Shepard Barbecue and Taco Papi Opening Soon in Cargo West

When Brandon and Elizabeth Shepard learned that developer Leslie Smith was seeking tenants for his Cargo West food court, they knew the time had come for them to have a piece of the Wilmington market. And they didn’t commit to opening just one stall for their signature Shepard Barbecue concept, but also an additional one for Taco Papi, a taco stand featuring Oaxacan-style street tacos with smoked meats.

The Shepards’ journey to Cargo West began with their flagship location in Emerald Isle, which opened amid significant uncertainty in 2020. Shortly before the pandemic, Brandon Shepard decided to enter a small-town barbecue competition, not because he was terribly interested in competing, but just to see how his barbecue was received by those in the business.

“These guys came out with these huge rigs … and here’s Brandon with, you know, the little engine that could,” Elizabeth Shepard laughed. “They were laughing … making him feel like crap … but he ended up winning the whole competition!”

That win gave him the confidence to go all in, and he hasn’t looked back since.

But by the summer of 2021, not only were they selling out daily within a matter of hours, but they were invited by Food Network producers to be featured on Guy Fieri’s show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. When Fieri later extended the opportunity to cater for his family reunion, it sparked a lasting friendship and opened doors to participation in the South Beach Food & Wine Festival and Stagecoach.

While these opportunities to showcase their food at the national level have been cherished, the Shepards’ priority is to serve the Emerald Isle and Wilmington communities. Chef Brandon Shepard worked his way through many kitchens and held many positions before taking the leap of faith to cook the food that’s most important to him.

“I moved around a lot, trying to figure out what would bring me more purpose,” he said.

His deep culinary curiosity kept him pushing to elevate his flavors and techniques, but he became increasingly concerned that the fine-dining food he was putting out was only able to be enjoyed by a small segment of the population.

“I wanted to find something that was more accessible to everybody,” he said. “The kind of place my mom or my friend down the street can come and eat on a regular basis. So, it only made sense to do barbecue because that’s what’s been in my family, and it’s a part of African American culture.”

Brandon Shepard said one of the things he enjoys most about serving barbecue is looking out at a line of customers and seeing a guy in a suit talking to construction workers on their lunch break.

“It’s a great mixing pot,” he said. “I feel like it’s accessible to everyone, and everyone has memories related to barbecue.”

From brisket, ribs and pulled pork to turkey and house-seasoned pork sausage, all of Shepard Barbecue and Taco Papi’s meats are wood-smoked on-site – even in the Cargo District – for 16-plus hours. There are easier ways to do it with gas or electric smokers, but for the Shepards, that’s just not an option. Someone is there round-the-clock, adding more wood every 30-45 minutes, tending the fire.

“We definitely do it the hard way, but the difference is night and day,” Brandon Shepard said.

The barbecue menu will be similar to what’s currently served in Emerald Isle, with rotating specials and sides such as pimento cheese mac and cheese, coleslaw, pit beans, collard greens and potato salad. Everything will be available as a plate or sandwich or by the pound, and they will remain open until they sell out for the day.

“Sometimes we’ve sold out in 45 minutes, and that can make for some unhappy customers,” Brandon Shepard said. “But you never know how much someone is going to buy, and we can only make so much each day with a 16-plus hour cooking process. It’s not like we can just throw another hamburger on the grill.”

Taco Papi, which is scheduled to open a few weeks after Shepard Barbecue, will feature primarily smoked-meat tacos (reminiscent of those found on Smoke Alley in Oaxaca) served on corn tortillas brought in directly from Masienda, a Oaxacan producer of tortillas made with heirloom masa harina.

Whether it’s a smoked brisket, pork sausage crafted in partnership with Cheshire Pork or the wide variety of house-made barbecue sauces designed to please every palate, the Shepards prioritize quality and flavor. Even the wood they use is carefully selected and treated with care.

“Right now, we’re using red oak, but I’m always looking for new sources for white oak, hickory and pecan, which is my very favorite,” Brandon Shepard said. “The wood has to be perfectly dry, which adds another element of difficulty, and sourcing has remained difficult ever since the pandemic.”

Pending final inspections, Shepard Barbecue is expected to open within the next couple of weeks, shortly followed by Taco Papi. Shepard will be open Wednesday through Sunday, starting at 11 a.m., and Taco Papi will be open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner, starting at 11 a.m. Follow both on social media for opening announcements.