Best New Restaurants

From an organic taste of the Vietnam to elegant odes to the South, meet the best and brightest new kids on the block

Richmond may be the state capital, but for those in the know, it’s Virginia’s capital of dining as well. The food scene is only getting stronger, and this year our team of roughly 20 spread out across the region to visit dozens of restaurants that opened between April 16, 2016, and April 15, 2017. We came, we ate, we ranked, but at the end of the day, it’s these top 10 spots — and top five quick-and-casual restaurants — that conquered our hearts. (Awwww.) From an organic taste of the Vietnam to elegant odes to the South, meet the best and brightest new kids on the block.

Amigo’s Family Restaurant

1808 Staples Mill Road, 804-269-4859

Amigo’s Rio Grande-sized menu is humbling in its breadth. There’s the familiar — taco and enchilada combos ferried with the speed of a Wimbledon ball retriever — alongside eggs, seafood and Latin specialties. Tangle with the last few headings, preferably while sipping a jumbo beer rimmed with chilled shrimp. Hook whole steamed or fried fish, octopus, scallops and oysters or surf and turf at the Staples Mill outpost; Midlothian Amigo’s has morphed under different ownership. The atmosphere is pro-family, while embracing its wallet-friendly bar made merry with Mexican folk art, and the cloud-painted ceiling suggests that here, you’ll always find sunny skies.

TRY THIS: The Bloody Maria; shrimp cocktail with avocado and citrus; the seafood quesadilla, crisped on both sides; the whole, fried mojarra fish; Texas nachos; menudo soup studded with tripe; beef soup with short ribs and vegetables.

Gojo Ethiopian Restaurant

10188 W. Broad St., 804-747-1044

Eating with your hands may not sound like the most elegant dining experience, but at Gojo Ethiopian Restaurant, it’s required. The springy injera is just right for wrapping around a bite of alicha siga wat — beef stew simmered with ginger, onions and garlic — or the tikel gomen — cabbage with potatoes and carrots. With its warm earth tones and white tablecloths, the intimate eatery in Lexington Commons is sophisticated enough for a date night, yet perfect for a family adventure. After all, sharing is half the fun.

TRY THIS: Lentil or beef sambussas — both savory filled pastries are “musty” as my grandfather would say, as in, “I must have some more”; yekey sir wat, a dish of seasoned beets; the nine-dish vegetarian combination, which makes dinner feel like a banquet. 

Shagbark

4901 Libbie Mill E. Blvd., 804-358-7424

With warm woods, blissful blues and antlers, all bound up with local honey butter, chef-owner Walter Bundy evokes a contemporary feel with just the right amount of rustic. Whether it’s the utilization of James River Distillery’s Oster Vit in the Solstice Sour cocktail, the plates from Tree Hill Pottery or the chicken from River Oak Farm, Shagbark continually delights with menus focused on Virginia makers: green beans tender with just the right helping of country ham; pork belly that melts in a mouthful of pickled strawberries; raw, local oysters. Attentive service adds that finishing touch to a delicious experience.

TRY THIS: Any seasonal cocktail, especially if it features Virginia-made Bowman Brothers bourbon. For entrées, try the fish: Salmon, grouper and rockfish are all winners, whether poached, seared or sautéed. Brunch is also killer; don’t sleep on that bloody mary, stacked with skewered victuals.

Casa Italiana

8801 Three Chopt Road, 804-303-2769

Casa Italiana celebrates Old World Italy and modern cuisine in an understated space perfect for date nights, family outings or a simple meal with your closest friends. The menu includes the standard appetizers, salads, pizzas, pastas and entrées, but also features upscale touches and premium ingredients, huge portions and elegant plating. Don’t be surprised to find beauty in a thick-cut, pan-roasted pork chop atop cacciatore and a welcoming smile — the personable staff and chefs check on you frequently. Likely, they’ll remember your order and favorites on a future visit.

TRY THIS: House-made beef ravioli, filled with perfectly braised meat and topped with plenty of mushrooms, shaved Parmesan and a sprinkling of arugula, which pairs well with the delicate red-sauce base.

Natalie’s Taste of Lebanon

3601 Cox Road, 804-499-3030

In a sea of chain restaurants, Short Pump needs Natalie’s. More upscale than the exterior of its strip mall location, it features a dig-in-with-your-hands style of dining as the main attraction. Golf-ball-size crispy falafel, house-made pita rounds  and so very many dips and spreads, from labneh — an almost airy yogurt-based dip studded with olives — to a freakishly fresh, light-on-the-bulgur tabbouleh, are just the beginnings of a meal that celebrates a vibrant Lebanese cuisine. Look for authentic touches such as Lebanese beers by the bottle and an olive oil, sesame and ground thyme pita spread.

TRY THIS: Those hesitant to break from tradition should sample the za’atar and cheese flatbread — a dish as familiar as cheese pizza but with sesame and sumac. The mixed grill reads pedestrian with beef and chicken kebab, but it’s hearty, juicy, delicious and enough for four.

Demi’s Mediterranean Kitchen

4017 MacArthur Ave., 804-525-4576

Fans of Dot’s Back Inn, rejoice: The restaurant’s owners now bring us Demi’s, just a few yards away in Bellevue. While Dot’s is a little rough around the edges, Demi’s is slicker and hipper, serving traditional Greek and other Mediterranean dishes in a space more conducive to romantic evenings, yet still inviting to young ones. Even if you’re not in the mood for a reasonably priced lamb kebab or mussels over pasta with just the right amount of spicy harissa, Demi’s makes for the perfect place to unwind after work with a few glasses of house-made sangria.

TRY THIS: Grilled octopus, cooked until tender, its flavors brightened with red wine vinegar and drizzled with olive oil. Wash it down with a beautifully bitter — and generously poured — Negroni.

Flora

203 N. Lombardy St., 804-355-0434

It seems that “Modern Mexican”officially ousted New Nordic as the cuisine of the moment, and the Fan got its own version in Flora, an upscale-but-unfussy Mexican restaurant. But it’s more than a trend chaser: A collaboration between Pasture and Comfort’s Jason Alley and Michele Jones and Saison’s Jay Bayer, with former Pasture chef de cuisine Sergio Gomez helming the kitchen, it’s a thoughtful restaurant, bar and music venue with a menu inspired by the regions of Veracruz, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Gomez’s native Oaxaca.

TRY THIS: Crunchy jicama with chili and lime; braised chicken thigh with mole amarillo; crispy whole fish with salsa verde and vegetable escabeche; the Evil Kermit cocktail, a sweet-tart-savory mix of aquavit, reposado tequila, celery syrup, lemon and Strega; and the simple TNT (tequila and tonic) all hit the spot.

Spoonbread Bistro

2526 Floyd Ave., 804-359-8000

Chef Michael Hall’s Richmond career has garnered high praise for haute cuisine at the Berkeley Hotel and down-home flourish at M Bistro. His latest, Spoonbread Bistro, threads the needle of “fun joint for eating with friends” and “wow, this place is something” by keeping the vibe comfortably casual while throwing down some culinary stagecraft. The floor crew needs to settle in a bit, and the upstairs-downstairs character of the place remains a bit of a challenge, but Spoonbread is serving stellar food in a lovely Fan space.

TRY THIS: Hits include a lobster pop tart, pulling off that casual/haute-cuisine mix; sea bass atop the spoon bread that gives the place its name; shrimp scampi pooled over cheddar grits; and stunning grilled strip steak upon a Himalayan salt block.

Laura Lee’s

3140 Semmes Ave., 804-233-9672

It’s the type of place where Mary Richards and Rhoda Morgenstern would meet for drinks: This is where you stop, dog-tired after work, for a cocktail and conversation with your best girlfriend. Laura Lee’s offers a smart, seasonal menu and a thoughtful front-of-house staff. Appetizers showcase the kitchen’s creativity best, while entrées are well-rounded and reasonably priced. Brunch picks up on familiar themes in a playful way with dishes such as fried chicken thigh with funnel cake and raspberry compote.

TRY THIS: The Dirty Bird cocktail with Belle Isle coffee moonshine, Campari, pineapple and lime; the burrata appetizer with grapes, roasted beets and a tangy arugula pesto to balance the creaminess of the mozzarella.

Sen Organic Small Plate

2901 W. Cary St., 804-355-0736

We’ve garnered a reputation for soulful Southern cuisine, but those of us in Richmond know there’s more variety to be found. Sen, for instance, skews simpler, lighter, smaller: a quiet Vietnamese-food nook that finds its footing not by coalescence, but contrast. An all-organic menu elevates the classics: pho, banh mi, spring rolls and skewers, while creative touches — yes that is a house-made tamarind dipping sauce for your calamari with salted duck egg — energize them. Don’t neglect Sen’s organic beverage selection, where coffee slow-dripped into coconut condensed milk will wake you up faster than you can polish off that plate of Saigon-style chicken wings — and that’s saying something.

TRY THIS: Sen serves up sizable bowls of pho, both vegan and non, but for the omnivores, put a spin on the standard by adding thick hunks of corned beef brisket. If you need a caffeine fix, opt for the Café Phin Vietnam: a slow, traditional, single-cup method that’s well worth the wait.

QUICK AND CASUAL

Bocata Latin Grill

4725 Walmsley Blvd., 804-716-8116

Sure, the little strip-mall gem is nestled into South Side and not South America, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find authentic Latin flavor at this family-run Venezuelan spot. Pepito subs overflowing with grilled meat; fried corn-flour classics such as arepas and empanadas; and weekend specials are the norm, as are big, colorful portions.

TRY THIS: The patacón, a sandwich of chicken, ham, shredded beef, avocado, cheese and coleslaw piled high between tostones

Goatocado

1823 W. Main St., 804-464-8226

Once but a humble food cart, Goatocado’s first restaurant brings breads, bowls and broths to the menu, with a choose-your-own-adventure aspect that allows guests to follow their cravings to Japan, Italy, Vietnam and more. An all-domestic tap list showcases a half-dozen Richmond beers.

TRY THIS: The Billy Mac, a combination of four-cheese mac ‘n’ cheese and Billy Chili

North End Juice Co.

718 N. Cleveland St., 804-729-7340

Brothers Cliff and Channing Miller hand over healthy fare with megawatt smiles. You never know what you‘ll find here. The menu is small but mighty: smoothies, empanadas, coffee, cold-pressed juices, and, yes, the occasional pastry, but what keeps me coming back are specials, such as dragon fruit juice; vegetable ceviche; or activated charcoal lemonade.

TRY THIS: Cold-pressed watermelon juice.

Elsa Café & Market

912 N. Boulevard, 804-840-3843

No frills. No decorations. An intoxicating smell of berbere. If it sounds like you’ve stumbled on an off-the-beaten path gem, it’s because you have. You’ll get no utensils, but everything comes with house-made injera. Use it taco-, biscuit-, scoop- or sandwich-style as a vehicle for transporting your order to your face.

TRY THIS: On weekends, kitfo — a raw, spiced beef dish — is available, bright orange thanks to Ethiopian chili peppers and bold cumin.

Super Rico

2542 Sheila Lane, 804-447-8795

This regional Peruvian chicken chain Super Rico is, in fact, super rico (translation: delicious). Part purveyor of rotisserie chicken, part fast-casual, this Chippenham spot sports an impressive menu worth exploring in its entirety. Don’t forget the yucca fries, nor that house-made chicha morada: a traditional, magenta-hued juice of purple corn, cinnamon and sugar.

TRY THIS: Lomo saltado — tender steak and vegetables swimming in gravy atop fries.