A West Palm Beach-based restaurant synonymous with authentic Florida craft barbecue is gearing up to bring even more flavor to the city with the upcoming opening of its second location.
This summer, Tropical Smokehouse will open its new fast-casual concept, Tropical BBQ Market. Helmed by owners Jason Lakow and pitmaster/chef Rick Mace, the 1,900-square-foot space located at 206 Olive Avenue — the former Aioli space — will also feature an added bar area and available seating both indoors and out.
“Chef Mace and I had been wanting to expand on the Tropical Smokehouse ethos of delivering the best quality smokehouse dishes to the community, and in a timely and effective manner,” Lake tells News Break. “Tropical BBQ Market not only allows diners to enjoy our delicious items in a fast-casual setting but also presents the opportunity to take home our signature menu items through our grab-and-go component. This is an exciting moment for the entire team.”
The restaurant will be different thanks to dedicated counter service, where guests can enjoy the brand’s first-ever upscale deli and market, where high-quality meats, salads, and other menu items that have become synonymous with the beloved brand can be purchased to grab and go.
Maintaining a focus on offering high-quality, from-scratch dishes and that unmistakable smoky flavor Tropical Smokehouse has been serving since opening its first location, Tropical BBQ Market presents a menu loaded with signature items including its prime brisket, mojo pork, jackfruit, and pulled chicken fired up on a smoker oven created exclusively by M&M Barbecue Company.
The custom oven, which doesn’t run on gas or electricity, holds a large cook chamber and rotisserie with the capability of cooking up to 60 briskets. All items are available to enjoy on-premises or to take home, including tasty empanadas, popular side dishes, core proteins, ready-to-heat sausage, and even essential home pantry items like grains from Marsh Hen Mill, coffee by Necessary Coffee, and a selection of sodas by Tractor Beverages.
The chef is even converting his brisket tallow into soap with a collaboration alongside local artisan Soap Dudes in Delray Beach. Most order prices range between $14 to $17 apiece, reflecting the casual but flavorful experience awaiting all diners who visit.
Tropical Smokehouse is Florida craft barbecue, a process that begins with hand-harvested Florida oak and hickory heated in the restaurant's own 500-gallon custom-made smoker all the way to heritage-sourced ingredients and techniques that have evolved as collectively unique to Florida.
Tropical Smokehouse is helmed by James Beard Nominated Best Chef South 2023 chef Rick Mace, who couples his affinity for eclectic barbecue with the excellence he’s honed through working in fine dining kitchens — namely alongside Daniel Boulud at the Palm Beach-based Boulud.
The menu is a culmination of cultural diversity paying homage to Haitian, Dominican, Cuban and Jamaican cuisine with popular menu items that include his spicy wahoo dip, Cajun gator sausage, hot and sweet hushpuppies, fried Cobia sandwich, BBQ jackfruit, pork spare ribs, and his smash burger.
The original Tropical Smokehouse location recently celebrated its two-year anniversary by partnering with Mayor Keith James in giving back to the neighborhood it serves through a food donation honoring the city’s hard-working Sanitation Bureau Division and the department’s efforts to keep streets impeccably clean and free of illegal discarded trash through their daily duties and special programs.
Through the generous initiative, the restaurant graciously provided food for 100 city workers on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. Items included Tropical’s signature mojo pork, chicken, salad, black beans, plantain bowls, and two sides. The meals were delivered personally to the department offices by Mayor James, together with Tropical Smokehouse’s Lakow and Mace.
Tropical BBQ Market will be located at 206 S Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 11:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Sunday. For more information call 561-323-2573 or visit eattropical.com.
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