A popular Sarasota barbecue joint — praised as one of the best new local restaurants of 2025 by this publication — is relocating.
Smoke & Fire BBQ, which was founded by Dr. Todd Horiuchi in April 2025, is moving about a mile and a half from 4571 Clark Road to a shared space with Brew Life Brewing microbrewery at 5767 Beneva Road in the Beneva-Clark Plaza.
The BBQ destination plans to close for one week prior to opening at its new location Oct. 16.
“If everything goes well we’ll shut down this week for the move,” Dr. Horiuchi told the Herald-Tribune on Oct. 5. “The following weekend we’ll do a soft opening to feel out the new space.”
Why is Smoke & Fire moving?
The move is tied in part to Gulf Coast Brewing Co. ramping up its business at 4571 Clark Road, where Horiuchi had
occupied the Smoke & Fire space.
“Their model works with having food available to their clientele every hour they’re open,” Horiuchi said of Gulf Coast Brewing.
Gulf Coast Brewing teased its own big announcement on social media.
Brew Life Brewing, was founded in 2017 by Mick Cohn and Tom Harris, the former head brewer at JDub’s Brewing Co., along with restaurateur Michael Evanoff.
Horiuchi noted that Cohn is passionate about making beer and “We’ve tossed around the idea of having a pairing, beer and barbecue multicourse offering.”
Brew Life also will offer Smoke & Fire a larger restaurant space, larger kitchen and a walk-in cooler.
Once Horiuchi gets settled into the Brew Life space, he anticipates needing a larger offset smoker as he continues to modify the menu, which could soon include smoked salmon.
What is unique about Smoke & Fire?
At Smoke & Fire, everything is made in-house, cooked over real wood, with the restaurant opening at 5 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays until everything is sold out.
Friday night specials have included a smoked prime cowboy ribeye for two or smoked “dino bone” beef ribs, smoked pork chops and on occasion smoked elk rib racks.
Weekend fare includes smoked Cuban sandwiches (Saturdays only), brisket, pulled pork, spare ribs, chicken, smoked chicken wings, pork belly burnt ends, house ground prime brisket burgers, American wagyu beef cheek tacos (Sundays only).
Side dishes ranging from greens and macaroni and cheese to bourbon baked beans are lovingly prepared with the same attention to detail as the main dishes.
Horiuchi, board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine owns Horiuchi Health Concierge Medicine on Floyd Street near Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
He always enjoyed barbecue and first opened Smoke & Fire in April 2025 with Nick Seth-Ward, the son of his office manager Susan Seth-Ward, working with him in the kitchen.
“My plan, I always thought that when I retired from medicine I’d open a restaurant,” Horiuchi said.
“I love practicing medicine,” he added. “But in a different way I also love making people happy with food, the ability to share that passion and connection with people when you come in.
“It’s a lot of fun.”
If you go
Smoke & Fire is anticipating a soft opening Oct. 16-19 at Brew Life Brewing, 5767 Beneva Road, Sarasota.
Hours will be from 5 p.m. until everything is sold out on Fridays, and 11 a.m. until everything is sold out on Saturdays and Sundays.
Horiuchi said that the soft opening period will likely continue through October with a grand opening anticipated in November.
For more information follow Smoke & Fire on Facebook and Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: One of Sarasota’s best new restaurants is moving to a new home
