An old Miami barbecue place survived an earlier fire. Can it bounce back from a new one?
As kitchen workers prepped for the day, a major fire broke out Friday at the Original Uncle Tom’s Barbecue restaurant , sending thick smoke and flames through the roof.
Fire crews from Miami and Miami-Dade descended on the restaurant and quickly got the blaze under control.
The extent of the damage isn’t yet clear at the restaurant, originally opened in 1948 by Thomas Fantis.
Friday’s fire wasn’t the first there. In 2013, new owners tried to reopen the barbecue joint — with help from the Fantis family — in the same location it had been for decades. Just before it was set to open, the restaurant’s old grill caught fire, delaying the opening until 2014.
According to the restaurant’s website, Fantis “created a world famous sauce that to date could not be duplicated.”
“With help from his family, we have vowed to bring that sauce and authentic BBQ back,” the owners said. “Our motto is ‘Taking it back 70 Years!’”
Miami Fire Rescue Capt. Ignatius Carroll said no one was injured in Friday’s fire. The cause is under investigation.
No one at the restaurant could be reached for comment.
This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 2:59 PM.
