Our Story
The People Behind
the Smoke.
J News BBQ Grill is a family kitchen on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg, run by Johnny Newsome. The pit gets lit early, the brisket goes on the night before, and the sides get made by hand the same way they've always been made.
It's barbecue and it's soul food, and around here those were never two different things. Ribs, brisket, and smoked sausage share the board with oxtails, short ribs, turkey wings, and peach cobbler — cooked the way your mama and her mama did it, because that's who the recipes came from.
The catering side, J-New & Mom's Catering, grew out of the same kitchen. Same food, same hands, just more of it.
How We Cook
Three things we don't compromise on, no matter how busy the window gets.
Oak and Cherry — Never Gas
Every cut goes over real wood. No gas assist, no liquid smoke, no shortcuts. If it tastes smoked, it's because it was smoked.
14+ Hours on the Brisket
Brisket sits in the smoker overnight and then some. You can rush a lot of things in a kitchen. This isn't one of them.
Family Recipes, Made by Hand
Every sauce, every rub, every side is made from scratch off recipes that came down through the family — not out of a bag.
Come See Us
Address
3730 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
Hours
Thu: 12:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Fri–Sun: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Mon–Wed: Closed
Phone
(727) 851-9077Serving St. Petersburg and all of Tampa Bay — Soul Food in Tampa Bay · BBQ near Seminole Heights