On the Corner of Highway 50 and Cedar Lane there is an old style barbecue joint. You order what you want at the window and can sit at one of a number of picnic tables in the rustic dining area. They bring the food out to you when it’s ready. While they prepare the food, you will be entertained by the many posters and signs that deck the walls.
They also have old newspaper clippings framed, which explains the restaurant’s history.
Clay Greer and his daughters Shelbi and Karli opened the establishment in 1999, in the wake of losing their wife and mother Karen Greer to breast cancer.
Shelbi and Karli are pictured as children helping out in the kitchen in the restaurant’s early days. The article explains a Latin phrase on the wall, Donum amoris matris nostrae suturum, meaning “Our mother’s gift of love, the future.”
When we were there, the wait was not long and we were quickly brought a batch of warm fried garlic breadsticks, which were incredibly delicious. Thinking of the crisp outside and soft warm buttery garlic inside will make me hungry anytime of the day.
Our meal followed: a rack of ribs, pulled pork, fried okra, baked beans and fried green tomatoes. The baked beans featured six type of beans and was quite tasty. The ribs were also flavorful and moist. They conservatively apply sauce to the ribs and you can add more as needed.
They also offer a variety of colorful habanero sauces that range from hot to needing a fire extinguisher. The pulled pork was excellent and I even enjoyed leftovers the next day.
The restaurant offers takeout and catering. They have a variety of specials which include a choice of sides. Although, we were too full to try dessert, they make fried homemade pies and the southern specialty- the fried twinkie.
As a side note, on the counter there is a book for sale entitled, “The Last Lonely Eagle,” that tells the story of ex Tampa Policeman Dick Cloud and the search to apprehend his killer.
The major break in the case came when trooper Al Greer (brother of Deep South’s owner Clay Greer) pulled over a van for an expired tag.
He then found that the driver Edward Bruns had outstanding traffic warrants and arrested him. Edward told Al Greer that he knew who killed McCloud. The killer had confessed to Edward while he was drunk. This was the break in the case and led to a number of criminals being arrested.
Deep South Family Bar-B-Que is located at 7247 Cedar Ln, Brooksville, FL 34601. You can reach them by phone at (352) 799-5060. Business hours are Monday-Saturday 11AM – 8PM and Sunday Noon – 6PM.
