Todd Richards, the Atlanta chef and cookbook author who now oversees culinary operations at Waldorf Astoria Buckhead, has taken his talents down I-75 to McDonough. His new spot, Que‑Riosity, sets up shop as a Southern barbecue restaurant and grill room, pairing wood-smoked meats with steakhouse-style mains so diners can chase smoked chicken and barbecue ribs with grilled steaks and seafood. For the south-of-Atlanta dining scene, landing a city-famous chef like Richards is no small score.
Opening reported by local dining press
The opening was first reported on March 16 by Rough Draft Atlanta, which framed Que‑Riosity as part barbecue joint, part grill room, and outlined early menu plans. That initial coverage put the McDonough project on metro Atlanta’s dining radar before it started popping up on broader listings and reservation platforms.
Menu mixes smoked barbecue and grill‑room mains
Que‑Riosity’s opening menu sticks to a clear playbook: chilled small plates such as deviled “egg‑periences” and oysters, hot small plates like twice-smoked pork belly and smoked chicken wings, and a roster of entrees that runs from blackened king salmon with stone-ground grits to a coffee-rubbed Delmonico ribeye and hot-honey pineapple baby back ribs. On weekends, the kitchen adds a smoked bone-in short rib, and desserts lean rich with a banana-foster cheesecake headlining the sweets.
The beverage program is credited to Ramsey Kashlan, and the restaurant has rolled out both a wine list and a cocktail menu alongside the food offerings. Those lineups, together with the full opening food spread, are posted online; see Que‑Riosity for the complete opening menu.
Chef Richards' Atlanta resume
Richards is hardly a newcomer to Atlanta diners. He is the chef-and-part-owner behind Soul: Food & Culture at Krog Street Market, a project profiled by Eater Atlanta, and he was recently named Executive Chef at the Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead, a move reported by the Atlanta Journal‑Constitution. Taken together, those gigs underscore a resume that runs from airport restaurants to hotel dining rooms and chef-driven independents.
Why McDonough?
Speaking with Rough Draft Atlanta, Richards said putting Que‑Riosity south of the city, right off I-75, made strategic sense for the concept, especially as he had recently moved to McDonough after getting married. He also highlighted the importance of wood in barbecue, noting that “wood is very geographic to barbecue,” a principle that shapes how the restaurant approaches its smoke program.
Hours, reservations and practical details
Que‑Riosity lists its address and operating hours on its site and encourages guests to book ahead. The contact page puts the restaurant at 1931 Jonesboro Road and provides both hours and a phone number for reservations. Bookings are strongly suggested, and the site also hosts the full food menu along with wine and cocktail options for diners who like to plan their order in advance; details are available on the Que‑Riosity contact page.
For Atlanta-area diners willing to head south for dinner, Que‑Riosity offers a chef-led barbecue and grill program outside the city limits, backed by a name they are likely to recognize from intown kitchens.
