I’m not comfortable recommending most barbecue places I’ve tried in NoVA, usually due to an excessively heavy hand with smoke. I didn’t used to think I was a ‘cue snob, but here we are. I wasn’t eager to try Schmidt’s Barbecue in downtown Leesburg.
That is, until I dined at More Better Restaurant in Round Hill a few weeks ago. Both belong to Nils and Olivia Schnibbe. Sure, a stellar schnitzel might not translate to competition-style ribs, but it gave me hope. So did a menu that includes something called “Alabama Everything Wings.”
That item is a pile of crispy chicken pieces tossed in Alabama-style white barbecue sauce before they’re coated in Everything Bagel seasoning. It’s like a bagel with cream cheese in juicy chicken form. For those seeking something a tad more traditional, the dry-rubbed wings are pleasantly cumin-scented and better retain their crunch.
The brisket is fattier than many will prefer—back in Texas, they call that “moist,” not everyone’s favorite word—but I love that it falls apart in strands that taste more beefy than smoky. The ribs, too, avoid that carcinogenic fate. They also adhere to the bone as they should, separating only when bitten. Their dry-rub is a tad too thick, but the pork is still a prime palette for the five sauces with which the splendidly attentive team of servers tromped up the antique stairs to visit my socially distanced table. The best of those homemade sauces is the mildly spicy tomato-based one, but I could only manage one swipe of the ultra-sweet house Jack Daniels sauce.
Yet the truth is, the meat isn’t the reason I’ll return to Schmidt’s. That honor belongs to the mac-and-cheese and cornbread. Melted white cheddar tangles around cavatappi with a bread crumb topping for a creamy, tangy combination that cries out for seconds. The cornbread? It’s sweet and fluffy enough to sub in for cake. Our kind servers gave my table two pieces, although we only ordered one. And the extra square did indeed become dessert.
So a meal at Schmidt’s is best if it’s not exactly keto. It’s still a worthy Meaty Monday. // 14 Loudoun St. SE, Leesburg
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