A Baker’s Dozen of Smoke, Fat and Flavor

Richmond is not a stop on the barbecue circuit, that near-mythic tour that extends westward from the Carolinas toward Memphis, St. Louis and Kansas City; south into Texas; and, some say, into Alabama and Charleston, South Carolina. But just wait.

Quietly and humbly, the Richmond region has evolved into a stronghold of quality ’cue, with, by my recent reckoning, no less than five top-tier destinations deserving of both critical scrutiny and passionate community support — along with eight others including three just outside the region, that are some standouts.

That number only figures to get stronger, as the recent, promising arrivals of Piedmont Smokehouse in Goochland and ZZQ in Scott’s Addition serve notice that Richmonders are just as serious about the union of smoke, fat and tang as they are about the marriage of hops and grains. With any luck, more proud and persnickety purists will come forward to leave their hickory-scented mark on an exciting and rapidly growing scene.

TOP 5

Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue

1119 N. Boulevard, 804-355-6055; 8205 W. Broad St., 804-346-4227

The barbecue purists like to snark that Richmond has no defined, regional style, that the ’cue here represents a synthesis of many styles. But there are many joints out there with a defined style but mediocre (and worse) food. What matters is the meat, and on that score, this oldster of the scene, with two area locations, continues to thrill, with some of the region’s best ribs (the ultimate in barbecuing, no matter what the brisketologists say). Note the finely developed bark on top, dark and crusty. Note the tender penetration of pink smoke throughout. Note the way the meat pulls away just enough but not too much. Glorious.

Don’t miss: The selection of bourbons by the cash register. If you can’t quite indulge — get a generous splash in your Coke for a few bucks.

Take note: With Movieland just a block away from the original location, this is the ideal pre- and post-show place to come and chow.

Fun fact: Buz is Buz Grossberg. Ned? There is — shhh — no Ned.

Extra Billy’s

1110 Alverser Drive, Midlothian, 804-379-8727

The vintage signs and the metal tools dangling from the ceiling give you the sense you’re in the hands of a place that reveres the enduring, elemental things, the verities of craft. Fortunately, what follows makes good on that unspoken promise, and, with the help of a friendly and capable staff, you settle in for a meal of simple satisfaction. If no one element stands out, that’s not a knock; if anything, it’s a testament to the strength of the kitchen across the board, which seems to be equally adept at ribs and pulled pork, and which demonstrates its vigilance at the stove in its many tasty sides.

Take note: Don’t overfocus; order a plate of two or three meats, and glory in the attractive feast that arrives.

Don’t miss: Lots of places serve prepared coleslaw, or doctor it and put it out. This one stands out — thanks to great crunch, tang and creaminess.

TOP 5

ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque

3201 W. Moore St., 804-528-5648

It might look, from the outside, like an old roadside joint, but inside, ZZQ is all clean lines, varnished wood and studied intentions. Which is befitting of a venture that sprang from the mind of two architects — owners and spouses Chris Fultz and Alex Graf. Fultz is a Texan, and the operation is a paean to the smoked meat markets that originated with the German-settled culture of central Texas, most notably the brisket, a black-barked log that glistens obscenely under the heat lamps as slices are carved right in front of you.

Don’t miss: The burnt ends — the bits that, seemingly charred beyond saving, are kept for those who know to ask for the single most delicious thing in the house.

Take note: The brisket, for all its rich lusciousness, could stand more seasoning of its bark.

WORTH A DRIVE

Pierce’s Pitt Bar-B-Que

447 E. Rochambeau Drive, Williamsburg, 757-565-2955

“Pitt?” you wonder, pulling over as you head toward Williamsburg, unable to resist the lure of smoke rising up from the roadside. A typo, the guy at the counter says, not sheepishly. Fortunately, these infelicities, suggestive of an inattention to detail, vanish once you dig into the mound of pulled pork. The long, rich strands, brought in from a massive smoker parked out front, are reason enough to make the hour trip.

For future reference: Get a couple pounds of pulled pork and sauce, and, once you reach Colonial Williamsburg, set up a picnic.

Skippable: The ribs. A place that thrives at pulled pork often doesn't deliver when it comes to ribs, and vice versa. This is one.

WORTH A DRIVE

Saucy’s BBQ

257 E. Bank St., Suite C, Petersburg, 804-504-3075

The pleasure of coming here is not in one or two things, it’s in the gestalt — the open, industrial-chic room, the wide selection of local and national craft beers, the friendly and engaging staff, and the kitchen’s generosity of spirit, as evidenced by the bountiful, camera-ready sandwiches and attractively presented plates. The ribs, on a recent visit, were not particularly flavorful, and, unlike their superiors elsewhere, they can’t stand naked. But give these thick and meaty bones the slathering of sauce they need, and there’s pleasure to be had.

Don’t miss: You can find some of the best beers in the region here, on tap and beautifully preserved.

Skippable: The cornbread, which, a server explained one day, is Northern-style, i.e., the sweeter, cakier variety. We’re in the South: Why? Why?

Smohk

3112 W. Leigh St., 804-278-6326

Every restaurant needs something with which to distinguish itself. At this tiny, all-but-takeout shop tucked away in an alley in Scott’s Addition, that distinguishing characteristic is gigantism. A half rack of ribs arrives as a huge, heaping mound, each bone the size of a toddler’s arm. Bigger, in barbecue, seldom means better, but these, fortunately, are handled with care — the meat bearing the mark of gentle smoking, the fat rendered nicely. A dip through one of the accompanying sauces — like the tomato-based version shot through with apple — makes each bite more vivifying.

Don’t miss: The pit crew smokes rib-eye, slices it thin and serves it with a tasty au jus.

Take note: A half rack, given the Flintstonian proportions, is the equivalent of a full rack elsewhere. Adjust accordingly.

TOP 5

Piedmont Smokehouse

2030 Broad Street Road, Maidens, 804-972-4070

This Goochland newcomer’s rustic, roadside location is not just richly evocative but also, and more crucially, perfect for open-pit cooking, producing thick clouds of smoke that seem to hover permanently over the establishment, like a benedictory cloud. What matters most, though, is the devoted pit master — owner Chris McPherson — who pays obsessive attention to the details, tossing some oak into his hickory-burning fire (the latter wood, he says rightly, can be a little harsh) and working to beautifully balance his sauces. Though let it be said that his gorgeous pulled pork, rich and ropy and flecked with char, sure as hell doesn’t need it.

Don’t miss: The cornbread. Not too sweet, never dry, rich, but not greasy. Perfection.

Take note: No factory buns here; McPherson sources them from La Bella Vita bakery in Ashland, and then, he griddles them, making for a sandwich in which each and every element sings.

TOP 5

Q Barbeque

2077 Walmart Way, Midlothian, 804-897-9007; 1070 Virginia Center Parkway, Glen Allen, 804-261-7227; 13800 Fribble Way, Midlothian, 804-818-3583

Don’t be fooled by the cute piggy logo or the three locations scattered across the region — there’s nothing corporate or soulless about this place. This is conscientious, passionately prepared backwoods barbecue, full of deep, slowly developed flavors. It just so happens that they’re served up in the cheery confines of a suburban strip mall. The pit master is Tuffy Stone, who has done his time on the barbecue circuit and, of late, become an author, penning a cookbook detailing his approach to smoking meats. But, with all apologies to Tuffy, you don’t need a book to tell you the man’s philosophy and his methods. All you need is one bite.

Don’t miss: Ribs are the thing here. Stone favors St. Louis style — meaty, but not overly so. Everything is in proportion, everything is in balance.

For future reference: You can get ribs to go, even, if you want, halfway cooked, so that you can finish them yourself.

Deep Run Roadhouse

12379 Gayton Road, 804-740-6301, ext. 1; 309 N. Laurel St., 804-740-6301, ext. 2

It doesn’t quite nab a spot in the top tier, but Deep Run Roadhouse is still a solid contender, its strengths spread as evenly across its inviting and varied menu as its soundtrack roams across the decades. Brisket is hyped in-house, but it’s the ribs and pulled pork you’re here for. The former are not remarkable for any one thing — smoke, savor or size — but they manage to hit, to varying degrees, all of the necessary marks. The pulled pork is of good quality, too, though it needs a few shots of one of the sauces to really show out.

Take note: Those sauces are uniformly strong, one of the best selections in the area.

Don't miss: The eminently Instagrammable Train Wreck, a gloriously inglorious pileup of mac and cheese, cowboy beans, and cornbread, with your choice of meat perched on top.

WORTH A DRIVE

The Barbecue Exchange

102 Martinsburg Ave., Gordonsville, 540-832-0227

This isn’t the only place that proudly, boastfully camps its smoker outside for all to see. This isn’t the only place that sends aromatic clouds wafting over the parking lot, making mouths water. But it is the only place that’s putting out pulled pork as good as this, with its tight and seamless weave of tenderness, smokiness, juiciness, tanginess and mouth-filling lusciousness. If you have to be in Charlottesville, then by all means plan for a pit stop in Gordonsville. But personally, I would make the drive out even if I only planned to turn right around and head back to Richmond.

For future reference: The restaurant is 10 minutes from the excellent Horton Vineyards. Wine and barbecue? Ordinarily, no, but Horton’s Norton, the grape cultivated by Richmond doctor Daniel Norton in the early 19th century, is big enough, fruity enough, and earthy enough to pair with rich and heavy ’cue.

Smoke Pit Grill

9074 Staples Mill Road, 804-977-1200

Of all the many ’cue joints in the region, this Henrico strip-mall spot from longtime competition-circuit competitor Gordon Taylor offers up one of the most beguiling and fun menus (lychee sangria! chicharonnes nachos!) and arguably the most appealing dining room, festooned as it is with works of art. There are issues with consistency, but when it’s good, as a certain sly and sexy showwoman used to say, it’s very good. On a recent visit, that meant the pulled pork sandwich, with flavors that had been earned the right way, over time, through slow, careful coaxing. Add a few spoonfuls of coleslaw, hit it with a few dashes of the tangy sweet red sauce and you have something soul-stirring.

Don’t miss: The collards, which are remarkable for not relying on ham hock or other pork products for their developed flavors.

For future reference: There’s live music every Saturday.

Carter’s Pig Pen Bar-B-Que

8011 Cold Harbor Road, Mechanicsville, 804-730-3616

A staffer let slip that Carter’s meats go into the smoker at 8 a.m. and come out at 3 p.m., which means that if you hit this shack at 1, you’re eating something that was smoked yesterday and finished today on the grill. The quality, otherwise, is there — even in a Jekyll-and-Hyde rack of ribs, half of which are gloriously pink and tender, half of which are dry. The pulled pork, on the other hand, emerges seemingly unaffected, with juicy, smoky threads that need only the barest application of sauce.

Don’t miss: The picnic table and stand-alone table outside. There’s a room inside to eat, but it’s small and cramped and, unfortunately, unevocative.

Skippable: The cornbread. Save your calories for the meats.

TOP 5

Alamo BBQ

2202 Jefferson Ave., 804-592-3138

One of the city’s most venerated joints, a valentine to Texas barbecue, Alamo has watched, of late, as a slew of ambitious contenders have come forward, making for a crowded and increasingly competitive scene. To say that Alamo is holding steady is to somehow stint it. This remains one of the most rewarding stops on the regional tour. And a visit on a hot summer’s night, sitting at one of the outdoor picnic tables, feasting and getting sticky-fingered, is both a way to stop time and celebrate it.

Don’t miss: The sauce, which is equal parts acidic and sweet — one generous shake of it will elevate any bite.

Take note: The thick slices of slow-smoked brisket are, for many patrons, the draw, but Alamo’s delicately pink-rimmed ribs are just as good.