RRQ, New Rochelle

Frank Gratale understands the restaurant industry and Rachel Gratale understands the down-home spirit of southern hospitality. Together, the newlywed couple decided to combine their passions and found a barbecue restaurant dedicated to southern comfort foods, albeit with a contemporary twist.

RRQ’s chefs remain faithful to the eatery’s roots by making their own mustard and barbecue sauces in-house, and by hickory-smoking everything from brisket and pulled pork to St. Louis–style ribs and turkey. Sides of collard greens and fried okra also adhere to tradition, although the chefs demonstrate a willingness to experiment by creating pork empanadas and tempura-battered popcorn shrimp. Even the cocktail selection embraces convention as well as innovation, featuring drinks inspired by every decade from the 1950s to the 2000s.

Similarly, the dining room at RRQ manages to toe the line between the traditional and the contemporary. Framed black-and-white photographs adorn the storm-cloud-gray and pinkish-orange walls, lending a classical vibe along with the gleaming wooden bar and gently spinning ceiling fans.