The beloved Sarasota barbecue joint Nancy’s Bar-B-Q is closing on Jan. 6 after less than four months in its latest—and, ultimately, final—location in the Rosemary District. Owner Nancy Krohngold announced the news in a Facebook post last night.

In an interview with us as she prepared to open her Rosemary District location in August, Krohngold recalled the evolution of Nancy’s Bar-B-Q, which started as a social media-driven food truck popup in 2005 before opening its first brick-and-mortar on Pineapple Avenue in downtown Sarasota 2010. She called those pop-up days “stealth barbecue,” thanks to a creative workaround of the City of Sarasota's previous food truck regulations.

“I found different places to host me and built up my email list for all my customers. I ended up with about 750 emails and used the email the night before to let where I would be,” Krohngold told us.

After Krohngold’s first downtown location closed, she directed her full attention to the restaurant’s Lakewood Ranch outpost, which closed in the summer of 2023 after lease negotiations could not be reached. Ever the expert pivoter, she set to open what would be her final storefront in the Rosemary District in August of last year. She told us she was thrilled to be back downtown.

Krohngold’s barbecue has been a crowd favorite for 17 years and has left an indelible mark on Sarasota’s culinary landscape. She will be sorely missed. However, Nancy’s devotees are invited to say good-bye to Krohngold and her tender brisket (among other stellar barbecue offerings) by Jan. 6 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. 

Nancy’s Bar-B-Q is located at 1525 Fourth St., Sarasota. The restaurant closes permanently on Saturday, Jan 6. For more information call (941)  999-2390 or click here.