My Favorite Texas-Style Barbecue Trays of 2023

December 29, 2023: It had been five years since I visited one of the first and best outposts of true Texas-style barbecue in the country. ZZQ in Richmond was born as a pop-up in 2014. Just a few years before, Texas native Chris Fultz tempted Alex Graf out of vegetarianism with a brisket he’d smoked, and now they’re partners in life and business. Their pit room is equipped with smokers from Austin Smoke Works. Fultz spritzing the black bark of the briskets and wrapping them in butcher paper looks like a scene out of a Texas pit room. The smoked sausages are excellent, and even the chicken quarters stay juicy into the afternoon hours when the ribs are already sold out. For the smoked burger you’ll have to go next door to their new concept, Eazzy Burger, for the Big Iron burger with smoked cheddar, bacon, and a smoked tomato jam.

texas monthly

14 Best BBQ Restaurants In The U.S.

May 28, 2023: Despite being located far from the Lone Star State, ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque in Richmond, Virginia, has mastered the art of Texas-style barbecue. Using sustainably raised meats and time-honored techniques, this unique establishment serves up mouthwatering brisket, sausage, and ribs, all cooked low and slow for that perfect smoky flavor…

travel awaits

The Perfect Weekend Travel Guide for Your First Visit to Richmond, Virginia

May 8, 2023: A little bit of Texas in Virginia, ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque is a solid choice for Texans missing brisket, links, and Texas sheet cake. All the familiar tropes are here, like the line that forms well before opening, the butcher paper plates, ordering by the pound, and plenty of stickers and memorabilia from other Texas-style joints (I spotted stickers from Jon G’s and Interstellar – let me know if you spot any of your faves!). You know the drill: order your favorite side of the brisket and find a table to indulge. It takes hours to make but disappears in moments…

wayward blog

The 13 Best Restaurants in Richmond, Virginia

November 3, 2022: If you can actually get your hands on some of the more popular entrees and cuts of meat from ZZQ, then count yourself lucky. The joint has been a staple in the brewery-heavy neighborhood of Scott's Addition for almost five years and consistently sells out of its perfectly smoked and seasoned brisket, pulled pork and ribs. Order up a sandwich or some meat (sold by the pound) as well as sides like the jalapeño macaroni and cheese and greens, frequently found on the plates of regular diners. The long lines can feel intimidating, but ZZQ founders Chris Fultz and Alex Graf lead a team that's got the flow down to a science. Patrons say they understand the hype and that the long lines are worth it for the delicious food and generous portions…

U.S. News & World Report

The Best Barbecue in Every State

August 24, 2022: The casual disinterest in the specifics of American barbecue's origins is perhaps one of the most American things about barbecue culture. Who cares, you're thinking—where's the beef? Joe Haynes' 2016 book Virginia Barbecue: A History makes the fact-based case, rather ardently, for the cradle of modern American civilization (you know, Jamestown, 1634, and all that) as the birthplace of Southern barbecue, back before it splintered, like so many Baptist denominations, into an array of regional styles…

food & wine

Richmond Writes Its Next Chapter

July 21, 2022: Richmond's vast brewery scene is an incubator for great food concepts, and my lunch stop was birthed at Ardent Craft Ales before opening its full-fledged restaurant in the Scott's Addition neighborhood. ZZQ boasts a true taste of Texas deep in the heart of Virginia. Owners Chris Fultz Alex Graf have five massive smokers churning out the most tender and flavorful meats you've ever tasted…

where y’at

A nonstop flight away, Richmond reckoning with history across arts and culture scene

July 7, 2022: Another Charleston connection arises in the Richmond food and beverage scene. Texas barbecue joint ZZQ uses a smoker built by the father of John Lewis of Lewis Barbecue.

“He has four and we have one,” said co-owner Alex Graf during a particularly filling, delicious lunch. “It’s 107 degrees in there right now, and it can get up to 130. In other words, it’s pretty cozy in the winter.” …

the post and courier

18 Essential Restaurants in Richmond, Virginia

June 13, 2022: If it’s been a minute since you’ve made the trip down I-95 to Richmond, now is the time to return. Dine near the scenic James River, pick up natural wines at newcomer Celladora, and soak up the culture of Richmond’s arts and museum districts. It’s easy to stay well fed in Richmond thanks to these 18 essential restaurants, which represent just a snapshot of the the stellar food and hospitality River City has to offer…

eater washington dc

Meet ‘Pitmistress’ Alex Graf of ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque

June 5, 2022: Attracting droves of brisket-loving fans throughout the South, the renowned serve-til-they-sell-out establishment of ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque in Richmond, Virginia is the brainchild of husband-wife duo Alex Graf and Chris Fultz. ZZQ is inspired by the flavors and tradition of central Texas — and it’s a testament to Alex and Chris’s love and passion for both each other and “the pit.”…

styleblueprint

The Foodie Travel Guide to Richmond: Where to Eat, Drink, and Stay: Virginia's capital city is a magnet for booze and barbecue lovers.

May 26, 2022: The once-industrial Scott’s Addition neighborhood is the place to spend an afternoon—it’s now home to nearly a dozen breweries, cideries, and distilleries within strolling distance. The thoughtfully brewed stouts and saisons at Ardent Craft Ales (3200 W. Leigh St.) are best enjoyed in its beer garden, which overlooks the Texas-inspired barbecue oasis ZZQ (3201 W. Moore St.). Try Ardent’s IPA X before heading next door for a platter of juicy brisket, buttermilk potato salad, and blackstrap collards…

washingtonian

The 57 American Barbecue Joints You Need to Visit Right Now

May 25, 2022: ZZQ Richmond, Virginia
The Lone Star State’s barbecue style is perhaps the most exported of any region so it’s natural to be skeptical of imitators, but Richmond’s ZZQ is the real deal, started by a native Austinite (raised in Mesquite), who honors his home state by cooking some of the best brisket you’ll find outside its boundaries. Smoked over white oak, the brisket is coated in salt, pepper, and a few other herbs and spices. Still, this is Virginia, so the pulled pork shoulder is finished with an Eastern North Carolina/Southern Virginia vinegar sauce, and sides that use produce from nearby farms, which might be a tomato pie or Cajun creamed corn…

THRILLEST

30 Best Things to Do in Richmond, VA (for First-Timers)

February 1, 2022: You’ll find plenty of amazing BBQ joints in Richmond, and one of the most famous is ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque on W. Moore Street. While Virginia is no stranger to good BBQ, finding Texas BBQ is not something that is as common so we encourage you to head there, enjoy some tasty meat from pitmaster Chris Fultz (a native Texan) and his pitmistress, Alex Graf, and continue the rest of your Richmond trip on a full stomach!…

VIRGINIA TRAVEL TIPS

50 Restaurants We Love

December 27, 2021: A trip to ZZQ is a nonstop thrill. Senses are ignited as the smells of smoked meats greet visitors, and anticipation builds, as does the line, while waiting to load up a tray of brisket and sides. On any day, you’ll surely spot pitmaster Chris Fultz and partner Alex Graf, aka “Orange,” graciously holding down the fort…

richmond magazine

ZZQ co-owner Alex Graf is chosen to take part in a James Beard Foundation women’s leadership program

November 30, 2021: ZZQ co-owner Alex Graf was on vacation when she got the call she’d been waiting for. The voice on the other end informed Graf that she, out of over 100 applicants across the country, had been chosen as one of 21 women to participate in the James Beard Foundation’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership program. Offered in conjunction with Cornell University, the 10-week program offers continued training and educational opportunities for women business owners in the hospitality industry. Graf, who is nicknamed “Orange” and serves as “pitmistress” and a friendly face at the Scott’s Addition smokehouse, says she was elated…

richmond magazine

The Best Restaurants in Richmond

October 22, 2021: Although Richmond is traditionally in the pork barbecue belt, native Texan and self-taught pitmaster Chris Fultz has brought the Lone Star state to ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque in Scott’s Addition. Focused on the Texas trinity of 'cue — brisket, ribs and sausage links — here the meat can be bought by the pound or stuffed into over-the-top sandwiches. Hungry loners can tackle The Tres Hombres sandwich, a one-pound behemoth made with brisket, pork shoulder and beef sausage. Better yet, bring friends, sit in the outdoor patio and dive into the sampler platter, a huge tasting of everything on the menu, including homemade sides, like jalapeno mac and cheese, that are as decadent as the mains…

FOOD NETWORK

22 Essential Restaurants in Richmond, Virginia

June 30, 2021: When a trip to Texas isn’t possible, ZZQ offers a close substitute with its marbled brisket and massive beef ribs. The Tres Hombres sandwich — a mountain of chopped brisket, pulled pork, and sausage — favors the bold. But try to save a little room for the classic banana pudding, too.

EATER WASHINGTON DC

Spotlight: Alex Graf

June 18, 2021: A 25-year RVA resident, the pitmistress and co-owner of ZZQ unearths her adoration for everything from roller derby to local institutions

richmond magazine

The 41 American Barbecue Joints You Need to Try Right Now

May 27, 2021: You know the old saying: You can take the Texan out of Texas... The Lone Star State’s barbecue style is perhaps the most exported of any region so it’s natural to be skeptical of imitators, but Richmond’s ZZQ is the real deal, started by a native Austinite (raised in Mesquite), who honors his home state by cooking some of the best brisket you’ll find outside its boundaries. The three, 1,000-gallon offset pits are imported from Austin Smoke Works and burn local white oak (traditional post oak would be “inauthentic to the region”). The brisket rub is spiked with a few other herbs, but it doesn’t deviate too far from the coarse black pepper and salt standard. Still, this is Virginia, so the pulled pork shoulder is finished with an Eastern North Carolina/Southern Virginia vinegar sauce, and sides include tomato pie and Cajun creamed corn that use produce from nearby farms.

THRILLIST

7 Best Day Trips From Washington, D.C.

May 16, 2021: It might sound odd to escape from one city just to go to another one, but Richmond feels a world away from D.C., even though it’s just 100 miles south. Visiting Richmond feels like being transported to the South: Everything moves just a little bit slower, people smile more easily, and the main thoroughfare through the city, Monument Avenue, is framed by elaborate homes with wide front porches and rows of stately shade trees. You’ll find Southern classics from fried chicken and grits to sweet tea as options at both casual and fancy restaurants throughout town. (My favorite: Lillie Pearl, a modern Southern spot in Richmond’s downtown.) Those aren’t the only culinary options, though. Richmond has recently gained a reputation as a foodie destination, with top spots such as Longoven, which Food & Wine named the best restaurant in the South, and ZZQ, with its award-winning smoked meats…

travel awaits

The Best Barbecue Place in Each State

May 07, 2021: ZZQ started life as an upstart backyard operation but they've grown into the pride and joy of the Richmond BBQ scene. Steadfastly dedicated to combining the best of Central Texas and Central Virginia, they are famed for their divine beef brisket and a prime rib that will change everything you thought you knew about prime rib. Yes, you may be in RVA but your taste buds will be in CTX.

TRAVEL PULSE

10 Reasons Why Richmond, Virginia Is A Hidden Culinary Gem

March 16, 2021: This casual joint is proof positive you don’t have to be in Texas to score some seriously solid barbeque. Because at ZZQ, it isn’t just about tender, dry-rubbed brisket. There’s also racks of peppery ribs, and smoky, spicy sausages. (Fun fact: the three meats are widely known as the Texas Trinity.) And the side dishes, like the collards cooked with blackstrap molasses, hot sauce, and bacon, are so flavorful they stand out on their own.

FORBES

The 50 Best Barbecue Joints In America

March 14, 2021: ZZQ combines the classic Texan flavors with influences from central Virginia, to produce and authentic barbecue experience. Pit masters Chris Fultz and Alex Graf founded ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque in 2013. They open Wed – Sun from 11am and carry on until the meat is all gone.

travioso

ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque: A barbecue-obsessed couple brings authentic Texas-style smoked meats to Richmond, Virginia.

January 6, 2021: It all started with Mabel. The petite offset meat smoker designed by Texas native Chris Fultz could only feed so many people. This was back in 2013, when Fultz and partner Alex Graf began a pop-up barbecue operation in conjunction with the brewpub next door to their current restaurant….

FOODIE.SYSCO.COM

Top 50: The Best BBQ in America

December 2, 2020: #10 ZZQ in Virginia: White-oak smoked spiced brisket is the hottest item on the menu at ZZQ, and it’s cooked to such perfection that you’ll wonder why you waited so long to make it out to Richmond just to try it. Even though the owner here is a Texas-native, they add a Virginian spin to all of their BBQ, creating one of the most unique, superb tastes in BBQ at the moment.

bigseventraveL.com

The 15 Best Restaurants in Richmond

November 11, 2020: Texas native Chris Fultz opened this barbecue hotspot in 2018 to immediate acclaim from smoked meat connoisseurs across the south. While traditional Carolinean pulled pork is on the menu, brisket is the star of the show here, and the “Texas trinity” of brisket, a half a rack of spare ribs and several links of house-made sausages tends to sell out fast. Meats are sold by the pound, alongside a few sandwich options, side dishes like jalapeño mac and cheese, and a daily selection of desserts. And yes, the restaurant’s name pays homage to legendary Texas rock band ZZ Top.

tripsavvy.com

Food & Wine: The Best Barbecue in Every State

While this year has been devastating for restaurants, American barbecue remains as resilient and exciting as ever. We're celebrating the people and places that are hanging on, spectacularly… Whether it’s confidence or ambivalence, who knows, but this casual relationship with tradition has left classic Virginia barbecue (pork, pork, and more pork) to fade into the background somewhat, leaving newer arrivals to the state with plenty of room to create a new kind of barbecue culture altogether. This explains how Richmond fell in love with Chris Fultz and Alex Graf, the husband and wife team behind ZZQ, which began as a backyard pop-up in 2011, growing up to become a pinch-me-am-I-dreaming temple to the Central Texas style, open for just over two years now, and already an absolute Virginia essential. All the standards are well up to speed, starting with some of the finest brisket on the Eastern Seaboard, but Austin native Fultz, using local oak, smokes up some transcendent beef ribs, and prime rib, as well.

food & wine

20 Essential Restaurants for Takeout and Delivery in Richmond

August 28, 2020: Richmond is a city in the midst of change. The monuments to Confederate Civil War leaders that have dotted Monument Avenue for a century are coming down, one by one. Richmond businesses, one by one, are navigating the reality of operating through a global pandemic…

eater

Best & Worst 2020: Food & Drink

August 24, 2020: Best BBQ: ZZQ

Selected as one of the best new barbecue restaurants in the South by Garden & Gun magazine and Best BBQ in Virginia by Food & Wine, the accolades keep pouring in for ZZQ. “We were blessed from the beginning with an incredible community that reciprocates our love by supporting us and sharing their love of ZZQ with others,” says co-owner and pitmaster Chris Fultz…

RICHMOND MAGAZINE

9 of the Most Surprising Cities in the U.S.

August 2020: Richmond is one of the nation’s oldest cities, but you’d never know it. That’s because red brick colonial buildings blend seamlessly with inspired street art, creative boutiques, and hip eateries…Eat, drink, be merry: This here’s an eatin’ town, so come hungry. Brenner Pass and Restaurant Adarra showcase cuisine from the Alpine and Basque regions, respectively; Alewife deep dives on sustainable mid-Atlantic seafood; ZZQ smokes up plates of ’cue so authentic they’d make Texans weep…

AFAR MAGAZINE

The best BBQ joints in the United States

July 28, 2020: ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque comes courtesy of coupled-up pitmasters Chris Fultz and Alex Graf, architects by trade who stumbled onto the Richmond scene when the former – a Texas expat – set out to produce brisket to meet his Lone Star State standards. Seven years on, Virginians are flocking for cowboy steaks, pork-belly breakfast tacos, smoked-seitan sandwiches, and yes, the brisket that started it all…

lonely planet

Where to Eat and Drink in Richmond

February 24, 2020: Husband-and-wife owners Chris Fultz (he’s the pitmaster) and Alex Graf left careers in architecture and opened ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque, named after the band ZZ Top, in the Scott’s Addition neighborhood in 2018. People line up here for good reason—this barbecue is among the best you’ll find anywhere. Meats, sold by the pound in a cafeteria-like line, are smoked in a 1,000-gallon smoker with white oak. Create your own combo by asking the slicers for some brisket, a sausage link, a pork rib, turkey breast and some pulled pork shoulder. Then say yes to the proffered pickle slices and pickled red onions, and get a side of jalapeno mac ’n’ cheese and some red cabbage and pineapple slaw.

arlington magazine

ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque Restaurant on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

January 31, 2020: This is a fantastic joint, set up in an industrial setting that brings a new look with some amazing BBQ for all foodies out there. Bringing Texas BBQ to the state of Virginia is a blessing and now you can take advantage yourselves. These folks are always in the top list of the best BBQ not just in the city but across the USA and we wholeheartedly agree! Chris Fultz is the self taught pit master that truly puts his heart and soul in to his craft. With the team of Alex Graf, they really make BBQ what it has always meant to be…an art that melts in your mouth. In 2013, ZZQ was born after years of testing their methods with friends and family and now everyone has a chance to have a taste. All the food here is phenomenal, you really won't go wrong with anything you choose. They also have a full allergen menu so those including vegans and gluten free can have a bite too. On weekends, the lines are often out the door but that just shows that it's the best place in town and it's ALWAYS worth the wait to go get it. Also, the staff here is super friendly which is always a plus as most pits tend to be robotic and lack that customer service. You'll love this place and enjoy the barbecue here!

FOOD NETWORK & DINERS, DRIVE-INS & DIVES

Tourist in Your Own Town: Follow Your Appetite

November 25, 2019: With an underdog’s charm; small-city/big-town vibes; a résumé of national accolades; and a wealth of talent from James Beard Award nominees, food-centric creatives, and award-winning bartenders and brewers, it’s fitting that Bon Appétit touted Richmond as “America’s Next Great Restaurant-Obsessed Town” in April. The slogan “Virginia Is for Restaurant Lovers” was recently introduced by the state tourism agency to shed light on the impact of restaurants regionally and statewide. Whether you’re trying to get more in tune with the local dining scene or you want to show off the city to friends and family, here’s a tour that will allow you to join Richmond’s food frenzy.

RICHMOND MAGAZINE

Trendsetters | ZZQ

October 2019: Chris Fultz and Alex Graf. Buzz-worthy barbecue is what happens when a Texas boy gets thunderstruck by a roller derby girl. Just ask Chris Fultz and Alex Graf, pitmaster and pitmistress of ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque in Richmond’s Scott’s Addition. The couple’s second-chance romance–sparked at a derby bout and forged over a smoked rib–has led to the hottest little barbecue joint in town…

distinction

The Best Ribs in Every State

October 2019: From hole-in-the-wall spots in small, countryside towns to famous BBQ joints with a queue that’s worth waiting for, here are the rstaurants and food trucks serving up some of the country’s best ribs in every state…

FOOD NETWORK

The 50 Best Spots For BBQ In America

October 3, 2019: White-oak smoked spiced brisket is the hottest item on the menu at ZZQ, and it’s cooked to such perfection that you’ll wonder why you waited so long to make it out to Richmond just to try it. Even though the owner here is a Texas-native, they add a Virginian spin to all of their BBQ, creating one of the most unique, superb tastes in BBQ at the moment…

BIG SEVEN TRAVEL

Richmond Road Trip

September/October issue: It’s hard to pinpoint Richmond, Virginia, for just one thing. The city is steeped in hisotry – Revolutionary War figure Patrick Henry delivered his famous “Give me liberty, or give me death!” speech here, and it’s the hometown of barrier-breaking tennis player Arthur Ashe. It’s also all about…

CHAPEL HILL MAGAZINE

A Guide to the Best New Southern Barbecue Joints

August/September 2019: Meet a new generation of pit masters who are doing right by barbecue tradition—and blazing new trails…

GARDEN AND GUN

The 33 Best BBQ Joints in America

August 16, 2019: You can take the Texan out of Texas, but you can’t take the Texas out of a Texan. The Lone Star State’s barbecue style is perhaps the most exported of any region so it’s natural to be skeptical of imitators, but Richmond, Virginia’s ZZQ is the real deal, started by a native Austinite (raised in Mesquite) who honors his home state by cooking some of the best brisket you’ll find outside its boundaries…

THRILLIST

5 Faves: Smoky Sammies

August 9, 2019: 1. Tres Hombres—The only menu item that causes me to stray from my standing order at this Texas-tinged Scott’s Addition smokehouse is the Tres Hombres, aka the king. A trifecta of ZZQ meats (chopped brisket, pork and sausage) joined by pickled red onions, it equals an overstuffed, I-can’t-put-this-down, seriously sinful experience. Come hungry…

richmond magazine

Where to Get Some of the Best Barbecue in Virginia

AUGUST 7, 2019: The accolades keep piling up for Scott’s Addition-based ZZQ, including recognition as the “Best Barbecue in Virginia” by Food & Wine and one of the 33 “Best BBQ Joints in America” by Thrillist. Recently, Garden & Gun featured this Texas-style barbecue eatery in their “Guide to the Best New Southern Barbecue Joints.” So if you’re visiting the Richmond area and wondering what award-winning barbecue tastes like, swing by ZZQ to find out. Come early, as they close the restaurant once they run out of smoked meats for the day (and this happens nearly every weekend!)…

VIRGINIA.ORG

Restaurant review: ZZQ bring this back-to-the-roots movement in Texas BBQ to Richmond

APRIL 3, 2019: Smoked meat has long been associated with religion in Texas where, at early church revivals, free barbecue was served to entice new followers. In the past decade, though, Texas barbecue has become a religion of its own, thanks to what some call a “back-to-the-roots movement” led by a new generation of pitmasters committed to revitalizing the craft…

richmond times dispatch

10 Road Trips to Take this Spring: Richmond, VA

March 28, 2019: The Virginia Barbecue Trail features 40 restaurants smoking and saucing the authentic stuff. Opened last March and already a darling of the city’s culinary scene, ZZQ dishes up Texas-style eats by the pound or by the sandwich…

MainLine today

This historic city’s under-the-radar modernism scene makes it worth a weekend visit.

March 27, 2019: What to Eat & Drink: We are a city of well-fed folks. In the past five years, the region’s food and beverage scene has exploded with more than 30 breweries, and what seems like a new restaurant opening on a weekly basis…

DWELL MAGAZINE

Get in line, y'all, for this Texas treat barbecue transplant

March 8, 2019: The steps leading to the front door read, “Meat This Way.” They might as well say, “Stairway to Heaven” because Richmond’s purveyor of Texas-style barbecue is changing the game — not just in the city, but across the region.

The story of ZZQ Texas Craft Barbecue writes itself, and it’s owners Chris Fultz, a Texas native, and Alex Graf tell it no fewer than three or four times a day to fans who’ve waited hours to get in the door.

Over a tray of various smoky morsels and pickled slaw, the pit masters beam relaying it. “It’s mythical,” says Graf, laughing…

VAGROWLER

Plan an art-and-culinary-centric getaway to Richmond

March 6, 2019: We know. Texas 'cue outside of the Lone Star State sounds blasphemous. Just trust us on this one though.…

DC Refined

Charleston or Bust

March 5, 2019: The husband-and-wife team Alex Graf and Chris Fultz make their debut appearance this year at the 14th annual Charleston Wine + Food festival…

Richmond Magazine

Want to Try the Most Exciting Food in America? Leave New York City

January 24, 2019: Authentic barbecue by Texas transplant Chris Fultz and Alex Graf gets a brick-and-mortar home after years as a food truck…

Bloomberg

The ultimate culinary guide to Richmond, Virginia

December 29, 2018: Virginia’s capital is undergoing a gastronomic revolution, with local chefs flocking back to cook up everything from barbecued brisket to French-inspired fancies…

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER

Pop-up to Brick and Mortar

November 26, 2018: If you’ve yet to wolf down a few slices of national-class brisket, or the coal-black but melt-in-your-mouth burnt ends, then you’re not just missing out on something delicious…

RICHMOND MAGAZINE

Meet the Richmond man who's eaten at ZZQ every day it's been open. That's 164 days and counting.

October 25, 2018: You can take a man out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the man. Texas transplant John Warren calls Richmond home, but at ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque, he’s back in the heart of Dallas, if just for an hour or so…

RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH

Fun and games: two Southern playgrounds you've got to visit

October 23, 2018: Science says playing is good for the mind, body and spirit, so how about making your next vacation about fun and games? A boom in grown-up playgrounds gives you new reasons to hit two of the New South's most winning cities: Chattanooga, Tenn., and Richmond, Va.

DALLAS NEWS

How to eat your way through Richmond, Virginia

October 22, 2018: ZZQ started as a pop-up pit stand, and thanks to an incredibly dedicated cult following it now has a permanent residence. Get the sliced beef brisket, and don't sleep on the homemade sides and pickled accompaniments.

BIRMINGHAM MAGAZINE

Attention, barbecue hounds: Richmond’s ZZQ is a smoke lover’s dream

September 25, 2018: To the casual observer, the pseudo-mysticism surrounding barbecue makes for an easy target of ridicule. You know, the secretive, self-aggrandizing pitmaster who talks about the smoking process as if it were a holy communion between him and the elements rather than the seemingly mindless method that some outsiders consider it: Set fire…

THE WASHINGTON POST

Power: Food and Drink

August 28, 2018: They've been slinging Texas-style barbecue together since 2013, bringing smoked meats and to-die-for sides (that jalapeño mac and cheese, y'all) to pop-ups and events all over town. There's a reason ZZQ's loyal patrons call it meat church…

STYLE WEEKLY

The 33 Best BBQ Joints in America

August 17, 2018: You can take the Texan out of Texas, but you can’t take the Texas out of a Texan. The Lone Star State’s barbecue style is perhaps the most exported of any region so it’s natural to be skeptical of imitators, but Richmond, Virginia’s ZZQ is the real deal, started by a native Austinite (raised in Mesquite,TX) who honors his home state by cooking some of the best brisket you’ll find outside its boundaries...

THRILLIST

ZZQ named some of the best barbecue in the country - and the best in Va. - by Food & Wine

July 25, 2018: Where do the food experts at Food & Wine magazine go when they're looking for the best barbecue in the country?

Sure, they hit up Texas and the Carolinas, but they also made a stop in Richmond, Va. to check out shining star ZZQ at 3201 W. Moore St. in Scott's Additon...

RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH

ZZQ named best barbecue in Virginia

July 25, 2018: The results are in and everyone, it seems, likes the barbecue in Richmond (and Petersburg).

ZZQ took home a best barbecue in the state award from Food & Wine. The magazine is in love with Alex Graf and Chris Fultz’s delicious barbecue.

"Really, what isn't Richmond suddenly extremely good at? Add Texas-style barbecue to the list of musts in this food-mad town with the spring debut of ZZQ, in the excellence magnet otherwise known as the city's Scott's Addition neighborhood,” the article stated...

WTVR

ZZQ Brings Flawless Texas Barbecue to Virginia

July 24, 2018: We’ve moved far past the idea that good Texas-style barbecue can only be smoked within the borders of the Lone Star State. I travel Texas searching for the best barbecue it has to offer, and sometimes I venture beyond our border to find how pitmasters are interpreting our beloved style of barbecue across the country. I don’t think anyone outside Texas does it any better than ZZQ in Richmond, Virginia, which architects-and-partners-turned-barbecue-entrepreneurs Chris Fultz and Alex Graf designed and opened in March...

TEXAS MONTHLY

The Best BBQ in Every State

July 24, 2018: Really, what isn't Richmond suddenly extremely good at? Add Texas-style barbecue to the list of musts in this food-mad town with the spring debut of ZZQ, in the excellence magnet otherwise known as the city's Scott's Addition neighborhood. Don't be fooled by the impressive venue—partners (in business and in life) Chris Fultz and Alex Graf might have had some help getting to where they are right now, but this isn't just some corporate joint, capitalizing on a trend, this is the real deal. Fultz and Graf started small, impressing first one small group of lucky folks and then another, with their backyard pop-ups—some time later, we're now here, and here is—well, it's delicious...

FOOD AND WINE

Born Again Through Barbecue

June 27, 2018: As Texas Monthly’s full-time barbecue editor, the first and only in the country, Vaughn has the perfect job to feed his addiction, sometimes frequenting five or six different barbecue spots in a single day.

Despite his travels, he admits he’s never eaten ’cue from Virginia (but ZZQ has put the commonwealth on his radar)...

Richmond magazine

The Gospel of Texas Barbecue

May 15, 2018: It started with a single rib and an unmistakable feeling. With barbecue as his love language, architect and Texas native Chris Fultz set out to win over his now wife Alex Graf. Fultz first approached Graf at a Memorial Day party in 2012, offering one expertly smoked rib. A Virginia native, Graf knew nothing of the charred ribs or the smoky, tender brisket that Fultz grew up on not far from Dallas, Texas, but as she grew to appreciate the flavor and the man behind it, she realized she was falling in love with both...

VIRGINIA LIVING

ZZQ Texas Craft BBQ

March 27, 2018: Barbecue. Barbeque. Bar-B-Q. Barbie. BBQ. The process of cooking slowly over low, indirect heat and smoke. Styles, technique and apparatus has evolved since the days of Columbus when his crew found Tainos Native Americans roasting meat over a wooden framework grill in 1492...

GOING OUT IN RICHMOND

ZZQ is Open and Making Richmond’s BBQ Dreams Come True

March 8, 2018: ZZQ started years ago when Chris Fultz and Alex Graf began hosting barbecues in their back yard to introduce friends to their passion for Texas-style smoked beef brisket and other meats. Several New Year’s Days ago, I had the privilege of being invited to one of these events—we brought some libations to share and partook in a delightful meat feast...

marco style

Meat, Mac and Mezcal: ZZQ serves up Texas-style barbecue in Scott’s Addition

March 6, 2018: They call it "meat church," and the faithful packed the pews for ZZQ's grand opening March 3. The restaurant features Chris Fultz's famous Texas-style barbecued beef brisket and wife Alex Graf's flavorful sides. The soft open was March 1, and the faithful filled the aisles then too...

STYLE WEEKLY

'Welcome to our dream': ZZQ barbecue opens in Scott's Addition

March 2, 2018: It’s been quite a journey for spouses Chris Fultz and Alex Graf, the pitmasters who on Saturday celebrated the grand opening of their Scott’s Addition restaurant, ZZQ Texas Craft Barbecue.

Over the past seven years, the duo has turned their love for Texas-style barbecue into a cult following for their meats. They even garnered write-ups from national food press long before becoming owners of a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

richmond times-dispatch

ZZQ is Cookin’ in Scott’s Addition

March 2, 2018: Back in 2015, a little barbecue pop-up started at Ardent Craft Brewers and our love affair with ZZQ began...

LETSSHAREADISH.COM

Barbecue popup returns in restaurant form this weekend

March 2, 2018: Having whetted locals’ appetites with their weekly popups, a pair of first-time restaurateurs is turning up the heat on the Scott’s Addition dining scene with their first brick-and-mortar location.

ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque opens this weekend at 3201 W. Moore St., at the corner of Highpoint Avenue in the heart of the eclectic neighborhood.

richmond bizsense

ZZQ brings Texas craft barbeque to Virginia

February 16, 2018: The restaurant, owned by Alex Graf and Chris Fultz, is a natural expansion of their longtime cult-followed residency at Ardent Craft Ales.

Expect Texas brisket, pork ribs and other ZZQ barbecue favorites -like jalapeño macaroni and cheese and collard greens...

WTVR

ZZQ is Almost here!

January 30, 2018: As I walk around, I can almost smell the brisket and ribs. I’m still in a construction zone for sure and nothing is on the pit – but I have eaten a few plates of ZZQ, so I know what’s in store this March and I can hardly wait...

scottsaddition.com

From A to ZZQ

January 26, 2018: When ZZQ Texas Craft Barbecue launches in Scott’s Addition, in February 2018, you can expect the inevitable spate of glowing stories in print and online about owners Chris Fultz and Alex Graf, romanticizing the path they took to restaurant ownership and framing them as cultural-culinary heroes...

richmond magazine

BBQ Interview - Chris Fultz & Alex Graf - ZZQ Barbeque

December 2017: In this episode I chat with Chris Fultz & Alex Graf from ZZQ Barbeque in Richmond, Virginia...

Kevin Kelly

30 Most Exciting Food Cities in America 2017

December 17, 2017: This quirky and charming Southern city might only recently be gaining the attention it deserves for its outstanding dining scene, but Richmond’s universities and vibrant arts scene have been a crucible for forming incredibly talented chefs for decades...

ZAGAT

One Brief Shining Moment

October 2017: Used to be that a pop-up referred to a chef — out of work and mulling his future, or preparing to open his own place — who commandeers his buddy’s restaurant for a month or two to test out dishes....

richmond magazine

ZZQ Brings a Taste of Central Texas to Scott’s Addition

August 28, 2017: If you’ve driven through Scott’s Addition on a Friday night, chances are the alluring aroma of smoked brisket in the air has piqued your interest. You may have also seen the giant wood-burning smoker being hauled into Ardent Craft Ales every other week with nothing but a line of people as far as the eye can see...

RVA Magazine

ZZQ Finds its forever home

November 2, 2016: Scott’s Addition has some new restaurants on the way. ZZQ barbecue — the Texas-style barbecue caterer — has finally found its forever home at 3201 W. Moore St. Owners, spouses and pit masters Chris Fultz and Alex Graf will embark on tear-down and rebuild of the lot nestled next to Ardent Craft Ales, ZZQ’s temporary home for the past two years...

Richmond Times Dispatch

Architects’ BBQ joint to beef up Scott’s Addition

October 28, 2016: There will soon be some extra smoke piping through one of Richmond’s hottest neighborhoods. ZZQ, a barbecue venture run by local architects Chris Fultz and Alex Graf, has plans in the works for a new restaurant to be constructed from scratch at 3201 W. Moore St. in Scott’s Addition...

Richmond BizSense

ZZQ to open Texas-style barbecue shack in Scott’s Addition

WTVR

Slow 'n' Steady

October 27, 2016: When Chris Fultz and Alex Graf think about Texas barbecue, they think of the journey. Long drives across the state's sprawling landscape to family-owned meat meccas are not uncommon for a good meal under a metal roof, sometimes a dot in the middle of nowhere, hours outside of a major city...

Richmond Magazine

Our Next Vice President’s Favorite Place to Drink

2016: If there’s one thing Republicans, Democrats, and independents can agree upon this contentious election season, it’s that we could all use a beer...

Men's Journal

ZZQ: When Pigs Fly

August 21, 2016: It's 4:30am in Lyon's Point, Louisiana. It's August and the sun will emit the overcoming heat that will result in a thickening layer of oppressive air leaving one unable to breathe and resulting in a puddle of a salty sopping mess. The gunshots are heard muffled in the distance from the farm and the lump in my throat is hard to swallow. This is my least favorite part of the day...

CraftRVA

Interview: ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque

May 25, 2016: Virginia has many things to offer that aren’t readily found elsewhere: rich history, relatively perfect run of all four seasons, and, of course, great shirts made in our capital city. Believe it or not, before proprietors/husband-and-wife team Chris Fultz and Alex Graf hatched ZZQ Craft Barbeque, finding authentic Texas barbecue in the Old Dominion was a challenge (yeah, we said it.)...

Ledbury

Taking Up Residency:
ZZQ Texas Craft Barbecue launches its weekly residency at Ardent Craft Ales next month

March 30, 2016: If you're already a devotee of ZZQ Texas Craft Barbecue, you know that its melt-in-your-mouth brisket, curls of cavatappi smothered in cheese and jalapeño, and forkfuls of tender blackstrap molasses collard greens all pair perfectly with crisp, cool sips of Ardent Craft Ales beer. If you haven't yet been inducted into the fatty, flavorful fold, now you know: The ZZQ and Ardent pairing is a match made in gustatory heaven...

Richmond Magazine

Cover of Richmond Magazine’s 2015 Summer Food Guide