For our initial installation of the Nona Food Challenge Series, let us first introduce ourselves. Two guys: Aaron Ferg is a well-known face in the food industry for many years who swears there is no meal or eating challenge he cannot stomach, and Matt Jones, who has eaten food every day for the past 30 years and loves spontaneous adventures. Our mission is to take on whatever random food or beverage challenge we can come up with, as well as ideas submitted by our readers. So what is our Nona BBQ Challenge? The answer to that question is simple: to dine at all of the popular BBQ joints within the area all within the same day. At each establishment we will order whatever the staff suggests is “the best,” and compare them all based on…well…any and all of our six senses (the 6th is seeing ghosts; just hoping not to have to use it). There really are no rules, especially when it comes to BBQ, which is what made this challenge so much fun.

First stop on the tour: Jimmy Bears BBQ, St. Cloud.

The walk up to Jimmy Bear’s gave us high hopes for the day. This place looks like a BBQ joint and has Southern charm to spare. The atmosphere inside is warm and inviting with just a touch of kitsch. Service is friendly and welcoming. When our server found out we were first timers, we were offered a sample of the ribs and brisket. The ribs were cooked well, tender and juicy with a nice touch of smoke. The brisket had good flavor, but the cut we had was just a touch on the dry side. Since we had already tried the brisket and ribs, we opted for the burnt ends entree and the Royal with Cheese. The burnt ends were perfect, juicy, fatty and loaded with flavor. Add in the smoked mac and cheese and the corn casserole, and we were in chubby kid heaven. The Royale with Cheese, a basket of fries with a heap of pulled pork and cheese sauce, was just as good – a glutton’s perfect afternoon snack. Bottom line: Quaint Southern BBQ shack with food that makes a drive to St. Cloud worthwhile.

Second stop: Meat and Fire BBQ, St. Cloud.

While our second stop doesn’t have the outside charm of the first, located in a strip mall off Narcoossee Road, the staff inside were just as welcoming. Concerned that we had eaten too much at the first stop and weren’t going to make it through the day, we decided to share the three-meat platter: sausage, ribs, and burnt ends with sweet potato souffle and collards. The sausage was good, with a casing that snaps with loads of flavor. The ribs were cooked nicely but could have used a bit more seasoning. They definitely needed sauce for flavor. The burnt ends were solid as well. Sides were a highlight of the meal, the sweet potato souffle was warm and fluffy, and the collards were cooked down to perfection. We also sampled the dessert case, which we found out featured desserts all cooked by the owner, Ms. Linda, who came out to talk to us. It features the likes of buckeyes, samoas, magic bars and Mt. Dew cake. Definitely save room for the sweets. Bottom line: Stop on in, and make sure to save room for dessert.

Third stop: Dickey’s BBQ, Lake Nona.

Dickey’s is a family-friendly barbeque franchise located on Narcoossee Road. Beyond the standard BBQ joint meats, the menu features tacos, sandwiches and even everyone’s favorite: Frito pie. The BBQ was delicious and their service was fast, which is great for those in a hurry. There is also free soft serve for dessert, which is a nice bonus, especially for families with little ones. Bottom line: Hot BBQ + cold ice cream = good! Pro Tip: Make a root beer float!

Final stop: Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa, Lake Nona.

One of the newest additions to the Nona dining scene, this highly anticipated Urban Barbakoa opened its second location in March. The staff at the counter were friendly and efficient. But the food is the absolute highlight of this restaurant. The ribs are about the best I’ve ever had, perfectly cooked with meat that pulls right off the bone. The brisket – more importantly, the bark on said brisket – is loaded with flavor and as good as it gets. For sides, go for the fried yuca and Mexican street corn. There is also a great selection of tacos and sandwiches that won’t disappoint. If you’re hungry, go for the Big Floyd. One other advantage Pig Floyd’s had over the others was an eclectic selection of beers, which would make any beer nerd happy. Bottom line: Go…NOW!

Final thoughts: All of these locations have something to offer. The atmosphere and down-home hospitality of Jimmy Bear’s (and the burnt ends), the friendly staff, scratch desserts and those collards at Meat and Fire, the Frito pie and free ice cream at Dickie’s and all the amazing flavors of Pig Floyd’s, ribs, brisket, yuca, tacos, we could go on and on. In case you were wondering, neither of us had to be hospitalized during or after this challenge… yet. But we will say, hitting up four BBQ joints in the same day should not be done in three hours, unless Netflix binging is in the plan for the rest of the day. So, head out tonight and try some BBQ in the Nonahood. Follow us next month when the Nona Food Challenge Duo tackles the best happy-hour pub crawl possible in Lake Nona!

If you can think of a local to the Lake Nona area food or beverage challenge you would like us to attempt, visit http://nonahood.to/foodchallenge