Beach Brothers BBQ serves up the family picnic experience
The new Beach Brothers BBQ in Cape Coral has captured the family barbecue picnic in a jar and is sharing it with all their guests who have the fortunate opportunity to stop in.
Everything from the daily smoked meat to the environment of the restaurant, which is at 601 North Del Prado at N.E. 6th Street Plaza, Beach Brothers BBQ is quickly becoming the place where friends and family gather.
All the comforts of home abound at Beach Brothers BBQ. Customers are greeted as they walk in and get to feast on homestyle cooking which usually can only be found during family picnic outings at the park.
“We want our guests’ perspective when they walk through the front door to feel like they are at home,” said owner Lloyd Peoples, who opened the business along with his wife, Susan, earlier this spring.
Not only will customers have all the comforts of home, along with a home-cooked meal right off the smoker, they may even have the chance to be served by a beauty queen.
Lloyd and Susan Peoples have 10 children between them, including Dakota, who is a senior at North Fort Myers High School and the reigning Miss Teen American Beauty.
Dakota is the couples’ only child between them, with their other children including Raunisha and Aldante Jordan; Justin, Kylee, Lindsay and Dominique Peoples; Desmond Simpson; Tony and Jasmine Mosher.
Even the menu is family-oriented, as well, with traditional and unique sides offered.
“There are 10 items on the menu which is a favorite from one of the kids,” Susan said. “That’s why there are unique items such as deviled eggs, Kool-Aid and mac n’ cheese.”
“Who didn’t grow up with Kool-Aid as a kid?” Dakota laughed. “We went through gallons of it. I remember mom and dad hiding their hands behind their back with different flavors of Kool-Aid and us kids having to have to choose a hand.”
But the mouthwatering items which people have been coming into Beach Brothers BBQ for have been the homemade smoked meat, including brisket, ribs, jerk chicken, pulled pork, andouille sausage and rib tips.
Again, the Peoples’ journey to opening Beach Brothers BBQ was heavily influenced by family. Both Susan and Lloyd are natives of Dayton, Ohio, and they also spent time living in Nashville, Tenn.
Big family gatherings, as well as barbecues for neighborhoods and through church, making food for large groups was norm.
Now, it’s just on an everyday basis.
“I remember my grandmother cooking for the entire neighborhood and my mother cooking for church functions,” Lloyd said. “We started out catering out of our garage for special events and family gatherings on the weekends. The only thing we had back then was just one small grill.”
But as word spread about the succulent barbecue Lloyd would smoke or grill and Susan’s delicious side dishes, requests for their catering grew.
Finally, Lloyd and Susan decided to open their own full-time barbecue joint. Instead of fielding kitchen equipment, Beach Brothers BBQ’s main cooking tools are the smokers in the corner of the parking in the plaza.
Lloyd’s smokers are the business’ best advertisement tool, as well, as they are smoking early in the morning to late evening, making the neighborhood smell like a 24-hour, week-long picnic.
“We hit the ground running,” Lloyd said. “I thought maybe there would be a slow build-up in business, but the day we opened, it was busy and it hasn’t lightened up since then.
“But I have a passion for cooking, it’s not a job. My reward isn’t about making a bunch of money, it’s seeing that expression on the faces of people who try our food for the first time.”
The Peoples want to keep Beach Brothers BBQ a neighborhood attraction, a place to gather as neighbors, eat quality food and visit.
“We want this to be a hangout for people and talk to each other,” Susan said. “We want this to be a place where we can feed the local baseball or football youth teams.”
It’s been challenging, though, taking on a full-time restaurant. Sacrifices have been made, mostly in schedules, since both Susan and Lloyd can be seen working in the restaurant until 2-3 a.m.
Lloyd has become a regular fixture in the parking lot, surrounded by his smoking grills at all times of the night and day.
“It’s been different, because we usually were cooking just on the weekends for special events; now it’s everyday,” said Dakota, who also has sacrificed much of her schedule as a senior in high school to help her parents out. “But it’s been very rewarding seeing my mom and dad’s dreams come true. I’m so proud of them because they are reaching their life-long goals.
“And, no one can make mac n’ cheese like mom.”
The uniqueness of the menu is an attraction for customers. Lloyd does all the smoking himself, so quality meat is the feature choice on the plates at Beach Brothers BBQ.
Brisket dominates the menu on Mondays, the only day it is served during the week, because it takes 12-14 hours to smoke to perfection.
“The brisket is the best and we are here every Monday,” said neighborhood resident and Beach Brothers BBQ regular Pat Flanigan, along with his wife, Janet. “I haven’t even gotten around to trying the ribs, because I always order the brisket on Monday. I also love the jerk chicken.”
The next day brings Taco Tuesdays, which are popular with the very affordable $7 plate, which includes two tacos, with one side and a drink.
Thursday’s are popular with Jerk Chicken being offered, which costs $10, along with two sides.
Side dishes such as collard greens (Lloyd’s favorite), Susan’s famous Makin Chezz, deviled eggs or a picnic favorite in hot dog, along with a pitcher full of Kool-Aid, the full picnic experience is complete.
“All the food is made out of love, not a paycheck,” Susan added.
Beach Brothers BBQ is also being noticed by area customers. Lloyd smokes up to 40 slabs of ribs a day (on Saturdays, 60), eight pork butts a day and nine briskets on Monday.
Susan makes all the signature sauces, including her popular Pico de Gallo, which comes in plain, mild, hot or X-hot.
When the day is over with, the grill and kitchen counters are empty.
“We hardly have any leftovers,” Susan said. “The meat is never over 24 hours old, because we are constantly cooking.”
“It’s like making Sunday dinner, every single day,” Lloyd laughed.
Customers can sample menu items before they order and by the time their plate is empty, the vast majority are satisfied.
“We want our guests leaving happy, that’s the ultimate goal,” Susan said.
And that’s exactly what has been happening since day one of Beach Brothers BBQ.
“You feel like you’re home, except that you don’t have to cook or clean up,” Janet Flanigan said.
Beach Brothers BBQ is closed Wednesday and Sunday, with hours Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday hours 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
There also is take out and catering available and the Peoples can be reached at 239-772-5040.
To see the full menu, go to www.beachbrothersbbq.net.