Frequently Asked Questions

BBQ Art Co. is a premium artisan BBQ food truck and full-service catering operation based in North Port, Florida. Founded by a dedicated pitmaster with a passion for craft smoke, we specialize in low-and-slow smoked brisket, hand-pulled pork, certified organic smoked chicken wings, and scratch-made sides. We serve at pop-up locations across Southwest Florida and cater private parties, weddings, corporate events, and community gatherings from North Port to Sarasota and beyond.

Our home base is North Port, FL 34286. We're a mobile operation — no dine-in storefront — which means we come to you for catering and regularly pop up at breweries, farmers markets, community events, and partner venues across the region. Our weekly schedule is posted every Monday on Instagram @bbqartco.

Not at this time. BBQ Art Co. operates as a food truck and catering company, which lets us serve the whole Southwest Florida region rather than one fixed address. We're where the smoke is — and that changes week to week. Follow us on Instagram or check the Schedule page to see where we'll be.

We accept cash, all major credit and debit cards, Venmo, and Zelle at the truck. For catering bookings, we accept credit card deposits and, for returning corporate clients, Net-15 or Net-30 invoicing. A 50% deposit is required to lock a catering date.

We don't currently offer advance online ordering for individual meals — walk-up orders at the truck are first-come, first-served. For catering of any size, you can submit a quote request through our Catering page or call us at (916) 804-1579, and we'll build you a custom proposal within 24 hours.

We are not on third-party delivery platforms at this time. We believe BBQ is best served fresh and hot from the smoker — not sitting in a bag for 45 minutes. For individual orders, visit us at the truck. For group orders, our drop-off catering starts at 10 guests.

Absolutely — at our food truck pop-ups, everything is walk-up and first-come, first-served. We post our schedule every Monday on Instagram @bbqartco. No reservation needed at public events. For catering, booking in advance is required.

Instagram @bbqartco is the most reliable way — we post that week's schedule every Monday. You can also bookmark the Schedule page on our website, which we update in real time. For catering inquiries, email Art@BBQArtCo.com or call (916) 804-1579.

For weekend events and holidays, book 4–8 weeks out. Weeknight bookings and smaller events can often be confirmed 2–3 weeks ahead. Last-minute bookings inside 7 days are sometimes possible — call us first and we'll tell you what's available.

A 50% deposit holds your date. Full refund for cancellations 14+ days before the event; 50% refund for cancellations inside 14 days. Cancellations inside 72 hours of the event forfeit the full deposit.

Drop-off catering starts at 10 guests and full-service starts at 25 guests. If you're planning a smaller gathering, give us a call — we're happy to talk through options including our Sampler package.

Yes. We regularly cater across Venice, Sarasota, Port Charlotte, Englewood, and Punta Gorda — our full service area is a 30-mile radius from North Port. Travel fees apply beyond that radius and are always quoted upfront.

Yes — we carry $2 million event liability insurance and can provide certificates of insurance to venues that require them. We've provided COIs to private clubs, country clubs, the Venice Yacht Club, Charlotte Harbor Event Center, and others across SW Florida.

Our three signature proteins are: 14-hour smoked brisket (also available sous vide + smoked for maximum tenderness), hand-pulled pork shoulder, and certified organic smoked chicken wings. Signature sides include house Russian Coleslaw, scratch-baked cornbread, and mac & cheese. Full menu details are on the Menu page.

Yes — our smoked and sous vide meats are naturally gluten-free. Several of our sides are also gluten-free, including the Russian Coleslaw. Cross-contamination risk exists in any shared kitchen environment, so if you have a severe allergy, please call us before your event so we can walk through preparation protocols.

We have vegetarian side options at every event — including mac & cheese (no meat), coleslaw, and seasonal vegetable sides. Full vegan accommodations require advance notice at booking so we can build in appropriate alternatives. We're happy to work with you to make sure every guest at your event has something great to eat.

Yes — we source certified organic chicken for our smoked wings. It's one of the non-negotiable quality standards at BBQ Art Co. The difference in flavor and texture is real, and we're proud to be transparent about it.

Kids love pulled pork sliders, mac & cheese, and cornbread — all standard on our catering menu. For events where a dedicated kid's menu matters, we can also add chicken tenders or hot dogs as a budget-friendly add-on. Just let us know at booking.

For weekends and holidays, 4–8 weeks out is ideal. For weeknights and smaller events, 2–3 weeks is usually fine. Last-minute bookings inside 7 days are sometimes possible — just call us first.

Yes — disposable serving ware is included on every package. If you want compostable or upgraded service ware, we can quote that as an add-on.

Yes — for weddings of 100+ guests, we offer a private tasting 60–90 days before your date. We'll prep 4–6 menu items so you can lock the final selection.

It's our favorite add-on. Brisket sliders, pulled pork tacos, mac & cheese cups, and Russian Coleslaw shooters are all crowd-tested and dance-floor approved.

Yes — for second-time and recurring clients we offer Net-15 or Net-30 invoicing. First-time orders go on a card or via deposit + balance.

Yes — monthly or quarterly recurring orders get a 10% discount and locked-in pricing for the year.

Drop-off catering starts at 10 guests. Full-service starts at 25.

We always include cornbread, mac & cheese, and pulled pork sliders that kids love. We can also add chicken tenders or hot dogs as a kid-specific option.

For most public events with foot traffic (breweries, markets, festivals), no — we make money from direct sales. For private community events with limited audience, we may quote a minimum-sales guarantee.

We're fully self-contained — onboard generator, onboard water, propane smokers. We just need a flat spot to park.

75 guests is our minimum to make the on-site smoker setup worthwhile. Smaller events are better served by full-service catering with off-site smoking.

Yes — vinyl banners and magnetic decals are easy to add. Custom branded aprons for our team are also available with 4 weeks lead time.

Yes — drop-off catering and food truck bookings within a 10-mile radius of central North Port have no travel fee. Beyond that we charge a flat travel rate.

Yes — beach weddings are one of our specialties. We coordinate with the City of Venice for beach permitting and bring fully self-contained equipment that works on sand.

Yes. We've catered multiple weddings and private events at Selby and follow their preferred-vendor protocols.

Yes — Babcock Ranch is a frequent food truck booking and we've catered private events there. It's inside our free local delivery radius.

Yes — Manasota Beach and Englewood Beach weddings are a specialty. We coordinate beach permitting and have full self-contained beach setups.

Yes — Fishermen's Village is one of our regular food truck locations. We post our schedule on Instagram every Monday.