What’s better on a lazy, possibly slightly hung-over Sunday afternoon than indulging in some crazy-good food while enjoying a few high-quality hairs of the dog and some not-too-loud tuneage? This last summer, Chef Greg Baker, the Refinery crew and a variety of gifted local musicians made the most of their respective talents for a series of friendly, laid-back cookouts and acoustic quasi-shows on the buzzy Seminole Heights restaurant’s upstairs deck. Members of The Tim Version, Urbane Cowboys, Vagina Sore Jr. and others serenaded folks while plates of roasted pork and soul-food sides — all done in The Refinery’s consistently innovative fashion — were downed and chased with countless gallons of good beer. We’re looking forward to next summer’s slate of grooves and grub, but we’ll have to remember to get there early; by July, Pig Jam tended to be a pretty much standing-room-only affair. 5137 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-237-2000, thetamparefinery.com.
This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2012.