Elevated barbecue restaurant UNION72 to open at The Shops at Wiregrass in November

A new restaurant opening at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel is taking barbecue up a notch.

UNION72 plans to open in mid-November in a 2,000-square-foot space previously occupied by 100 Montaditos. It's located at 2000 Piazza Avenue, Suite 150, between Cantina Laredo and The Brass Tap.

Brass Tap founder Jeff Martin and fellow restaurateur Bharat Chhabria joined forces with Chef Geoff Zukosky to open UNION72. They declined to disclose their total investment in the restaurant.

"Wesley Chapel is a strong community with an affinity for innovative concepts," says Chhabria. "As an example, Martin's first Brass Tap is located in Wesley Chapel and is now a national chain."

The idea behind UNION72 was to create "an elevated barbecue experience," combining traditional barbecue techniques with modern culinary innovations, Chhabria says.

"Barbecue is inspiring because it is clean," he says. "With barbecue, it is difficult to hide the quality of the product and makes for a lean protein. It is also one of the faster-growing segments in the food industry today."
 
UNION72's menu emphasizes unique ingredients and fusions. There's "The Ribs," which are cooked Memphis-style, rubbed with a house-made dry rub and marinated overnight, then slow-cooked. For the more adventurous foodie, there are sandwiches like "The Conquistador," comprised of Spanish spiced slow-smoked pork, pulled and topped with chimichurri, caramelized onions and a fried egg.

The restaurant also offers house-made sauces, like white barbecue, sweet barbecue, smoked tomato barbecue, Brazilian barbecue and more.
 
Chhabria says the food represents worldwide inspiration, from American food trucks to Asian street vendors.
 
"The barbecue space has been lagging behind other concepts when it comes to adopting global flavors and spices," he explains. "Yet, meats are naturally suited to absorb flavors, rubs and seasonings. Such an elevated experience is already making its way across the country. UNION72 aims to be the first to launch the barbecue version in Tampa."
 
Restaurant hours will be Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. You can check out the menu online and follow the restaurant on Facebook.