Salisbury's iconic Taylor’s BBQ moving to new location

By Susan Canfora
Posted 7/1/22

Taylor’s BBQ, known not only for its tasty beef, ready to pick up for a quick meal, but also for popular side dishes like potato salad, macaroni and cheese and wet cornbread, is moving from 720 …

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Salisbury's iconic Taylor’s BBQ moving to new location

Posted

Taylor’s BBQ, known not only for its tasty beef, ready to pick up for a quick meal, but also for popular side dishes like potato salad, macaroni and cheese and wet cornbread, is moving from 720 E. College Avenue to South Salisbury Boulevard.

The restaurant will settle into the former Vinny’s La Roma at 934 South Salisbury Boulevard, probably by the end of August or in early September, said Joey Calabrese, who owns Taylor’s with his parents, Kathy and Frank Calabrese, and brother Nick.

For awhile after owner Vinny Bellia closed in 2015, after 37 years in business, Agave Azul Restaurant was in that location, but also closed.

Opened in 1995, Taylor’s is relocating because the South Salisbury Boulevard location has more space and is in a prime location, Calabrese said.

“When we bought this restaurant from Jeanette and Rick Taylor, eight or nine years ago, we had our eyes out trying to move somewhere and doing something bigger with Taylor’s to keep the family spirit that the Taylors had and we have. We wanted to blow this place up, to make it the best version of barbecue it could possibly be and keep it a place where you want to come with your family,” he said.

Having Italian ancestry, he grew up interested in cooking. One of four boys, he was the one most likely to spend time in the kitchen and his mother predicted he would grow up to be a chef. Today, he is involved in some of the cooking at Taylor’s.

His wife, Abby, works with the family and Calabrese  hopes someday their two little girls will join the business. Francesca is 3 and Josie is 8 months old.

“We do a lot of holidays, caterings, here at Taylor’s. Christmas and Thanksgiving are huge for us. We cater parties. When people are celebrating we get to be part of it, like, ‘My son is coming home from college and we need your cornbread.’ We want to continue that and make this something that is the neighborhood spot. We are here so our customers can come in and grab a quart of this, a quart of that, on their way home for dinner but we also want to add a great dining experience. We will add new appetizers. We are toying with some ideas and also ideas for entrees. We have a great dessert selection and we will add a few other things. The bar will have craft beer and wine,” he said.

The menu will include items for vegetarians, from salads and beans in barbecue sauce to entrees.

Taylor’s could be open longer hours, but it isn’t yet certain. Currently, hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. The restaurant is closed on Sundays. “We are still kicking around the idea of being open seven days,” Calabrese said.

The inside of the former Vinny’s is being extensively remodeled and will have a different and fresh look. Outdoors, there will be seating and a game area with corn hole and bocce ball, maybe even ping pong.

“That outside area will be big and beautiful. The whole building will look different from the outside and inside we will have more seating. We’re extending the bar inside and outside, too, so there will probably be 20 or 30 more seats,” the co-owner said.

“People will be walking to the new location and riding their bikes. It’s a great neighborhood back there with a  rich history – Camden, Pine Bluff – the original Salisbury with the university,” he said.

“We are  really excited to bring Taylor’s to 13 Business. We will show our customers a great family environment. We are very excited for what is the next chapter in the Taylor’s history.”

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