Ray Lampe Will Open Squiki Tiki This December

The barbecue Hall of Famer brings a new dining concept to the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach.

Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Dining Out

Screen-print poster illustration of a bamboo tiki bar with thatched roof and string lights against a warm, coastal horizon. — Barbecue Hall of Famer Ray Lampe will open his new dining concept, Squiki Tiki, at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach this December. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Barbecue expert Ray Lampe will launch a new restaurant called Squiki Tiki at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach in December 2026. The venue will debut as part of a larger resort-wide refresh scheduled for the fall.

Why it matters

The restaurant aims to blend Lampe's established expertise in barbecue with the resort's hospitality offerings. It marks the chef's return to the regional dining scene following his previous tenure in St. Petersburg.

The restaurant will operate daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Patrons can preview the planned menu featuring ribs, pulled pork, and bao buns at the Savor St. Pete festival on Nov. 7-8.

The players

Ray Lampe

He is a barbecue Hall of Famer and author who previously operated the Dr. BBQ restaurant in St. Petersburg.

Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach

This resort is the location for the new Squiki Tiki restaurant and is undergoing a refresh in the fall of 2026.

The details

Squiki Tiki will feature a tropical aesthetic with bamboo accents, thatched roofing, and plush lounge seating illuminated by string lights. The menu curated by Ray Lampe includes St. Louis-style ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, burnt ends bao buns, and smoked shrimp summer rolls.

The Dr. BBQ restaurant in St. Petersburg operated from 2018 until 2022.
A property-wide refresh at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach is set for fall 2026.
The Savor St. Pete food and wine festival will take place on Nov. 7-8, 2026.
Squiki Tiki is scheduled to open at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach in December 2026.

Culture Shift

The project follows the broader industry trend of luxury resorts partnering with celebrity chefs to refresh their on-site dining offerings. This shift highlights a move toward curated, branded guest experiences rather than generic resort catering.

Residents and tourists can sample the upcoming menu offerings at the Savor St. Pete festival in early November. Once open, the new venue will provide guests with a daily dining option from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The takeaway

This new opening provides a high-profile option for visitors looking for specific barbecue styles within the resort environment. Guests planning trips for late 2026 should check the resort schedule to coordinate with the grand opening and ongoing property updates.