Pearl Country Store & Barbecue — Restaurant in Micanopy

We visited the Pearl Country Store and BBQ, in the spring of 2025. We found the name of country store and BBQ to be very different from the image the name implied. When we think country store, we think more like Cracker Barrel and such with lots of different items for sale. Whereas we found Pearl Country Store and BBQ to be just another gas station and convenience store that also sells hot food. [ ] But in this case, some of the food available is some pretty tasty BBQ. As always, folks will have different opinions on taste, quality and price. But we tried Brisket and pulled pork sandwiches. In which we found to be quite good. We both also ordered sides of fries, which were only OK. But we were not there for the fries. I knew I should have gone with baked beans or Mac and cheese. Although to be fair, the regular or medium size brisket sandwich would have been enough for me. The wife said the same about her small sized pulled pork sandwich. I didn’t try other items like breakfast or other options , so I will not comment on them. But the BBQ was good. I also purchased a fountain soda, which uses a styrofoam cup. So it stayed nice and cold throughout and after our lunch. I did find the prices to be a little on the high side for what we got, but not drastically so. And as I said, peoples opinions will differ. We opted not to eat inside, but instead chose the outside dining option. In this case, you tell them when ordering and they pack the food to go. Then you just walk across the parking lot to the nice shady picnic table area. I think there were five tables with umbrellas to choose from. Although fairly close to the road, it was decently shielded from autos and the noise of vehicular traffic. We had a nice lunch with other folks and a nice breeze to keep things cool.There is a nice smoker wagon there as well, where they cook the meats. We also had a very nice chicken who visited us, looking for handouts. All in all, a nice lunch. I probably would not have chosen the outside option in July or August. Maybe not in December either, but who knows. But for us it was very nice. Like I said earlier, do keep in mind that this is basically just a gas station with a convenience store, that happens to also offer hot food. So this is by no means five star dining. But if you’re OK with a nice down home no frills country meal. Then by all means, stop in and give them a try. I would suggest getting there early, since they got pretty busy after noon when we were still there. I guess that’s also...

My husband and I haul travel trailers and 5th wheels across the country and get to eat at a lot of places. We dropped a camper off just northeast of Tampa, FL and were driving north on I-75 when we were getting hangry and going back and forth about what to eat. We're from New Mexico and he's super picky so it's not easy! Then, all of a sudden I start smelling something amazing coming from the trees... BBQ... "Take the next exit" I told him. So he takes the exit and there's not really much there except a gas station and a strip club named -Cafe Risque (Which, by the way comes up under restaurants in the Google) so we pull into the parking lot and search for Pearls because we saw a tiny sign that said "Pearls Barbeque". The search shows it's 3 miles up the road, into the woods, in a place we don't know, in a town we've never heard of, on a back country road, next to a strip club.... "Let's go!, It smelled amazing" I said. When we pull up to this old bank looking building that is now a gas station, my husband is hesitant because he didn't smell what I had. But, when we walked in we were greeted with the overwhelming smell of heaven in a convenience store. The store smelled like they literally smoked everything in the room itself. The brisket and pulled pork were tender, juicy and just smoky enough to get the flavor jets wanting more. On the pork they leave the thin fat layer that has the rub on it when they chop it up, so every bite has a different taste because you get a different amount of seasoning. The mac and cheese.....well you'll just...

I had wanted to check out this place for a long time based on the great reviews, and we finally got the chance while visiting the area. It’s a store/restaurant inside a gas station. We arrived around 4 p.m. on a Saturday, and parking was limited.

As we entered, we were a bit skeptical about what to expect. The interior is old and rustic. Both the lady taking orders and the cashier were not particularly friendly, but they were polite and helpful—which, to me, added to the interesting vibe!

Here’s how it works: you order the food and get a receipt, pick any fountain drink (any size or flavor) you want, then go to the store cashier at the front to pay. Drinks come with free refills. After that, you sit, and they bring the food to your table.

We ordered one brisket plate with French fries and baked beans, and one combo plate of ribs and brisket with slaw and baked beans. As we waited, people kept coming in for takeout, while a few, like us, chose to dine in. You’ll see all types of people and all ages here!

The first thing we noticed about our plates was the huge portions of both meat and sides. We were super hungry, yet we couldn’t finish everything and had to take some home. The brisket (already chopped) was delicious, though a bit on the dry side. The ribs were good—not fall-off-the-bone tender, but full of flavor. The baked beans were awesome, and I loved the slaw—it was made with vinegar instead of mayo.

Overall, the food was great, and we made sure to compliment the cooks—they deserved it! Don’t let the appearance of the place...