerings.
I love desserts, sweet treats, candies, cakes, cupcakes, and anything sweet. We’ve been traveling the USA coast-to-coast for years and compiled a list of some of the most creative, fresh, decadent, savory, and sweet treats everyone can enjoy.
If you are a true sweets lover, you’ll love this list. The great thing about this list is that you can visit one of the sweet treat locations in person to enjoy the sweet deliciousness or have them shipped. That’s right! Most can be shipped directly to your home, office, or anywhere with an address. It’s easy, and you can enjoy what we’ve been enjoying for years.
What is a sweet treat? A sweet treat is a unique and enjoyable food, such as candy, cookies, pies, pastries, desserts, donuts, chocolate bars, chocolate creations, and so much more. So many sweet treats are available that it’s truly an endless adventure. Sweet treats are good for your soul and can make you happy, pleasurable, and euphoric with every bite you take.
I’ve been addicted to discovering the best for years. In my travels, I found some fantastic dessert locations, candy shops, cookie makers, confectionery creators, and many others. I wanted to share them with you so we can all enjoy some savory, sweet deliciousness for the holidays.
Buckle up! It’s time to ride the sweet train to Deliciousville:
Uncle Julio’s Pinata
Uncle Julio’s Mexican Restaurants – 10 states 40 Locations
They are a from-scratch kitchen specializing in authentic inspirations from Mexico with a Texas twist and UNIQUE sweet and savory treats. The Chocolate Pinata is truly a unique sweet treat loved and shared by everyone.
Trey’s Fav: Chocolate Pinata SHAREABLE. DELICIOUS. A one-of-a-kind unique smashable dessert is a hanging piñata of dark chocolate filled with homemade churros and fresh fruit. It can be shared, smashed, and dipped into our decadent sauces.
Family owned it is a bakery and dessert brand founded by Jeff and Marissa Allen, a husband and wife duo with a passion for creating unique and delectable treats.They make big, buttery gourmet cookies baked in the homestyle way, served straight from the oven, and shipped fresh. They’ve been featured on Oprah Winfrey esteemed “Favorite Things,” Dallas Morning News, Huffington Post, Bake Magazine, Rachael Ray Magazine, D Magazine and Trey’s Chow Down. They’ve also shone bright on acclaimed shows like Good Morning America, NBA Finals Champion Black Business, and Saturday Morning.
Walk-in’s, take-out, TOGO, special orders, catering.
Mr. AppleNew Orleans, Louisiana – Ships Nationally
Locally and family-owned offering hand-crafted gourmet candy apples, praline treats, and candies prepared in small batches. Their apples are some of the most DECADENT and UNIQUE SWEET TREATS we’ve discovered in our travels.
Willa Jean Southern Bakery and Restaurant – New Orleans, Louisiana
Chef Brian Mottola brings Willa Jean to life with fablous and unique sweet treats. Its a cherished bakery in New Orleans’ heart, known for its comforting southern fare. A favored spot for locals and visitors alike. They been featured on many national TV programs and became famous with their cookies and milk creation.
Restaurant seating, walk-ins and counter pick-ups, and TOGO orders.
Trey’s FAVS: The warm cookies and milk served with the cookie dough on the BEATER.
Aunt Sally’s Creole Pralines and Shops– New Orleans, Louisiana
Made with their original family recipe and local ingredients, some of the most delicious pralines. Family-owned since 1935, you can taste the original family recipe that is unmistakably Aunt Sally’s Pralines with every bite. Offering serval different verisons of tasty pralines.
Walk-ins, take-out, and custom order pick-ups areavailable.
Ships Pralines Nationally: Classic and Creamy Pralines
Gerik’s Ole Czech Bakery was founded in the 1970s as Nors Bakery and has remained a fixture on Oak Street since then, even as it has changed owners and downsized slightly. It offers JUMBO cinnamon rolls, cookies, cakes, and more.
Walk-ins, take-out, and custom order pick-ups are available.
Freshly Baked Daily and House-made
Trey’s FAVS: Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls
Drop the PIN: 511 W Oak St, West, TX 76691
Website: https: NO WEBSITE JUST GREAT SWEETS
Crumble Cookies – 980 USA Locations
Created in 2017 when co-founders Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley teamed up on a quest to bake the perfect chocolate chip cookie, they dreamt of bringing people together over a box of the best cookies in the world.
Walk-ins, take-out, and custom order pick-ups areavailable.
Freshly Baked & Delivered Unique & Creative COOKIES
Trey’s Chow Down on FOX Network (The Ten) with Steve and Hannah for Unique Sweet Treats
Barton G Restaurants – Miami Beach, and Orlando, FL and Los Angeles, CA
A Restaurant and bar offering famous over the top unique sweet treats that are truly unforgettable. They offer seating and reservations are suggested for all locations.
Trey’s FAVS: Over the Top MASSIVE desserts displayed like artwork.
Trey’s FAVS: Dollar Dollar Bill Y’all – GOLD BRICK JEWEL
Trey’s FAVS: Marie Antoinette – Cotton Candy Statute
What’s Poppin Texas started in 2015 with a couple of creative ladies taking their passion for popcorn to the next level. A dream of building a family-oriented business that gives back to the community inspired them to leave their retail jobs and start a new path—filled with hand-crafted gourmet popcorn, fudge, candy, freeze-dried candies, specialty sodas, and more.
Walk-ins, take-out, special orders, custom creations and more.
Trey’s Fav: ALL OF IT! EVERYTHING! ANYTHING in store!
Chef-driven extraordinary treats are handmade in our Austin, Texas, kitchen using nothing but the finest quality ingredients. So, if you love chocolate, you’ve come to the right place. Truly unforgettable!
Walk-ins, take-out, custom orders, pick-up, and shipping are available.
Trey’s FAVS: Hand-Crafted sweet treats, statutes, artwork, confections, dessert bars, bonbons and more
A chef-driven custom cake shop by celebirty chef Kristal Bryantspecializing in crazy sweet treats, shakes, cupcakes, pastries, and cookies. The original creator of the KOLLOSAL MILKSHAKES. She’s been featured on Food Network, Travel Chanel, Southern Living, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Trey’s Chow Down and many others. K and J is a place where chef kristal is a true originator of UNIQIE sweet treats. A must visit for your sweet tooth.
Walk-ins, Dine-in, take-out counters, and custom orders are accepted.
Trey’s FAVS: Hand-crafted Crazy Shakes, Cookies and Cup Cakes.
First original hand-crafted candy pickle company. Over 250 flavors of delicious candy pickles that will blow your mind. Ceator and confectionioner Heather Perkins is a true and UNIQUE SWEET creator that believes in making people happy with evry bite they take of her candied pickles. A must visit to enjoy!
Walk-in’s, TOGO, Pick-up, and Shipping Nation-wide
The Peach Cobbler Factory is home to the world’s most unique offering of desserts under one roof! You can enjoy warm, delicious cobblers with ice cream, banana puddings, savory, sweet cinnamon rolls, Pudd-N Shakes, Bigger & Better Cookies, Bigger & Better Brownies, Churro Stix w/Dipping Sauces, Belgian Waffles, and more! Wash it down with our Made-in-House Sweet Peachy Tea or Cold Rush Cold Brew Coffee.
Walk-in’s welcome, take-out, dine-in, custom orders pick-up available
POMPADOUR of Beverly Hills – Beverly Hills, California
Located in the most opulent city in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, this is the place to be if you want to schmooze with Hollywood icons and shop with local elites. They offer customized cakes, unique and decadent pastries, macarons, pistachio delight, pistachio eclairs, and so much more. You must visit them for savory, sweet deliciousness.
Walk-ins, seating, and take-out are available.
Trey’s FAVS: Pastry Treats, Custom Cakes, Macarons, Viennoiserie, MONO Tarts, and more.
I discovered these unique cookies two years ago and fell in love with them. Each bite-size Cookie Rich consists of two soft, curvy cookies sealed with a delectable filling. With 12 flavors on the menu, there is a favorite for everyone. Chef Lorin Peters wanted to level up the classic cookie by making a luxe bite-size cookie with packaging that is a gift all on its own. Using her fine dining background, she made her cookies look just as good as they tasted and now has a design patent on her famous cookies!
Walk-ins, Dine-in, Patio seating, Shipped Nationwide, Special Orders
Sugar Factory Restaurants & Candy Shops– USA Locations
With locations in some of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities, including Las Vegas, New York City, Bahrain, Chicago, Miami, Dubai, Orlando and Manila, Sugar Factory is known the world over for its celebrity-endorsed Couture Pops, which have turned sweets into the latest designer accessory. Over the top smokey goblets, sundaes, brunch dishes, and burgers. They’ve received widespread media attention from People Magazine, the Daily Mail, US Weekly, Entertainment Tonight, Extra, Trey’s Chow Down, and more.
Restaurants, walk-ins, and take-out are available.
Trey’s FAVS: The Smokey Giblets, Monster Sundaes, and Monster Burgers.
Real Fruit, Unreal Flavor. Frozen grapes, mango, and pineapple splashed with lemon juice and coated in a sour candy-coating. Only 45 calories per serving.
Walk-in’s to over 3000 locations, and Shipping Nation-wide
Located in the historic Cigar Factory, Mercantile is an emporium of gourmet chef-driven culinary experiences. Offerings include a grab-and-go menu, coffee bar, butcher shop, pastry destination, chef’s counter, wine shop, and an elevated grocery program featuring products from local and regional vendors and purveyors.
Walk-in’s, Dine-in, take-out, TOGO and special orders accepted
Husband-and-wife team Logan and Chelsea Green created the Yard Milkshake Bar. Both came from entrepreneurial families and spent their early years working for their parents: Logan as an electrician and Chelsea at her parents’ convenience store. You can choose between PRE-DESIGNED SHAKES ORcBUILD YOUR OWN OPTIONS. They offer 24 and up to 34 flavors, 60 topping options, 8 edible cookie doughs, vegan cookie doughs, lactose- and gluten-free options, and ice cream cakes.
Walk-ins, take-out, seating, custom orders, parties and more.
Maimi’s famous award-winning UNIQUE cupcakes, cakes, and cake jars. Their founder and head chef, Letty Alvarez, has crafted a brand that goes beyond the frosting, rooted in a journey that began with hard work, determination, and a daring dream. From the heart of South Miami’s Sunset Place, Letty’s family-run bakery emerged, becoming a haven for those craving a taste of something extraordinary. LA Sweetz Cupcakes quickly rose to prominence, earning the spotlight on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, TLC’s Cake Boss & The Next Great Baker, Sugar Showdown, Unique Sweets, and other culinary competitions worldwide. Featured on food network, cupcake wars, Martha Stewart weddings, People, Cooking Channel and more.
Walk-in’s, Dine-in seating, TOGO, take-out, and Shipping Nation-wide
Trey’s Fav: Flavorful Mini Cupcakes, and Cake jars
After over 20 years of making sweets in celebrated kitchens worldwide, Chef Adam Thomas launched his brand, Thomas Craft Confections, in Brenham, TX. The rest is history, and now they are world famous for their sweet and savory confections.
Walk-in’s, Take-out, TOGO, and Shipping Nation-wide
Spot Dessert Bar – 4 Locations New York & Cherry Hill, NJ
Spot brings together decades of restaurant and cooking experience to create a dessert concept that emphasizes tradition and innovation. Think colorful, unique, and flavorful Western-style desserts influenced by Eastern flavors.
Walk-in’s, Take-out, and Dine- in Seating
Trey’s Favorite is the Harvest Dessert, served with raspberry sorbet on a bed of Oreo crumbs, homemade raspberry foam, and fresh Earl Grey milk tea.
A small family-run candy shop with a large selection of fresh candies, custom mixes, box candy, and more.
In April 2022, they purchased a renovated pop-up trailer and attended any event they were invited to in Chickasha, Oklahoma, and the surrounding areas. They had no idea how well received their little candy shop would be. They have a NEW storefront candy shop in downtown Chickasha, Ok.
Trey’s Fav: Fresh candies, gift boxes, and Snackle Boxes
Their hardworking kitchen team strives each day to create exceptional French macarons, Texas-size macarons ice cream, and ice cream sandwiches using high-quality, real ingredients. All JOY Macarons products are gluten-free.
Walkin-in’s, Take-out, some have limited seating, Shipping Nation-wide
Former Miami firefighter and Division-I football player Derek Kaplan, pie-lover and dessert extraordinaire, everything is baked from their award-winning shops from scratch. Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop focuses on bringing big flavors and smiles to our customers.
Walk-in’s, TOGO, Take-out, and Dine-in seating.
Trey’s Fav: Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Pie, Red Velvet Cheesecake Shake, Cheery Cheesecake Shake
Since 2004, Lady Fortunes has been manufacturing UNIQUE gourmet cookie and confection gifts and shipping nation-wide. They have been featured in publications like Entrepreneur Magazine, Macworld, Glamour, InStyle, ellen degeneres show, CNBC, food network, ABC, NBC, and many others.
Shipping Nation-wide
Trey’s Favs: GAINT fortune cookies and photo and logo cookies
They’re serving up tasty farm-to-kitchen dishes and cocktails out of their from-scratch-only kitchen and bar. UNIQUE Sweet treats so savory and delicious you will naughty dreams about them.
Restaurants, dine-in, TOGO, take-out, and special orders
Baking sweet memories since 1959 and family operated. Offering chef-driven, creative, and fresh custom cakes, cupcakes, pastries, cookies, macarons, cheesecakes, and king cakes. They’ve been Voted BEST of Las Vegas for over 40 YEARS. They’ve become one of the most famous bakeries with many television appearances and featured on Food Networks’ “Vegas Cakes” for their unique creations.
Walk-ins, take-out, special orders, and same-day delivery are available.
Yonutz Unique Sweet Treats. Smashed Donut, Smashed Shake, and Donuts
Yonutz Awesome and Unique Dessert Shops – USA Locations
A world where the ordinary is smashed! Hand-crafted fresh smashed donuts, smashed milkshakes, custom donuts andmore. They’re truly unique and prepared fresh to order at each location.
Walk-in’s, dine-in seating, TOGO, take-out, and catering
A cozy cosmic place creating Ice cream, candies, and composed desserts made with molecular techniques in a hip, colorful shop that are creative, unique, and delicious.
NO-WALK-IN’S MUST HAVE TICKETS
Trey’s Fav: Freeze Dried Cheetos, Candies and Grow-in-the-dark candies
Sprinkles makesreal celebrations taste better with premium, baked-fresh daily cupcakes, cakes, chocolates, cookies, and more. Since 2005, Sprinkles has innovated its way to an ever-growing, loyal fan base for its unexpected flavors, on-demand Cupcake ATMs, convenient online ordering, and steadily expanding footprint of design-forward bakeries coast to coast.
The Yard Milkshake Bar was created by the husband-and-wife team of Logan and Chelsea Green. Chelsea knew she wanted it to be like no other dessert place she had ever been to and decided that crazy specialty milkshakes is just what they were looking for.That’s when “The Yard” was born.
Walk-in’s, dine-in seating, TOGO, take-out, special orders, Nation-wide shipping
Hand-crafted fresh prepared donuts using only the highest quality ingredients. They specialize in baked-from-scratch daily JUMBO DONUTS, donuts, kolaches, croissants, cookies, andchocolate-covered strawberries, and they offer an expresso bar.
It all started with a dream for better UNIQUE treats. At Pure Milk & Honey they are passionate about using natural, tasty, and wholesome ingredients. Their soft-serve ice cream is creamy and sweetened with just the right amount of quality honey to illuminate your taste buds and satisfy your sweet tooth. That’s right, HONEY! They use fresh and local Texas milk from a certified organic dairy farm, too. To abide by their dedication to quality and natural ingredients, they do not add artificial colors or flavors to our ice cream, thus preserving the milk’s purest form. They only use raw honey and honeycombs that are 100% pure and natural. They come from a local certified bee farm that manages their prized honey with the utmost care. They love that something as sweet and delicious as pure honey can also have an assortment of positive health benefits. Their treats are so tasty that they are addicting.
Walk=in’s, Dine-in seating, TOGO, Take-out and Delivery
Trey’s Fav: Everything they make! I LOVE this place. LOVE!
P.F. Chang’s Asian Restaurants– 40 States 214 locations
America’s number one Asian bistro. They take pride in bringing life to every dish through the ancient art of wok cooking. Grounded in the rich flavors of Asian cuisine and presented with a modern twist, their purposeful ingredients elevate each of our expertly crafted recipes.
Dine-in seating, bar seating, take-out, TOGO and delivery offered in most locations.
Well… Dolly is a real llama who lives on a beautiful farm in the South of France. She brings joy to everyone she meets and had a particularly positive impact on one of our founders. If you know your llama facts, you know that llamas are social, friendly, and outgoing animals who generally love people! Dolly, the French little llama, is all that and more!
Inspired to create a unique dessert concept, the founders agreed that Dolly would be the perfect representation for their ice cream and waffle brand. Dolly brings all that fun llama spirit into creative dessert concoctions, happy customers, and great, fun vibes! They are a genuinely unique, sweet creator and a must-visit.
It was SoHo in the 80’s and 90’s. The ‘hood was one of squeegee men and subway tags. Of working artists in spattered studios. Of boomboxes, blasting Run DMC, Tribe, De La Soul. that was then and this is now. Black Tap is keeping that timeless NYC vibe alive, all over the world. And the food? Well, the food’s just off the hook. They’ve got an A-list of legendary burgers that sweep awards like Meryl Streep. Outrageous CRAZYSHAKE® that nearly breaks the internet regularly. Wings that wow with flavor. Veggie options that raise the game. And, of course, a beer list worthy of our name. It’struly a UNIQUE sweet destination with the Outrageous CRAZYSHAKE®
Dine-in, walk-in’s, bar-seating, TOGO, take-out and shake bar.
Their nostalgic peppermint bark is the BEST I’ve ever enjoyed. It is often copied but never matched in quality or flavor. The once-a-year favorite is crafted using the finest ingredients, including custom-blended chocolate and double-distilled peppermint oil, and finished with a snowfall of peppermint candy pieces. The result is an unforgettable holiday confection with a perfect harmony of flavors and textures in every bite. “It is a Williams Sonoma exclusive.”
One of my favorite spots in the USA located in New Orleans. . This is a must-visit if you love to eat in a fun, vibrant, cozy, and historical atmosphere. You will have unforgettable lasting memories until you return.
Arnaud’s Restaurant – New Orleans, LA
A New Orleans icon steeped in over 100 years of rich history and culinary deliciousness, Arnaud Cazenave, a colorful French wine salesman, opened the grand New Orleans restaurant that bears his name with a commitment to serving quality Creole cuisine. Arnaud believed, quite simply, that the pursuit of the pleasures of the table is as worthy as anything else one chooses to pursue in life. A must-visit for fresh and unique sweet treats.
Walk-in’s, and bar seating but reservations are highly recommended.
Trey’s Favs: Banana Foster and any of their sweet treats because I’ve had all of them!
Please enjoy our sweet treats. Save the article and refer back to it when you need something sweet, you want to send someone a gift, or you need something for the holidays. It doesn’t matter the listr will be good anytime to satisfy sweet tooth cravings.
Trey (Chow Down) Chapman
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Today, we’re at the world-famous LEWIS BARBECUE in Charleston, South Carolina, to research the meaty deliciousness we’ve heard so much about. This is where pitmaster and barbeque legend John Lewis has created a world of his own in the vast field of freshly prepared barbeque and eats. If you know me and my addiction to creative chefs, pitmasters, and culinary pioneers, you know why we had to make the trip.
When you make the corner and pull up toLEWIS BARBECUE, you notice the massive modern restaurant that bears his name. To be honest, it’s breathtakingly beautiful and totally unexpected. Set up with a beautiful Charleston landscape encompassing large southern trees, it’s inviting, cozy, and warm. You feel right at home or in someone’s backyard enjoying BBQ. But you’re not! You’re at the world-famous LEWIS BARBECUE fixing to slang back some of the BEST BBQ in the United States.
I live for telling back stories because anything tastes better with a little story-ness behind it. A trailblazer in the neo-traditional style of Central Texas barbecue, Pitmaster John Lewis uses his custom-made smokers to produce expertly smoked pork spareribs, beef ribs, “Texas hot guts“ sausage, and his legendary world-famous beef brisket.
Lewis Bark-O-Licious Brisket Deliciousness
John was born in Brooklyn, NY; when he was a kid, he moved to El Paso, TX. At 18, he packed up and moved to Austin to start his culinary career. Around this time, John’s parents gave him a New Braunfels smoker for his birthday, and he started dabbling in Austin’s longstanding tradition of backyard barbecue. He was soon getting creative with his smokers and meats, taking liberties with the design and construction to yield a better result. To this day, John has never purchased a premade barbecue pit or smoker, preferring to forge his own by hand. Through many years of trial and error, he’s achieved his desired results—a signature “John Lewis barbecue“ flavor and texture.
The rest, they say, is history! Moving to Charleston and opening LEWIS BARBECUE, which offers a wide variety of fresh BBQ deliciousness and more. Meats, sides, sandwiches, desserts, nachos, chips and queso, beef tallow fries, the creations seem to be endless. Anything you order and bite into will be a TRIP STRAIGHT to DELICIOUSVILLE. You won’t stop at FLAVORTOWN because DELICIOUSVILLE is one stop past FLAVORTOWN and the end of the line. It doesn’t get any better than DELICIOUSVILLE!
We enjoyed a big tray of food: Flavor-loaded Hot Guts Sausage, Appetizing Green Chili Sausage, Juicy Smoked turkey, Succulent Pulled Pork, Bark-O-Licious Smoked Brisket, Pork-O-Licious Pork Ribs, Tasty Corn Pudding, Cheesy Mac-N-Cheese, creamy tator salad, Sweet and Savory Banana Pudding that tasted like perfection.
I’m just going to say this: The entire meal simply tasted like MORE because MORE is all I wanted.John’s new name is MORE, that’s right, MORE JOHN!
If you love freshly prepared deliciousness, then LEWIS BARBEQUE has what you need. I don’t think you should BLAME ME when you become addicted and have NAUGHTY BBQ DREAMS after you leave because it’s going to happen.
Before you leave, tell Ol’ MORE JOHN that Trey said HELLO!
Barbeque lovers unite! We discovered a NEW delicious barbeque destination that every meat lover should visit. Welcome toPalmira Barbequein Charleston, South Carolina. When we heard about this now famous little BBQ joint you know we had to make the trip. We wanted to meet pitmaster Hector who is masterfully combining South Carolina, Texas, and Puerto Rico flavors to create award-winning and famous meaty deliciousness.
Palmira Beef Cheek Perfection
When I say famous and award-winning it’s a FACT! They’ve been featured in Forbes, Southern Living, The Local Palate, EATER Carolinas, Charleston Magazine,The Post and Courier, RESY, andTexas Monthly and I’m sure there’s more to come. We’ve been traveling coast-to-coast, from Los Angeles to Miami and every in-between, on the hunt for America’s BEST BBQ. We’ve visited thirty-one states on our BEST BBQ mission. It was only fitting after I read, researched, and viewed all the delicious social media posts Palmira was a must-visit for us.
If you follow our foodie and travel adventures, you know I love to tell the backstories. I’m a firm believer that anything tastes better with a good story. This is why the Palmira story was so intriguing to me because pitmaster and owner Hector Garatehas an interesting family history. Buckle up it’s story time!
When we visited, I was honored to spend some time with Hector walking around his smokehouse area and discussing the finer details of his success. We also discussed his passion for designing and creating custom smokers. He showed me his latest whole hog smoker and it was beautiful. After speaking with Hector, I noticed that his passion for creating BBQ perfection was only matched by his love for serving people and seeing them smile with the satisfaction of deliciousness.
Hector’s passion for BBQ started at an early age and has not stopped him from perfecting his craft since. Born in Puerto Rico, he was exposed to whole animal cooking pra early on. Hector specializes in smoking beef cheeks, brisket, whole hog, and house-made sausages. In the pursuit of creating the best product, Garate devoted their free time to building his custom cooking appliances, in particular an offset smoker. Hector has partnered with Brasstown Beef, Creekstone Farms, and Peculiar Pig Farms to source the most sustainable farm-to-table smoked meats for Charleston, SC through Palmira Barbecue. Palmira Barbecue’s name is an homage to Hector’s grandmother, who grew up on a sustainable cattle ranch.
The menu is loaded with a BIG variety of smoked meats like beef cheeks, barbacoa, brisket, phat beef rib, whole hog, pork ribs, BBQ chicken, chuleta kan and so much more. He also has rotating specials and fresh house-prepared sides like Puerto Rican beans, hash and rice, mac-n-cheese, and more. The sides complement his succulent meats. They’re so fresh, savory, and delicious that it’s a must that you pair with any BBQ when you enjoy your meal.
We chowed down on a beautifully presented tray of meaty deliciousness that was loaded with those South Carolina, Texas, and Puerto Rico flavors. It was packed with barbacoa, pork ribs, beef cheeks, whole hog, sausage, Puerto Rican beans, mac-n-cheese, hash and rice, and phat half chicken. We enjoyed it all but I did have some unforgettable favorites. The BEEF CHEEK, WHOLE HOG, and BARBACOA were smoked meat perfection and STUPID DELICIOUS. I discovered one important aspect after each bite I took. ” Hector and his culinary team do a masterful job with creative flavor explosions that are unforgettable.”
We enjoyed our visit to Palmira! It was well worth the trip from Texas to chow down on Hector’s creative and explosive flavors. If you LOVE BBQ, I would highly recommend you make plans to visit Palmira BBQ to enjoy some unforgettable flavors with a unique BBQ experience. You will love it and thank me later!
” Thank you and please follow us for more delicious destinations and perfect travel locations around the USA. “
Trey ( Chow Down ) Chapman
The Man! The Myth! The Pitmaster Legend Hector Garate Holding a Phat Beef Rib
Whiskey Cake Kitchen and Baropened their new Fort Worth location last month to rave reviews. Fort Worthin’s love this new delicious destenation. They are one of my favorite brands and concepts so you know we had to make the trip to check it out and chow down. We fell in love with the new location and the overall vibe of the design. It just doesn’t get much better than a trip to W.C..
The new location is located in North Fort Worth at 2849 Heritage Trace Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 76177.
Please view our video by clicking the link for the full overall HD WC experience.
The rest of the WC story:
Whiskey Cake Craft Cocktail
Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Baropened its first location in Plano, Texas, in 2010. Since then, it has grown to 11 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida. Founded by FB Society, Whiskey Cakeis known for its scratch-made, farm-to-fork menu and its innovative garden-to-glass cocktail program. The name comes from its signature dessert—the decadent Whiskey Cake, served with bourbon anglaise, spiced pecans, and house-made vanilla whipped cream.
Whiskey Caketakes farm-to-fork dining to a whole new level. Their menu showcases fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The culinary team os constantly pushing boundaries with their garden-to-glass cocktails, using house-made syrups, juices, and infusions. Whether it’s a fat-washed cocktail, clarified dairy cocktail, or a barrel-select whiskey exclusive to Whiskey Cake, they create a one-of-a-kind drinking experience.
Whiskey Cake’smenu offers a wide range of dishes, from crowd-pleasing starters like Goat Cheese Fondue, Deviled Eggs, and a Butcher Board of local cheeses and meats, to satisfying mains like burgers, Amish Rotisserie Farm Bird, and fresh salads. But the star of the show is their Whiskey Cake dessert—a must-try for every guest. They also offer over 200 whiskeys and signature cocktails, like the WC Old Fashioned and Tracy’s Garden, a refreshing gin cocktail made with Ford’s Gin, fresh cucumber, and house-grown basil
They blend a rustic, farm-chic atmosphere with an adventurous, fresh, and quirky menu. Guests love the cozy, welcoming vibe, whether enjoying a farm-fresh meal or sipping on a hand-crafted cocktail. And with every bite of their famous Whiskey Cake, you’ll taste the passion and care they put into every dish.
Whiskey Cake is on a mission to expand its unique brand of farm-to-fork dining and craft cocktails. With new locations on the horizon, including our next location in Jacksonville, Florida opening next month.
We absolutely love WC and everything they offer. They’re an officially approved Trey’s Chow Down Delicious destination for all food lovers to enjoy.
Follow us for more delicious destinations and great travel locations around the USA.
If you LOVE BBQ like I do we made a fantastic discovery for Texas-style BBQ mixed with some Cuban flare, beautiful Miami sun, and chef-driven sides to create BBQ PERFECTION with every tray.
Trey’s Chow Down road trip’in the USA coast to coast for BBQ DELICIOUSNESS. Today, we’re in beautiful Miami for the BEST BBQ experience offered in Miami. The inside atmosphere is modern commercial with gorgeous colors. The outside offers an amazing BEACH SIDE FLORIDA-style dining experience in the Miami sun. You grab a cocktail and sit inside the bar or just “Chow Down.” On the BEST BBQ and Chef-driven sides you can find in the Miami area.
The rest of the story:
Hometown Barbecue, located in the Allapattah neighborhood of Miami, is the second barbecue restaurant from Brooklyn restauranteur Billy Durney. Hometown is known for its authentic pit-smoked meats and traditional sides.
Miami HOMETOWNalso features a wood-fired menu that showcases a selection of dishes cooked over live fire. Their bar serves craft beers, seasonal cocktails, and a selection of wines by the glass and bottle.
Trey’s Take:
We LOVED our HOMETOWNexperience! The BBQ, sides, service, and atmosphere was a perfect 15 out of 10. Yes! It was a 15 and worth the trip to Miami for HOMETOWN DELICIOUSNESS. 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Hometown BBQis a NEW official APPROVED Trey’s Chow Down Delicious Destination for all food lovers to enjoy and a MUST VISIT. Traveling from Texas to Florida to enjoy the experience was awesome. ( I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND it! )
As always please support local and small businesses to help communities nationwide.
Trey (CHOW DOWN) Chapman – Please follow us on social media.
DO YOU LOVE OOEY, GOOEY, MEATY, DELICIOUS DOUBLE CHEESEBURGERS? I discovered the BEST cheeseburger chain restaurants offering the BEST double cheeseburgers in AMERICA so you can enjoy them!
USA Best Chain Cheeseburger Restaurants on Dr. Phil
I’m so happy because it’s National Double Cheeseburger Day 2024in the USA! We decided to have a BURGER PARTY on Dr. Phil’s Merit Street TVwith my TOP TEN National chain burger choices. There are a multitude of fantastic national burger chains offering fresh, cheesy, and delicious double cheeseburger options. I know this because I’ve been in the BURGER business my entire life. I want to share my tasty burger discoveries with you so everyone can enjoy an unforgettable DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER.
I’ve eaten burgers coast to coast for decades and have noticed in my travels that burgers are one of the most sought-after sandwiches in the world. The burger business is crazy in the U.S.A. and the consumption numbers are unbelievable. We sold 50 billion burgers in 2023 alone in the USA. WHICH MEANS THE AVERAGE AMERICAN EATS ABOUT 3 BURGERS A WEEK. McDonald’s alone sells 75 burgers a second! What? Yes, 75 burgers a second! This roughly breaks down as 4,500 burgers every minute, 270,000 every hour, 6.48 million a day, and 2.36 billion burgers yearly. 50 Billion burgers sold in the USA is shocking, but I know how many folks love a succulent, savory, and delicious burger.
Let’s talk about what makes a DELICIOUS CHEESEBURGER. First, you have to start with a fresh and tasty bun. The patty has to be 100% beef combined with the freshest vegetables or toppings. When you combine these steps, you can achieve a very tasty burger. It’s important to remember that a mojority of chain restaurants use custom sauce creations and other creative options that creates a unique burger style for their brand.
All this being said let’s see who has the TOP 10 DOUBLE CHEESEBURGERS NATIONALLY so you can chow down.
First, I would like to thank WFAA ABC DAYBREAK for letting me cohost Trey’sUnique and Delicious Pizza Options for North Texas with my buddy Sean Giggy. We wanted to throw a BIG party so everyone could enjoy some fresh and delicious pizza and awesome, UNFORGETTABLE pizza slang’ers.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably noticed that there are pizza joints on every corner these days. One thing I know for a fact after years or research is that all pizza joints are not created equal. We set out to discover the most unique and delicious pizza options in the North Texas area. This was important to me, because everyone likes pizza in one form or another. In fact, everyone I’ve ever met LOVES pizza!
If you’re a pizza lover looking for unique, fresh and delicious pizza, then you know it all starts with the dough. The dough is the biggest factor in what sets one joint apart from another. After that, it’s all about the sauce. Some trend towards the sweeter side, while others let the natural acidity shine through. From there, it’s all about using farm-fresh ingredients and vegetables. The combination of these aspects is what we’re looking for when finding unique and delicious pizza options in North Texas. It sounds easy, but believe you me, it ain’t easy to achieve the perfect pizza!
That being said, I think we’ve located some of the most unique and delicious pizza options in the North Texas area for everyone to enjoy. Each one offers something different, and is prepared with passion and love to create some delicious pizza.
Because each pizza joint is unique, there is no specific order to this list. If you love pizza like I do, then I would highly recommend you try each of them or pick one that’s close to you so you can enjoy some seriously delicious pizza. One thing I’m sure of is that you better pack your bags, because you’re going a trip straight to PIZZA-DELICIOUSVILLE!
Quick Recap from ABC Pizza Show on DAYBREAK
Get ready and let’s take a PIZZA tour!
Greenville Ave Pizza Co. GAPco
Greenville Ave Pizza Company – GAPCo, Dallas, Texas
They have two locations in Dallas and love SLAY’N pizza. Every pizza I’ve tried has been loaded with “GAPCo PIZZA DELICIOUSNESS. ” The don’t have pizza creators, they have PIZZA SLAYERS. Chef Sammy only believes in the best and they are passionate about SLAY’N creative, fresh and delicious pizzas everyone can love. I’ve been enjoying their pizza for years. The LTO Pizzas are the best and always offer creative, insanely flavorful pizzas that are unforgettable. Each bite you take will make you thank the PIZZA FLAVOR GODS because of the unforgettable flavors. YEA, that F#$% delicious! Better buckle up because you’re headed on a ROCKET SHIP to FLAVOR-VILLE baby!
Greenville Avenue Pizza Company is a local from scratch pizza and wings restaurant. The original location started on lowest Greenville Ave. in 2007 and ten years later GAPCo expanded and opened the Peavy Rd. location. As a staple of the DFW metroplex GAPCo is considered one of the best pizzerias in the city and recognized by Pizza Today magazine as an industry leader throughout the country. Check them out and tell them OL TREY SENY YA!
Located inside The Archibald in downtown Fort Worth, they offer fresh and creative ASTISAN-CRAFTED pizzas that are bursting with FLAVOR. When we saw the photos on social media, I knew we had to give them a try. The pizza was LOADED with pizza deliciousness that SLAPPED OUR PALLETTE with each bite. It’s a very small family-run operation and Chef Joshua and his family love creating and slang’n pizzas everyone will love. He offers his CLASSICS and his SPECIATLY pizza, and each was ridiculously delicious. If you love pizza, you’re going to love Son of a Baker at The Archibald. Check them out and tell them OL’ TREY SENT YA!
When CANE ROSSO came on scene years ago, I had to make the trip because I had heard such great things about the concept. After my first visit in Dallas, I made my way in early one afternoon to the Fort Worth location on Magnolia Ave. If you follow my foodie adventures around the USA, then you know that I love to visit restaurants when it’s slow so I can engage with the managers and staff to learn a little more about the operation and history. That day I learned a lot about CANE ROSSO and understood why I fell in love with the concept.
I’ve never met owner Jay Jerrier, but I’ve always heard great things about him and his restaurant operations. I learned Jay started his concept after visiting Italy and tasting a true authentic Italian pizza. He fell in love, and the rest is history. Cane Rosso started in his backyard with a custom wood burning oven he had built. He was PASSIONATE about learning and perfecting the art and craft of authentic NEAPOLITAN STYLE PIZZA. They use the highest quality ingredients, handmade dough, mozzarella made in-house daily, fresh pasta, and unique takes on both traditional and modern Italian dishes. All pizzas are cooked at 900 degrees in their custom-built ovens.
He has created an UNFORGETTABLE restaurant and dining experience that you will love, because I sure do. My favorite eats are the MEAT BALLS, CHEESY GARLIC BREAD, and the PROSCIUTTO and ARUGULA PIZZA. If you love pizza, Cane Rosso has to be on your list to try. Check them out and tell them OL’ TREY SENT YA!
Motor City Pizza Pepperoni, Breakfast and Birria Syle Pizzas w/consommme
The name says it all! Slang’n authentic DETROIT STYLE PIZZA that is savory, thick and delicious. If you don’t know what DETROIT STYLE pizza is, then you’ve been missing something very unique. Detroit-style pizza is a deep-dish rectangular pizza topped with Wisconsin brick cheese and a cooked tomato-based sauce. The dough typically has a hydration level of 70 percent or higher, which creates an open, porous, chewy crust with a crisp exterior. Detroit-style pizza was invented in 1946 by an Italian immigrant named Gus Guerra, although the exact details are controversial. What can be agreed upon is that Guerra invented the style while trying to add new menu items at his neighborhood bar.
You are going to love the flavor profiles and deliciousness that Motor City offers. I’ve enjoyed the NEW BRUNCH/ BREAKFAST pizzas that are slathered in house gravy, OMG! OMG! Yea, I said GRAVY! GET YOU SOME OF THAT! I’ve also tried the DETROITER with OLD-WORLD PEPPERONI, and it was a F#$$% ticket to deliciousville. I also enjoyed the NEW BIRRIA PIZZA with house chili infused beef broth for drip’in. Oh, I had to have extra drip’in sauce because it was DRIPP’IN with DELICIOUSNESS. Head over to Lewisville and tell them OL’ TREY SENT YA!
They’re a NEW family-run, chef-driven pizza operation specializing in NEO-New York Style Pizza using the highest quality ingredients with classic and custom flavor profiles you will love. They also offer wings, salads and other delicious items you will enjoy. What is NEO STYLE? Simply put, Neo-Neapolitan pizza refers to a pie that takes its basic inspiration and baking process from the authentic Neapolitan pizza, but pushes the flavors and ingredients into new and exciting directions that are outside of the strict Neapolitan tradition. To keep it simple: SOUTH POLK is slang’n EXTREME PIZZA DELICIOUSNESS that you will love. I love their passion for creating fresh and unique pizza options. Check them out, you’re going to love this place. Tell them OL’ TREY SENT YA!
You want to talk about UNIQUE pizza options? Then DELUCCA is right there at the TOP. They are a Brazilian Rodizio-Style Service, offering Global Flavors that are the BAROMETER for UNIQUE pizza deliciousness. They are an upscale pizzeria slang’n exceptional wines at a great value, craft cocktails, bossa nova and a continuous variety of savory and dessert pizzas. It’s an endless pizza experience perfect for a fun date night or group celebration. When I say endless, it’s ENDLESS. You keep enjoying the pizza options and they keep bringing them to your table. ALL CAN YOU EAT, and each PIZZA is LAYERED with flavors to create an unforgettable dining experience. Check them out and tell them OL’ TREY SENT YA!
Orestes New York Style Pizza
Orestes New York Style Pizza – Trinity Groves, Dallas, TX
If you’re looking for some delicious pizza and Italian food, then NEW ORESTE’S has to be on your list. I’ve known Chef Jay for years, and he’s passionate about his chef-driven culinary experiences. Oreste’s! Named after Saint Rocco’s dog, Oreste’s is a quick-serve version of Saint Rocco’s. While the menu will focus on lunch service, they’re open for dinner and breakfast too! They’re a full-service experience – serving pizza, pazzini’s, Italian street food, cannoli’s, and Italian soda’s, as well as lunch entrees to include classics like Chicken Parmesan. OMG this is DELICIOUS! They offer a full-service bar with coffee, tea and espresso drinks available, as well. He offers a New York style pizza, which is made with a characteristically large hand-tossed thin crust, often sold in wide slices to go. The crust is thick and crisp only along its edge, yet soft, thin, and pliable enough beneath its toppings to be folded to eat. It’s ridiculously delicious with each bite. Check them out and tell them OL’ TREY SENT YA!
MAMA’S has been around for decades, and I even worked at MAMA’S on Camp Bowie in Fort Worth slang’n pizza in high school during the summers. It never got old to me, and I love the MAMA’S unique flavors and the pillowy style crust. It’s what I like to call the MAMA’S FACTOR of DELICIOUSNESS.
Mama’s Pizza was founded in 1968 by Ed Stebbins on East Rosedale Street in Fort Worth. The Connecticut native, whose mother was from Naples, Italy, was then a student at Texas Wesleyan University and opened the pizzeria right across the street from the university. Stebbins couldn’t think of a good name for the pizzeria but decided upon Mama’s. In 1970, his mother-in-law, Elizabeth Biggs, joined the Mama’s staff and began taking orders behind the counter. She became known as “Mama,” and the moniker stuck. Jordan Scott inherited Mama’s on 2003 and has taken MAMA’S to new and exciting heights while retaining the MAMA’S FACTOR of DELICIOUSNESS. I love to order a double pepperoni and chow down. If you love PIZZA, then MAMA’S has to be on your list. Check them out and tell them OL’ TREY YA!
We discovered them by accident years ago. After our first visit I couldn’t believe the pizza was so delicious. Since that day we’ve made several trips to various locations and fell in love with GRIMALDI’S. The cook process is unique and one that requires skill and passion to facilitate properly. They do a masterful job at creating PIZZA DELICIOUSNESS for everyone to enjoy.
Grimaldi’s family business began with the opening of their first location under the Brooklyn Bridge in the borough’s DUMBO neighborhood. Grimaldi’s Pizzeria serves traditional coal-fired brick oven pizza using pizza-making traditions originating in Brooklyn over 100 years ago. Using only the freshest ingredients, and their ‘secret recipe’ dough that’s hand-tossed and made in house daily, their pizzas are prepared in their signature Coal-Fired Brick Ovens, which helps us deliver an authentic taste that’s not found in conventional oven pizza. They’re a family-friendly, casual, yet upscale, New York-themed restaurant. It’s their passion for pizza that made them a “must eat” for pizza lovers everywhere! I LOVE the unique flavor profile and their PIZZA DELICIOUSNESS you get from every single bite. Check them out and tell them OL’ TREY SENT YA!
Zoli’s NY Style Pizza & Casual Italian
ZOLI’S New-York Style Pizza & Casual Italian – DFW Locations
A few years ago, I met someone in Fort Worth and they asked me if I’ve ever tried ZOLI’S? To which I replied, “WHO? WHAT IS A ZOLI?” The rest is HISTORY! We headed over the next day to chow down at ZOLI’S, and it was a fantastic restaurant and pizza experience. We discovered in our conversation with the manager that it was the sister company to CANE ROSSO, another love of mine. That’s when I understood why the deliciousness factor was in full-tilt-boogie.
It’s a NEW YORK style pizza and authentic Italian joint offering from scratch chef and pizzas that are loaded with delicious flavor profiles that are highly addictive. They offer snacks, sharables, sandwiches, a O.D. Burger which I love, sweets, cocktails and of course pizza. My personal favorite is the HONEY BASTARD 12 x 12 square pie. OMG, HOLY SMACK DOWN! The texture, slight crispy edges, and sweet heat flavor is RIDICULOUS. Each bite of this pizzas is a TRIP STRAIGHT to pizza delicious-ville. Check them out and tell them OL’ TREY SENT YA!
I received a call a few years ago and was asked to try MISTER 01, an artisanal style Pizza joint, and I’m glad we did. What we experienced was a unique and unforgettable pizza dining experience. They offer much more than pizza, but the pizza was so f#$%$% delicious that we made several trips back to enjoy even more of MISTER 01 PIZZA DELICIOUSNESS. They have multiple locations now in DFW, so everyone can have the opportunity to enjoy their experience.
Mister O1 was born from the idea that an extraordinary pizza requires the utmost attention to detail and the finest ingredients, the necessary tools for an artist to produce a masterpiece. The recipe for success was simple: quality and consistency. These would be the hallmarks of Chef Renato Viola’s pizzas. They use only the finest and freshest ingredients and most of them are imported from Italy or locally sourced. The artisanal pizza is a delicate thin crust style with a very light dough, which is prepared and rests for a minimum of 72 hours into natural levitation before being served. It’s so F@#$ DELICIOUS you’re going to have naughty pizza dreams when you leave. Check them out and tell them OL’ TREY SENT YA!
Woo-Wee! What can I say about the AMAZING 400 GRADI! Their story is a great one and when I heard about 400 and their beautiful custom-made pizza ovens, I had to make the trip to check them out and chow down. Chow Down we did! I think I had to waddle out of the restaurant because I enjoyed so much pizza deliciousness. They offer a NEOPOLITAN STYLE PIZZA, which is a type of pizza that originated in Naples, Italy. This style of pizza is prepared with simple and fresh ingredients: a basic dough, raw tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and olive oil. When you prepare it hot, fresh and delicious like 400 GRADI, its flavors are unforgettable.
400 GRADI was established in 2008, with their flagship site in the heart of BRUNSWICK. Like most Italian families, they’ve grown. They have locations all around the world now, with passionate teams committed to offering the BEST PIZZA and other heartfelt cuisine in a warm, friendly atmosphere. My FAVORITE eats are the BURRATA, THE MEAT BALLS with HOUSE BAKED BREAD, GNOCCHI DI LUIGI, and the VESUVIO pizza. You will love 400 GRADI, and when you get finished with your delicious pizza you can visit one of their SWEET SHOPS named ZERO GRADI. Truly UNFORGETTABLE! Tell them OL’ TREY SENT YA!
Oh yea! Home to the original TEXAS crust. That’s what I said: TEXAS CRUST! It’s worth the trip to chow down and find out what it’s all about. All their pizza crust and dough are prepared in-house using the freshest ingredients. They hand toss each one before adding fresh toppings. This gives you an authentic pizza flavor of deliciousness. I’m telling you it’s so delicious and be careful because IT’S ADDICTING!!! They offer a TEXAS CRUST and a NEW YORK STYLE CRUST – you can take your pick from their unique and delicious pizza crust options.
I absolutely love this little pizza joint and their passion to serve the customer. If you’re in the mood I would highly recommend you add one of their award-winning smash burgers to your order. it will make a nice side, and it will be loaded with smash deliciousness. Your visit will be unforgettable, and you will be thanking the pizza GODS from above.
I’ve been enjoying the Gepetto’s pizza deliciousness for years in Fort Worth. They believe in nothing but the very best using fresh prepared dough and the finest locally sourced ingredients to create fresh flavorful pizzas. Yes! The pizzas may be prepared in a truck but that doesn’t matter. They love being mobile because the possibilities are endless. They can go where the party is for home, office, events, food truck parks, you name it they can ZOOM THERE. They also can create a custom menu for your event or party. They’ve won award after award for their fresh and delicious pizzas. If you love pizza, then you need to check out Gepetto’s Pizza Truck because they are one of the top pizza slang’ers in the DFW area. You’re going to thank me bite after bite!
Trey’s Take:
Each one of these pizza operations are truly unique, unforgettable, and delicious. Each offers house favorites and some have seasonal flavor profiles that change, so you will always have something exciting and new. Some of them also feature (LTO) Limited Time Offerings. They’re all officially approved Trey’s Chow Down Delicious Destinations and are worthy of your visit.
Thank YOU so much for reading and following our USA foodie, chef and travel adventures.
Today, we made the long journey to beautiful and sunny TAMPA, FLORIDA. We heard there was a TEXAS influenced BBQ joint that was slang’n BBQ so tasty and delicious that it was unforgettable. In fact, truth is “Tampans” are in LOVE with this place, and when you love TEXAS BBQ like we do, we had to make the trip.
If you follow us you know we travel coast to coast searching for the BEST BBQ, BURGERS, PIZZA, BAGELS, DONUTS and SWEETS. I knew I made the right decision soon as we pulled up, and I could smell BBQ aromas lofting in the TAMPA air like thick clouds of smokey, meaty deliciousness.
Lifetime Tampa resident and creative pitmaster Danny Hernandez is so extremely passionate about barbecue and serving his community that he developed and created an entire destination that everyone can enjoy. Danny owns and operates The Brisket Shoppe and Grill & Provisions. It’s basically two destinations in one! Located in West Tampa at the same location offering more than just BBQ. You can get Texas influenced BBQ, tasty side dishes, sweet desserts, and pick out some BBQ equipment for your backyard. If that’s not enough for you, it gets even better. Recently, he added a new WINE ROOM offering all types of tasty wines. You can enjoy pairing with his delicious BBQ options, or you can take some home to enjoy. Don’t forget catering because they offer that too!
His BBQ offerings are plentiful! There is truly something for everyone. I know this because we tried a TEXAS size variety including, Danny’s famous brisket. The brisket was succulent, delicious, and coated with that bark-0-licious bark that I love. TEXAS style brisket prepared with fresh WAGYU BEEF and cooked low and slow to achieve the PERFECT brisket flavor. Every bite I took all I could think about was how it was worth the trip to TAMPA alone just for the brisket.
I love to chow down so I couldn’t just stop at the brisket. We enjoyed some juicy turkey breast, jalapeño and cheddar sausage link, and some unbelievably delicious slow roasted hog. WOW! It melted in my mouth! It was Heritage breed whole hog slow roasted and oak smoked to achieve the real deal MOJO, LECHON ASADO. I also had to get some pork ribs to top off the BBQ feast that were flavorful and fall off the bone delicious. The sides were tasty too! The mac-n-cheese, jalapeño poppers, and Dulce De Tres Leche Cake is also highly recommended when you order.
I couldn’t leave without trying one of Danny’s house prepared EMPANADA’S. It wasn’t a hard decision after I saw the name. It hit me like I saw bright neon lights, ” The Pitmaster Smokehouse Empanada. ” Oh my EMPANADA’S! Talk about deliciousness! ENPANADA HEAVEN and worth it!
If you’re looking for some delicious Texas style BBQ with a Tampeno influence that’s truly unforgettable. Then I would HIGLY RECOMMEND you make trip to chow down and enjoy some Brisket Shop deliciousness. You’re going to LOVE it! I’m sure you will tell everyone like I have how you were in BBQ HEAVEN in beautiful Tampa, Florida.
” If you love delicious flavor-loaded craft BBQ, succulent pork belly, fresh chef driven sides and savory sweet treats you’re going to LOVE this discovery. It’s TRULY where BBQ and FLAVOR take center stage. Please enjoy and share with others so everyone can enjoy this unforgettable craft BBQ experience. ” – Trey
If you follow us, then you’re aware that we’ve been on the hunt for most unique and delicious BBQ joints America has to offer. We’ve visited 28 states and been on this mission for years and we’ve discovered some of the most incredible BBQ destinations. It’s difficult to stay on track because there are so many small family-owned BBQ joints popping up every day in cities big and small across America. But that being said, through our research, hard work and determination we think we’ve discovered some of the BEST joints to enjoy delicious BBQ in some of the most UNSUSPECTING places.
There are many things I love about Louisiana the culture, history, music, art, wildlife, people and the incredibly delicious food and drinks. What I was NOT expecting to discovery was a small Craft BBQ joint creating and slang’n some of the BEST BBQ in the USA. I was literally BLOWN away by the creative deliciousness of the smoked meats, unbelievable pork belly options, house sausages, fresh sides, pitmaster driven dishes, steaks, and house fresh desserts. Every single thing we tried was just DRIPP’IN with DELICIOUSNESS and so unforgettable I had naughty BBQ dreams for days after we left. YES! It’s truly that memorable and IMPRESSIVE!
It all started in Waggaman, Louisiana where JASON GONZALEZ was born. His rise to pitmaster greatness and his passion for BBQ took an unusual path. He started as a drafter in the Maritime industry and slowly worked his way into the oil and gas industry and became a structural designer. He worked at Shell in New Orleans from 2010 to 2016 as a lead structural designer. It was at this time he started smoking meats with a Masterbuilt electric smoker box. One might say that JASON got bit HARD with the BBQ bug at this time. In 2016 oil prices had an extreme decline and Shell laid off the entire design team. He took his severance check from Shell and purchased a YODER PELLET SMOKER in 2016.In August 2016 he created GONZO’S SMOKEHOUSE and started with POP UP’s. He did pop ups and festivals honing his craft for almost four years. THE REST THEY SAY IS HISTORY!
As we made our way driving through Luling I started to get excited because I knew there was NO WAY for a BBQ joint to survive in a community this small if it wasn’t unbelievable and offering BBQ perfection. When we pulled up and I saw the vehicles stack and packed in the parking lot and strung out all along the road way and people lined up like it was a JELLY ROLL or GEORGE STRAIT concert I had my answer. It was going to be POPP’IN!
Smoked Meat Art!
When we were walking up, I could smell the BBQ aromas lofting in the air and my BBQ senses cranked up to the “FULL TILT BOOGIE” status. I threw that door open and saw Jason’s big smile he was ready to SLANG that Q because he knew I was going to love it. I watched Jason and his family members bustling and hustling because the doors were fixing to open. They had folks stacked up and ready for smoked BBQ deliciousness. It was GO TIME at GONZO’S.
Pork-Belly Cartel ( WOW )
I stood and watched the PITAMASTER and ARTIST Jason cut the smoked meats, pork and sausages then layer my trays like an artist creates a painting. The BBQ meats and pork were glistening under the lights and my mouth started watering. I grabbed those trays and headed to our table it was CHOW DOWN TIME. The prime brisket and beef cheek were so tender and juicy I couldn’t stop eating it. The Wagyu Tri-Trip is what dreams are made of! The smoked turkey breast was so juicy it was DRIPP’IN down my chin. The Pastrami Beef Rib was Stupid delicious! The Brisket Boudin was dangerously delicious! But the PORK, OMG the pork! They don’t call GONZO’S the Pork Belly Cartel headquarters for no reason. Every single pork dish you try will be savory, flavorful and DRIPP’IN like ICE with DELICIOUSNESS. He’s won awards with his PORK and I know why because each bite is truly unforgettable. The Char Siu Pork Jowl Burnt Ends and the Hot Honey Jowl Cracklings are dreamy and EVERYONE NEEDS TO TRY THEM at least once in their life. The Cherry Cola Brisket Burnt Ends are so good they should be illegal in all fifty states. Yes, they’re that delicious!
Fresh sides let’s talk about his sides HOLY FARM FRESH. The Mac-N-Cheese, Smoked Broccoli and Kale Salad, Beef Cheeks Dirty Rice and Gouda Grits were so delicious I still haven’t stopped thinking about them to this day. Oh, and the fresh desserts are savory a little sweet and loaded with deliciousness. After about 10 minutes I literally had no words because everything was so F#$% delicious.
I’m telling you NOW and I’m telling you LOUDLYif you LOVETexas BBQ or any type of BBQ a visit to GONZO’S is A MUST from anywhere. I truly mean anywhere. He’s just outside New Orleans and easy to find. “Just be aware that everything you try is going to taste like ” MORE “ because ” MORE “ is all you will want.”I WILL NOT be responsible for your naughty BBQ dreams because you’re going to have them after you leave. It’s just a side effect from visiting one of the world’s BEST BBQ Joints.
BBQ is not just food or a passion for the GONZO’S family; it’s a way of life.
Take it from me TREY and make plans to visit and CHOW DOWN! It’s a TREY’S CHOW DOWN USA FAVORITE BBQ DESTINATION and A MUST VISIT for any BBQ and FOOD LOVER!
We have discovered that the WORLD’S BEST bagels are right here in North Texas! They were voted the WORLD’S BEST at the NEW YORK BAGEL FESTIVAL 2023, and after we heard that we headed over to chow down!
Today we’re at Starship Bagel for some seriously fresh and delicious bagels. If you follow me, you know we’ve been on a bagel quest across the USA. In the last four years we’ve enjoyed bagels from California to Florida, and everywhere in between. We’ve made it to 29 states thus far, and have enjoyed hundreds of bagels. When we heard about STARSHIP BAGEL, we had to make the trip to chow down.
Happy BACON! Because everything is better with BACON!
Everyone dreams about bacon and millions enjoy bacon every day.
Trey’s Chow Down LIVE on Fox 4 Good Day.
When Trey’s Chow Down saw that 275 million Americans enjoyed BACON in 2023 I decided to highlight bacon. From the first sentence I wrote about bacon my mouth started salivating and all I could think about was how delicious bacon truly is.
Have you ever eaten a bad piece of bacon? I think not! No matter how it’s cooked, (soft, crispy, medium, or rock hard) bacon is always perfectly delightful.
Ever since 1500 B.C. folks have been eating and enjoying bacon. That’s a long time ago, but it just goes to show you how much everyone loves bacon.
Bacon’s history dates back thousands of years to 1500 B.C. The Chinese were curing pork bellies with salt. Basically, they were creating an early form of what we know today as bacon.
I’m shocked about how long ago bacon was being eaten and was created. I wonder how the first bacon fry went down. Here piggy piggy! Come here piggy piggy! Come over here let’s see if we can fry some of your body parts up? Seems legit to me lol!
Howdy Burger LOVERS! 
