Urban Brew and BBQ effectively pairs two of the Sunshine State’s favorite edible offerings # craft beer and delicious barbecue. With an impressive selection of food and 20 craft beers on tap, it’s all too easy to wind up having a quick lunch stop turn into a two-hour event.
First to land on the table was the Urban Mac ’n’ Cheese, a crowd favorite according to the menu. Made to order and served in a blistering skillet, it is a pleasing combination of smoked gouda, parmesan and cheddar cheese and prosciutto, topped with bread crumbs. The three cheeses complemented one another nicely, and the prosciutto was a welcome addition to an already impressive take on mac ’n’ cheese.
Next up was The Thing, a house special that can only be described as a gift from the barbecue gods. This mind-blowing creation is a corn bread waffle topped with pulled pork, bacon, cheese, a fried egg and homemade pork gravy. If you’ve got the appetite to take on something this heavy and don’t mind skipping the more traditional ribs or brisket, it’s certainly an entrée you won’t forget.
The beer selection is impressive # 20 craft beers on tap at all times and no more than one tap per brewery. Urban’s rule of thumb is that all beers are $7 or less. The tap handles are all identical; intended to push customers to order their beverage of choice based on description rather than which looks fanciest. The local beer selection is nice, but they make sure to leave room for more distant breweries as well.
The bar is nice, but the indoor seating isn’t particularly vast and can feel quite cramped during the busier hours of the day. Luckily, their outdoor beer garden easily makes up for that. To promote socialization, there are no televisions and the seating area consists of five, large picnic benches rather than individual tables. The floor is paved with 1,200 Augusta concrete blocks that once lined the streets of St. Petersburg. Urban has some of the nicest outdoor seating in the area.
Urban Brew and BBQ has found a way to successfully pair delicious craft beer with southern-style barbecue, and it is a welcome addition to St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District.
Beers to try:
A.P.I.A.S. # A creamy nitro raspberry porter from Big Storm Brewing Company, It is slightly sweeter than most porters, containing light hints of raspberry and chocolate. Think craft Guinness.
Harvest Dance – A rich Wheatwine ale from Boulevard Brewing Company. It has a rather high alcohol content and is more of a dessert beer, given its exceptionally sweet, fruity flavor.
If you go:
Urban Brew and BBQ is at 1939 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, Fl 33713.
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday: noon to 10 p.m.
