Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach is bringing a new restaurant and bar to life with celebrity pitmaster Ray Lampe, aka Dr. BBQ.
Squiki Tiki with Dr. BBQ will open at the resort in December, according to a news release, serving a menu of barbecue dishes and tiki-inspired cocktails in a setting decked out with bamboo accents, thatched roofing, plush lounge seating and string lights.
The restaurant’s arrival coincides with a property-wide refresh of Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach that’s going down this fall.
“Squiki Tiki combines my passion for barbecue with Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach’s welcoming hospitality and commitment to the local community,” Lampe said in the 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.”
A barbecue Hall of Famer, Lampe has authored several cookbooks, won hundreds of professional barbecue competitions and appeared on TV shows like Food Network’s “Chopped: Grill Masters.” His eponymous restaurant, Dr. BBQ, a joint venture with Datz Restaurant Group owners Suzanne and Roger Perry, became a hot spot in 2018 in St. Petersburg’s EDGE District, offering smoked meats and Southern-inspired comfort food with creative twists until it closed in 2022.
At Squiki Tiki, a burnt ends bao bun and smoked shrimp summer rolls will join barbecue classics like St. Louis-style ribs and a pulled pork sandwich on the menu, which Lampe is curating.
The restaurant will be located on Beach Walk in front of Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach, operating from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Before it launches, diners can get a taste of Squiki Tiki at the Savor St. Pete food and wine festival Nov. 7-8.
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