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Photo by Isaac Harrell
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Photo by Steve Hedberg
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Photo by Isaac Harrell
Best Dessert in Richmond:
Shyndigz
5716 Patterson Ave., 938-3449
The title of baker or cake maker doesn't adequately describe Nicole Elswick Jessee of Shyndigz, who prefers the job description of "sugar artist." Her fantastic trompe l'oeil creations aim to elevate the confections to the status of short-lived edible art. The bakery's café is open in the evenings, Thursday through Saturday.
2. (Tie) Can Can Brasserie; Sweet Frog
3. Kuba Kuba's tres leches cake
Watch WRIC News Channel 8's "Best-of" video on Richmond's best dessert
Best Espresso:
Lamplighter Roasting Company
116 S. Addison St., 728-2292
Lamplighter roaster Jen Rawlings is intimately attuned to her craft. She's met the people who harvest the coffee, and because even one bad little bean can ruin a batch, she and her helpers pick through 400 pounds a week. It's a commitment to her customers and those who precede her in the process: "The least we can do is to honor that through to the very end," Rawlings says.
2. Caffespresso
3. (Tie) Can Can Brasserie; Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream; Globehopper
Watch WRIC News Channel 8's "Best-of" video on Lamplighter Roasting Company
Best Wine Shop:
Once Upon a Vine/Once Upon a Vine South
4009 MacArthur Ave., 726-9463; 2817 Hathaway Road, 864-9463
This store carries 500 varieties of Virginia wine — the most in the state, says owner Robert Kocher, also a partner in the Stratford Hills shop. You'll find wine arranged by price for easier shopping, plus regional beers and hard-to-find microbrews and imports. Friday-night tastings, free movies in the parking lot (at the North Side location) and other events make this a true neighborhood gathering place.
2. River City Cellars
3. Barrel Thief
Best Greek Food:
Stella's
1012 Lafayette St., 358-2011
Stella Dikos has already had one 25-year run as a restaurateur, turning out authentic Greek dishes in her Fan eatery. Last year, with her daughter and son-in-law, Katrina and Johnny Giavos, Dikos, 70, reopened a new Stella's. Katrina laughs at her mother's self-consciousness over her lack of formal training, despite being well-versed in traditional Greek cooking: "Whatever she's learned, she's learned from her neighbors growing up in Greece."
2. The Crazy Greek
3. Zorba's
Best Southern-Inspired Restaurant Dish:
Shrimp and grits at Julep's New Southern Cuisine
1719 E. Franklin St., 377-3968
Amy Cabaniss says it's about time her Shockoe Bottom restaurant received this designation. "I've been wanting to be known for our shrimp and grits, and fried green tomatoes since 2003," when the restaurant opened, she says. After growing to love those dishes during visits to Charleston, S.C., and New Orleans, Cabaniss made them staples on the menu at Julep's.
2. Julep's fried green tomatoes
3. (Tie) Comfort's banana pudding crème brûlée; Lady N'awlins' shrimp and grits
Best Restaurant for a Sandwich and Soup:
Café Caturra
Visit cafecaturra.com for locations.
While the website boasts "wine is our passion," there's no lack of good eats at Café Caturra. "Our most popular sandwich has to be our Tuscan Panini," says Directing Partner Chris Easton. The grilled sandwich pairs roasted chicken with roasted tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, bacon and balsamic vinaigrette. Their cream-based tomato basil soup, made with fresh basil, is also a customer favorite.
2. Baker's Crust
3. Garnett's Café
Best Salad Served in a Restaurant:
Beet and goat cheese salad at Can Can Brasserie
3120 W. Cary St., 358-7274
On Can Can's menu, classic French bistro fare rubs shoulders with more adventurous seasonal plates. Versions of Richmonders' favorite salad are served in other places, but the restaurant's marketing coordinator, Meg Lawler, says, "Although our salad is basic — not fancy— we do a really good job melding those flavors … . I think it's that simplicity that makes it so popular."
2. Joe's Inn's Greek salad
3. (Tie) Brio's chopped salad; Baker's Crust's Wine Country salad
Best Calamari:
Edo's Squid
411 N. Harrison St., 864-5488
Quick-fried with a minimum of breading, the calamari rings and tentacle pieces at Edo's Squid are beautifully tender, served with a sprinkle of flat parsley and a couple of lemon wedges, says Richmond magazine restaurant reviewer Piet E. Jones. "It's nice because you don't need to douse it with marinara — just a squeeze of lemon. It's that fresh."
2. Stella's
3. Stuzzi
Best Bar Snack Food:
Sticky Rice
2232 W. Main St., 358-7870
If you're a regular, you know that the Bucket of Tots — served with a tangy, spicy "secret" sauce — goes exceptionally well with beer, and you've probably ordered the tuna-and-crab Sticky Balls. But have you tried the new braised pork belly steam buns? "We're always trying to reinvent ourselves," says partner John Yamashita, noting a push to highlight more seasonal and sustainable options.
2. Secco Wine Bar's fried chickpeas
3. Siné Irish Pub and Restaurant's Irish nachos
Best Farmers' Market Vendor:
Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen
On Saturdays, Jay and Judy Yoder and their three daughters wake up at 3:30 a.m. to load their trailer and begin the 70-minute drive from McKenney to the South of the James Market. By noon, the Mennonite family has typically served 1,500 warm, glazed rings of sourdough. Jay says they're overwhelmed by the response. "We're humbled and we want to thank everybody."
2. Victory Farms
3. (Tie) Amy's Garden; Pizza Tonight
Best Food Event:
Richmond Greek Festival
30 Malvern Ave., 358-5996
Thousands head to the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in late May/early June to fill up on moussaka, sip small-batch Greek wine and socialize. It's a 36-year, four-day tradition that raises funds for the church as well as local charities. The mini festival is coming up the second week of November.
2. Broad Appétit
3. Lebanese Food Festival
Best Pies:
Bill's Barbecue
Visit billsbarbecue.net for locations.
Of the eight kinds of pie Bill's Barbecue makes each day in its Myers Street commissary, chocolate icebox is the top seller, followed by strawberry and French apple, says company President Rhoda Elliott. The family-owned business has used the same recipes for eight decades. "Everything is [made] from scratch, from the crust to the whipped cream on top," she says. "If we can't get fresh strawberries, we don't make the strawberry pie that day."
2. Proper Pie Co.
3. (Tie) Ipanema Café; Garnett's Café
Best Butcher in the Region:
Belmont Butchery
15 N. Belmont Ave., 422-8519
Known for high-quality meats, as well as a carefully curated selection of complimentary food and drink, Belmont Butchery deals with more than 40 different farms to get the good stuff. And if you're a fan of more exotic offerings, owner Tanya Cauthen welcomes special orders in advance: "If we can accommodate your weird need, we will."
2. The Butcher at Bon Air
3. Nadolski's Butcher Shop
Best Pre-Theater Restaurant:
Tarrant's Café
1 W. Broad St., 225-0035
At Tarrant's, early dinner customers are often asked if they're attending a show. "We do our darnedest to get the food out as soon as possible," says owner Ted Santarella. Tarrant's also offers valet parking and a free lot, so patrons can leave their cars and walk across the street to the theater. If they're lucky, they might even hear actor and Assistant Manager Russell Rowland's baritone version of "Happy Birthday."
2. Pasture
3. Comfort
Gutsiest Local Restaurateur:
Chris Tsui, owner, The Blue Goat
The nose-to-tail culinary approach may have come a little late to Richmond, but Chris Tsui and company are getting credit for popularizing it on the local dining scene. Last year, Tsui, Chef Kevin LaCivita and business partner Ren Mefford opened The Blue Goat near Libbie and Grove avenues to positive reviews and were honored earlier this year at this magazine's Elby Awards as culinary visionaries.
2. BlowToad's Jimmy Sneed
3. Various members of the Giavos family
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant:
The Phoenician
4401 W. Broad St., 359-5590
Serving traditional Lebanese cuisine, The Phoenician's decked-out dining room provides the perfect backdrop for a menu filled with Middle Eastern delights. If you feel yourself wanting to try it all, order the mezza platter, which provides you with a little bit of everything, including hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, fatayer, grape leaves, tabbouleh and more.
2. Cous Cous
3. (Tie) Aziza's on Main; Mediterranean Bakery and Deli
Restaurant With the Best Mac and Cheese:
Comfort
200 W. Broad St., 780-0004
To make his version of the ultimate comfort food, chef/owner Jason Alley says, "We use Velveeta — which some people think is a sin, but it's delicious." It's always on the menu unless they run out, and woe to the server who has to deliver that news. "People sometimes act as though you've cursed their parents if we don't have it," Alley says.
2. Mosaic
3. Weezie's Kitchen
Best Farmers' Market:
South of the James Market
Forest Hill Park, Forest Hill Avenue and 42nd Street, sojmarket.com
For its fifth year, the SOJ upped the ante by bringing in an on-site chef, Samuel Baker of Hermitage Grill, to demonstrate how to cook whatever's in season and on sale each Saturday from the market's 100-plus vendors. On a Saturday in late June, that included stir-fried eggplant with green tomatoes, mushrooms and mild Thai chili peppers wrapped in steamed kale leaves.
2. 17th Street Farmers' Market
3. Lakeside Farmers' Market
Best bargain lunch:
Christopher's Runaway Gourmay
christophersrunawaygourmay.com
For $6 to $7, you can walk away from one of Christopher's Runaway Gourmay's four downtown carts with pasta or a salad, two side dishes, bread and a drink. And owner Chris Zechini doesn't mind it when people describe it as a "cheap" lunch. "I take that in a good way," he says.
2. Padow's
3. (Tie) Keagan's; Joe's Inn; Mexico Restaurant
Best Restaurant Interior:
Balliceaux
203 N. Lombardy St., 355-3008
Balliceaux is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. Owners Lainie and Steve Gratz named the restaurant after a Grenadine Island dear to them. "There are so many cool things around that area, and they wanted that translated in the décor of the restaurant," explains Manager Holly Wren.
2. Can Can Brasserie
3. Stella's
Best Restaurant Bathrooms:
Can Can Brasserie
3120 W. Cary St., 358-7274
You might think Can Can's bathroom fixtures came straight from France, but everything, even the chain-pull toilets and chrome-legged sinks, was found in the United States. "We spent a lot of time and energy researching the design for the main dining room," says Meg Lawler, Can Can's marketing coordinator, "and you want to continue the experience throughout."
2. The Jefferson/Lemaire
3. Capital Ale House
Best Late-Night Restaurant:
Third Street Diner
218 E. Main St., 788-4750
The 86-year-old diner at the corner of Third and East Main never sleeps. On Friday and Saturday nights, it's in full swing after the nightclubs close and hungry partiers arrive for the late-night breakfast buffet from 2 to 8 a.m. For $9.95, they can fill up on scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, sausage, fried apples, biscuits, gravy and corned beef hash. Though it can get loud, says Manager Charles Simpson, "90 percent of the time, they're pretty mellow."
2. City Dogs
3. Sidewalk Café
Best Virginia Wine Selection at a Restaurant:
The Roosevelt
623 N. 25th St., 658-1935
Though relatively small, with 31 selections, The Roosevelt's wine list stands out for featuring Virginia vineyards exclusively. "At first it was a lot of legwork because a lot of wineries don't go through distributors," partner Kendra Feather says. "Now that The Roosevelt's reputation is spreading, the wineries are coming to me." Among the standouts, she says, are the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Ankida Ridge Vineyards in Amherst."
2. Cafe Caturra
3. (Tie) Lemaire; Melting Pot
Best Wings:
Buffalo Wild Wings
Visit buffalowildwings.com for locations.
With seven local franchises and the signature item in its name, Buffalo Wild Wings has a clear advantage here. Christine Townsend, general manager of the West Broad location, says that of the 17 sauce options, honey barbecue, Parmesan garlic and Asian Zing are the most popular. For the brave, there's the Blazin' sauce. Customers who can eat 12 Blazin' wings in six minutes win a wing coupon, a sweatband and their photo placed on the wall.
2. Hooters
3. Quaker Steak and Lube
Watch WRIC News Channel 8's "best-of" video on Richmond's best wings
Best Shrimp and Grits:
Julep's New Southern Cuisine
1719-21 E. Franklin St., 377-3968
It's a simple dish, but easy to mess up by overcooking the shrimp, undercooking the grits or using too little seasoning, says Randy Doetzer, executive chef at Julep's. His crew starts with Wade's Mill grits and good-sized shrimp, and makes a lobster stock for the sauce and a corn stock for the grits. Because it's ordered so frequently, consistency is important. "It's drilled into everybody's heads here," Doetzer says. "Anybody here could rattle off the recipe."
2. Comfort
3. Mosaic
Best New Restaurant in the Region (June 2011 to March 2012):
The Roosevelt
623 N. 25th St., 658-1935
The Roosevelt's partners envisioned it as a neighborhood pub rather than the regional destination it has become. The surge of business has overwhelmed the restaurant's storage space: "We don't have room to put anything," says chef/co-owner Lee Gregory. But the success also allows him to take some risks with items like fried pig's head terrine. "We originally put it on the menu to see what would happen," he says. Now it's a signature dish.
2. Stella's
3. The Blue Goat
Best Happy Hour:
Joe's Inn
205 N. Shields Ave., 355-2282; 2616 Buford Road, 320-9700
Kevin Palin, the bartender at the Bon Air location, says that it's cost that makes the difference. With a variety of beers, house wines and liquors available for just two or three dollars, "our prices keep people coming," he says. In the Fan, people have stopped by Joe's Inn for a drink or two in the evening since it opened in 1952, but today, its extensive beer list has locked down another generation.
2. Tobacco Company
3. Keagan's
Best Pho:
Mekong
6004 W. Broad St., 288-8929
"We didn't win for the beer?" asks Mekong's self-proclaimed Chief Beer Officer An Bui. While the beer selection is one of the best in the city, pho reigns supreme. "We have used the same recipe since we opened 17 years ago," says Bui, but he insists it's not the recipe, but the beer in customer's systems that makes their pho better than the rest.
2. Pho So 1
3. Vietnam 1
Best Restaurant for a Lunch Meeting:
Can Can Brasserie
3120 W. Cary St., 358-7274
Part of Can Can's charm is the big open dining room divided by low booths and brass railings. However, for those with business on their minds, Meg Lawler, Can Can's marketing coordinator, says, "Certain corners are a little more secluded, and if our private dining rooms haven't been reserved, we try to make them available to people having meetings. … Our mornings — with just pastries and coffee — are becoming more and more popular for casual business meetings."
2. Mekong
3. Café Caturra
Best Local Beer Selection:
Capital Ale House
Visit capitalalehouse.com for locations.
"There has been a lot of focus shifted toward local breweries," says Capital Ale Operations and Marketing Administrator Amy DuFour. Virginia breweries Legend, Hardywood and Devil's Backbone are all featured here. Looking for a crisp summertime beer? "We have Devil's Backbone 10 L.O.W, a lemongrass-oatmeal wit that was brewed specifically for our 10-year anniversary this year," says DuFour.
2. Mekong
3. Legend Brewing Co.
Restaurant With the Best Gluten-free Menu Options:
The Empress
2043 W. Broad St., 592-4000
The Empress boasts one of the most diverse gluten-free menus in the city. A celiac herself, owner Melissa Barlow aims to provide a safe environment for her customers. "A lot of people don't understand how severe the allergy is," says Barlow. The menu changes consistently, but the gluten-free lasagna, eggs Benedict with gluten-free biscuits, and fresh breads remain favorites.
2. The Belvidere at Broad
3. Fresca on Addison
Best Restaurant in Which to Have a Conversation:
Café Caturra
Visit cafecaturra.com for locations.
Readers agree this café has more to it than food and drink. Directing Partner Chris Easton says the restaurant has "a very intimate atmosphere." With indoor and outdoor fireplaces, front and back patios, and couches, the décor "makes it easy to relax [and] enjoy a glass of wine and good conversation with friends."
2. Acacia Mid-town
3. Can Can Brasserie
Best Locally Made Bagels:
Cupertino's NY Bagels and Deli
1215 E. Main St., 788-1111; 3621 Cox Road, 747-4005
Co-owner Nick Baietti attributes Cupertino's success to "an old family recipe." Not only does Cupertino's supply Carytown's Ellwood Thompson's (which placed second in this category) but also Harrison St. Café, Lamplighter Roasting Company, the Omni and more. With bagels at all of these locations, as well as a booming catering and box-lunch business, you can find the fruits of Cupertino's labors all over the city.
2. Ellwood Thompson's (also made at Cupertino's)
Best Party/Event Caterer:
Mosaic
6229 River Road, 288-7482
Catering Director Ryan Traylor says Mosaic Catering is "always in competition with ourselves to push the envelope." For this year's Richmond Heart Ball, Mosaic created dessert carts that resembled animal-cracker boxes. They were pulled into the event by Mosaic's chefs, who were riding tricycles and wearing neon chef jackets. "It became a really good party after that," Traylor says.
2. A Sharper Palate
3. Groovin' Gourmets
Best Local Chocolatier:
Gearhart's Chocolates
306-B Libbie Ave., 282-1822
Lucky enough to have expanded from their Charlottesville location, Gearhart's chocolate artists work hard to provide fixes to Richmond chocoholics. The fine chocolate menu includes maple pecan, mint julep and apricot brandy varieties. General Manager Matt Gearhart says the shop is gearing up to provide customers with more interactive experiences. "Look for wine and chocolate pairings, dipping demonstrations, and completely new ‘Chocolate of the Month' flavors."
2. Chocolates by Kelly
3. Chocolate Cravings
Best Barista to Face First Thing in the Morning:
(Tie) Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream; Lamplighter Roasting Company
Crossroads: 3600 Forest Hill Ave., 231-2030; 26 N. Morris St., 355-3559; Lamplighter: 116 S. Addison St., 728-2292
Whether they're injecting you with that caffeine I.V. (stat!) or offering a little a.m. banter, the folks at Crossroads and Lamplighter know how to reverse your grim disposition. Crossroads co-own er Olivia Patrick says, "I get here pretty early every day, so when they come in, I am ready. Me and my girls are ready."
2. Taza Coffee ‘n Crème
3. Globehopper
Best Sweet Potato Fries:
Kitchen 64
3336 N. Boulevard, 358-0064
OK, it may not be a secret, but let's put it out there: The sweet-potato fries that seem to fly off the line at Kitchen 64 and quickly disappear from diners' plates spend a little time in the freezer. However, the restaurant's co-owner, Katrina Giavos, says they met a stringent taste test. "They are very consistent. … We looked for a good product, but we do not cut them ourselves."
2. Buz & Ned's Real Barbecue
3. deLux
Best Neighborhood Restaurant:
Joe's Inn
205 N. Shields Ave., 355-2282; 2616 Buford Road, 320-9700
The fact that some of the customers and staff at Joe's Inn have known each other for a couple of decades helps explain why the restaurant is such a Richmond institution. Tina Kafantaris, manager and part-owner of the Fan restaurant, chalks it up to the low turnover among her staff. "Many of our cooks have been here for more than 25 years," she says.
2. Stella's
3. Dot's Back Inn
Best Ice Cream for a Hot Summer's Day:
Bev's Homemade Ice Cream
2911 W. Cary St., 204-2387
She turns 75 this month, but Bev's owner Beverly Mazursky won't be taking a day off. "I have never been able to celebrate or go away until January," she says, the only month when Bev's closes. Mazursky and General Manager Heidi Krizansky, who regularly create new flavors, recently debuted Dark Chocolate S'mores — dark-chocolate ice cream with marshmallows and dark chocolate-covered graham crackers.
2. Sweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt
3. Gelati Celesti
Best Coffee Shop in Which to Camp Out:
Lamplighter Roasting Company
116 S. Addison St., 728-2292
Attention, campers: Feel free to stay and telecommute through the Lamplighter's Wi-Fi, but just remember that it's not a public library. Instead of nursing that 16-ounce coffee for three hours, be sure to grab a little nosh, too, and don't forget to tip the baristas. And here's some good news: Your camping space is slated for expansion in the next year.
2. Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream
3. Globehopper
Best Restaurant Overall:
Acacia Mid-town
2601 W. Cary St., 562-0138
When pushed to identify the "secret ingredient" to Acacia's popularity, co-owner (with wife Aline) and chef Dale Reitzer says there isn't one. Instead, it's about fundamentals — consistency and attention to detail. At most, he says, only one-quarter of Acacia's menu is devoted to culinary experimentation. "There are customers who come in every week and order the same thing because they want consistency," he says.
2. Stella's
3. Mosaic Café
Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant Without a Rodent for a Mascot:
(Tie) Joe's Inn; Kitchen 64; Galaxy Diner
Joe's Inn: 205 N. Shields Ave., 355-2282; 2616 Buford Road, 320-9700; Kitchen 64: 3336 N. Boulevard, 358-0064; Galaxy Diner: 3109 W. Cary St., 213-0510
Joe's Inn is a rite of passage for some Richmonders. "We've witnessed generations of families come through here," says Tina Kafantaris, manager and part-owner of Joe's in the Fan. Meanwhile, space-themed fun permeates Galaxy Diner's menu. And just a few squirrel hops from The Diamond, Kitchen 64 makes for an easy post-baseball meal stop for families,
2. (Tie) Mexico; River City Diner; Silver Diner; Dairy Bar
3. Bottom's Up Pizza
Restaurant Using Social Media Most Effectively:
(Tie) Balliceaux; The Blue Goat; F.W. Sullivan's
Balliceaux: 203 N. Lombardy St., 355-3008; The Blue Goat: 5710 Grove Ave., 288-8875; F.W. Sullivan's: 2401 W. Main St., 308-8576
In total, these restaurants have more than 8,000 "likes" on Facebook. Balliceaux shares a "secret" password to score the day's $5 lunch special. The Blue Goat posts new offerings such as its late-night bar menu. And F.W. Sullivan's touts specials, like $12 buckets of snow crab legs on crab night.
2. Sticky Rice
3. (Tie) Lady N'awlins; Pescados; The Republic
Best Place to Pick Your Own Produce:
Chesterfield Berry Farm
26002 Pear Orchard Road, Moseley, 739-2404
Since 1983, the Chesterfield Berry Farm has become one of the region's hotspots for people who want to take the harvest of fruits and veggies into their own hands. "They want to feel that connection, and so people are becoming more educated and aware," says the farm's owner, Aaron Goode. The farm is open in spring, summer and fall, and a retail operation in Brandermill is open year-round.
2. Ashland Berry Farm
3. Ellwood Thompson's
Best Grilled Cheese:
Mosaic Café
6229 River Road, 288-7482
There's your everyday grilled cheese sandwich, and then there's Mosaic Cafe's ultimate Gouda grilled cheese, combining their secret-recipe Gouda pimento cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and basil mustard on a wheat baguette. "If we ever took it off the menu, people would freak out," says Anne Craft, general manager.
2. Café Caturra
3. Joe's Inn
Best Crab Cakes:
Old Original Bookbinders
2306 E. Cary St., 643-6900
This is a really competitive category, but Bookbinders' chef Chris Booth knows what he's doing. He uses jumbo lump crabmeat, house-made mayo, Old Bay seasoning, Tabasco, parsley "and that's it. No filler in the mix," he says. Booth bakes the crab cakes with a little white wine, melted butter and paprika in the pan, rather than frying them like most places do.
2. The Boathouse
3. Acacia Mid-town
Best Appetizer Selection:
(Tie) Stella's; Europa
Stella's: 1012 Lafayette St., 358-2011; Europa: 409 E. Cary St., 643-0911
The co-winners in this category are like mirror images of each other but from different cultures. The Greek meze dishes at Stella's and Spanish tapas plates at Europa are created with the same sense of social engineering — with the purpose of bringing people together to share food, drink, conversation and laughter. It's all the more fitting that they share this distinction.
2. (Tie) Kona Grill; Lady N'awlins; Pasture
3. (Tie) F.W. Sullivan's, 3Monkeys; and Sidewalk Cafe
Best Burger:
Carytown Burgers & Fries
3500 1/2 W. Cary St., 358-5225
Richmonders like choice, and Carytown Burgers & Fries manages to take one menu standard and reinterpret it again and again. Want a Philly cheese steak and a burger? It's on the menu: a burger combined with all the traditional trimmings, including peppers, onions, mushrooms and provolone. Debuting in March was a new vegan burger made with mushrooms, corn and red peppers. "It's a mouth party," says owner Mike Barber.
2. Five Guys Burgers and Fries
3. Burger Bach
Watch WRIc News Channel 8's video on Richmond's best burger
Best Italian Restaurant:
Edo's Squid
411 N. Harrison St., 864-5488
Though some patrons grumble about the noise and lack of free parking, there's no denying the appeal of the expertly prepared Italian fare at Edo's, owned by Brad Wein and Ed Vasaio (who also owns Mamma 'Zu, one of Saveur magazine's top 100 picks). Juicy grilled hanger steak, crispy soft-shell crabs and succulent clams in white sauce are among our writers' obsessions.
2. Mamma ‘Zu
3. La Grotta
Best Restaurant Patio:
The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing/The Boathouse at Sunday Park
Rocketts Landing: 4708 E. Old Main St., 622-2628; Sunday Park: 4602 Millridge Parkway, 744-2545
On a clear evening with a light breeze from the James River and the sun sinking down, there's no outdoor spot better than The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing — unless you're overlooking Swift Creek Reservoir from The Boathouse at Sunday Park. "It reminds me of the lake I grew up on in upstate New York," says owner Kevin Healy.
2. Legend Brewing Co.
3. Baja Bean Co.
Best Hot Dog:
City Dogs
1316 E. Cary St., 343-3647
Travis Irby and his family opened City Dogs' first location in Shockoe Slip four years ago. "When I was about 10 years old, my dad said, ‘Son, we're going to a hot dog place. Don't do something stupid and ask for ketchup.' I said [when I ordered], ‘I'll have what he's having.' " That was a dog all-the-way: mustard, chili and onions. Known as the Richmond Dog, it leads the pack as City Dogs' most popular.
2. Joey's Hot Dogs
3. Melito's
Best Pizza:
Bottoms Up Pizza
1700 Dock St., 644-4400
Bottoms Up owners Coalter Turpin and Dirk Graham were determined to bring a different kind of pizza to Richmond other than the usual New York-style slice or Sicilian overload. With ingredients like jalapeños, crabmeat and barbecued chicken, Bottoms Up proved that pizza could be elevated. They haven't stopped changing with the times; a low-carb, crustless Portobello mushroom version is available, as well as gluten-free crusts.
2. Mary Angela's
3. Stuzzi
Best Steakhouse:
Ruth's Chris Steak House
11500 W. Huguenot Road, 378-0600
This venerable steakhouse is a special-occasion, impress-your-date destination for carnivores. Their big, juicy cuts of aged beef are legendary, but Manager Michael Ainge says that they've just added a new selection that will dazzle even more. "The bone alone is a good 12 inches long," says Ainge.
2. Buckhead's
3. Hondo's
Best Restaurant for an Intimate Dinner:
The Melting Pot
9704 Gayton Road, 741-3120
The fondue restaurant has popped up on "most romantic" lists for years, and General Manager Dan Lambert has lost count how many proposals have taken place at The Melting Pot. "We had three last week," he says, and he personally has presented diamond rings — on plates, with flowers, etc. — to two dozen women on behalf of his patrons. The most elaborate proposal involved a magician who pulled a ring out of his sleeve, Lambert says.
2. (Tie) Julep's; Lemaire
3. Acacia Mid-town
Quickest Workday Lunch:
Christopher's Runaway Gourmay
christophersrunawaygourmay.com
The namesake of this street-food business, Chris Zechini, puts his own expectations ahead of his customers'. "I'm very impatient — I hate to wait," he says. "We are down to about 15 seconds per person. One [of our staff] is down to about 7 seconds."
2. Padow's Hams & Deli
3. Mexico Restaurant
Best Ribs:
Buz & Ned's Real Barbecue
1119 N. Boulevard, 355-6055; 8205 W. Broad St., 346-4227
"We're sticking to our guns," says Buz & Ned's owner and chief cook Buz Grossberg. The restaurant, which opened a second location earlier this year, has been using the same recipe for more than 20 years and continues to focus on serving the highest quality ribs and barbecue. "It's a passion we have for barbecue, and for doing it right," says Grossberg.
2. Q Barbeque
3. Ronnie's Ribs
Best Mexican Restaurant:
Mexico Restaurant
Visit mexico-restaurant.com for locations.
Starting with just one restaurant on Horsepen Road, the Garcia family's Mexico now has eight locations. José Garcia grew up in the business: "I've been working here since I was probably 12 years old. I started cleaning tables on the weekends and after school." Giving up weekends was tough when Garcia, 33, was a teenager, but it hasn't been all bad. "We're just so happy Richmond likes us and has been so kind to us."
2. (Tie) Casa Grande; Little Mexico
3. Cielito Lindo
Best Thai:
Thai Diner/Thai Diner Too
8059 W. Broad St., 270-2699; 3028 W. Cary St., 353-9514
Even for a restaurant town like Richmond, we have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to Thai food. From the ubiquitous pad thai to the traditional tom ka gai (a chicken and coconut milk soup), both the West End Thai Diner and its sister restaurant in Carytown, Thai Diner Too, have served up dishes that pack the heat without overwhelming Thai cuisine's complexity of flavors.
2. Mom's Siam
3. Ginger Thai Taste
Best Cupcakes:
Pearl's Cupcake Shoppe
5812 Grove Ave., 285-2253
When Pearl's Cupcake Shoppe opened in 2010, owners Laura Condrey and Laurie Blakey worked alongside just two employees. Now they have 20, and they're selling anywhere from 1,000 to 2,500 cupcakes a day. One of the more unusual offerings is the Johnny Martin, named for a gentleman who called asking for a dill-pickle cake. "It tastes like a fried pickle," says Blakey.
2. Frostings
3. Carytown Cupcakes
Watch WRIC News Channel 8's "Best-of" video on Richmond's best cupcakes
Best Restaurant Service:
Lemaire
101 W. Franklin St., 649-4629
Lemaire's waitstaff receives weeks of training before serving customers, says General Manager and Wine Director Greg McGehee, but its servers' intangible qualities are just as important. "A quality we look for in new hires is a sense of warmth," McGehee says. "Our staff are at their happiest when they are making other people feel happy."
2. Ruth's Chris Steak House
3. Acacia Mid-town
Best Chinese Restaurant:
Peking Restaurant
Visit pekingdining.com for locations.
Peking has been serving the Greater Richmond area since 1979, and for some Richmonders, it was the place where they tried Asian food for the first time. Although the original Grove Avenue location is no more, Peking has five locations in Mechanicsville, Midlothian, Chester, West Broad Street and Shockoe Slip.
2. Peter Chang China Café
3. Yen Ching
Best Sushi:
Osaka Sushi & Steak
5023 Huguenot Road, 288-8801; 11674 W. Broad St., 364-8800
How many rolls do Osaka's chefs prepare daily at the West End location? "Let's just say our fish stays very fresh," says Manager Mike Hinerman. Chef and part-owner Hai Truong has more than 160 rolls in his repertoire, including the Blue Oyster Cult, featuring a fried oyster roll topped with filet mignon.
2. Sticky Rice
3. Akida
Best Seafood Restaurant:
The Hard Shell
1411 E. Cary St., 643-2333; 11400 W. Huguenot Road, 464-1476
How does the Hard Shell stay on top after 17 years? By combining the tried-and-true with culinary innovation, says partner Jared Golden. The crab cake recipe may be the same as it was on opening day, but an extensive raw bar and large menu keep things interesting for repeat guests.
2. Pescados
3. Bonefish Grill
Best Restaurant for Vegetarians:
Ipanema Café
917 W. Grace St., 213-0190
You're as likely to find a carnivore enjoying a marinated tofu Caesar salad or a smoked Gouda-and-caramelized onion sandwich at Ipanema as you are a dedicated vegetarian. "A lot of customers approach Ipanema like they would an ethnic restaurant, like going out for Thai or Ethiopian," says owner Kendra Feather. "And the food is just that good."
2. Fresca
3. (Tie) Cous Cous; Lehja
Best Food Cart:
Christopher's Runaway Gourmay
christophersrunawaygourmay.com
Closing in on 30 years in business, this street vendor has a track record that puts some of Richmond's vaunted restaurants to shame: A dependable, tailored menu; reasonable prices; four downtown locations; and a friendly but fast approach to its customers. "We've mastered the 20-second conversation," says owner Chris Zechini. "We don't want you to feel like you're being rushed."
2. Boka Taco Truck
3. Rooster Cart
Best Brunch:
Millie's Diner
2603 E. Main St., 643-5512
Richmonders have been lining up outside Millie's since 1989 to partake of the Devil's Mess and soft scrambled eggs with lobster. Waiting outside while enjoying a bloody Mary is so much a part of Millie's tradition that owner Paul Keevil says some diners are disappointed when they are seated immediately. "You have the club outside and then you come in for some great food," he says.
2. The Jefferson Hotel
3. Can Can Brasserie
Best Cookies Outside of a Supermarket:
Mosaic Café
6229 River Road, 288-7482
What's not to love about a warm, gooey cookie the size of a hockey puck? Mosaic sells 400 to 500 of these delectable diet killers per week, says General Manager Anne Craft. Triple chocolate chunk is the most popular of eight flavors, with raspberry-white chocolate and peanut butter crunch following closely behind.
2. Café Caturra
3. (Tie) Jean-Jacques Bakery; Westhampton Pastry Shop
Best Cocktail You Can't Make at Home:
Balliceaux
203 N. Lombardy St., 355-3008
When mixing a cocktail, Bar Manager Sean Rapoza wants "to make sure the first sip tastes as good as the last." For a time Balliceaux was the No. 1 account for Finlandia grapefruit vodka on the East Coast thanks to its popular Intimate Secretary, which mixes the vodka with rosemary syrup, club soda and lime juice.
2. The Roosevelt
3. Acacia Mid-town
Best Indian Restaurant:
Anokha
4015 Lauderdale Drive, 360-8686
Compared to the stereotypical Indian restaurant, Anokha, which means "unique" in Hindi, is just that with its sophisticated, spice-colored dining room, extensive wine list and emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients. Whether you're a curry connoisseur or a naan novice, dishes like lamb-mushroom curry and baingan bahaar (tomato-glazed eggplant) will give you a new appreciation for Indian cuisine.
2. Lehja
3. India K'Raja
Best Hanover Restaurant:
Iron Horse Restaurant
100-B S. Railroad Ave., Ashland, 752-6410
Alongside the railways in Ashland, Iron Horse has long been known as a special-occasion restaurant, but General Manager Charles Cannon says they are also working to serve more vegetarian entrées — including house-made crêpes and Veggie Wellington, prepared with phyllo dough and coconut-curry lentils. "People are getting more health-conscious," he notes.
2. Hanover Tavern Restaurant and Pub
3. Marty's Grill
Best Henrico Restaurant:
Ironfish by Pescados
3061 Lauderdale Drive, 249-4515
General Manager Britton Marable notes that Ironfish, the Far West End restaurant owned by Pescados chef Todd Manley, recently started two nightly specials: a white fish and a pink, meatier fish. If you like your meal to look at you, bronzini is served whole, after being grilled and flash-fried in olive oil. Marable suggests pairing mild white fish with an olive-and-rosemary dirty martini. With that, we're off to dinner.
2. Patina Grill
3. Melito's
Best Fried Chicken:
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken
2200 W. Broad St., 355-1059
On a typical day, Lee's sells 120 chickens, says Assistant Manager Najaah Khabir. During the holidays through the Super Bowl, Richmonders' appetite grows to 168 fried chickens per day. Khabir, who has worked at Lee's for eight years, eats Lee's chicken five days a week. "Krispy is my favorite, but I know herb roasted is the most healthy for me," she says.
2. Ukrop's/Martin's
3. Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen
Watch WRIC News Channel 8's "Best-of" video on Lee's Fried Chicken
Best Chesterfield Restaurant:
Pescados
13124 Midlothian Turnpike, 379-7121
"I think there'd be a revolt if I took certain things off of the menu," says Pescados owner and chef Todd Manley — for instance, Pescados' most popular item, the Snapper Cancun. It's a whole, flash-fried fish that arrives standing up and staring at you with its little fried fishy eyes. It's both impressive and delectable. "Someone would try to kill me if I took that off the menu," Manly says.
2. The Boathouse at Sunday Park
3. Wild Ginger
Best Goochland Restaurant:
Portico Restaurant
12506 River Road, 784-4800
Sensi, the downtown restaurant owned by Paolo Randazzo, closed this past spring, but the Italian chef's fans can find him just over the Goochland County line serving lunch and dinner. Sophisticated Italian entrées, as well as simpler pizzas and salads, make up Portico's fare, and the beautiful patio makes the restaurant a go-to place.
2. Enzo's Italian Chop House
3. Sunset Grill
Best Takeout:
8 1/2
401 Strawberry St., 358-8505
As one corner of the powerhouse culinary triangle that includes Edo's Squid and Mamma 'Zu, the Fan takeout spot 8 1/2 serves up Italian classics done well, from red and white pizzas to eggplant parmigiana. "A lot of these dishes are rooted in the classics, and we just kind of stick to that," says chef Lawrence DiJoseph, who's been at the restaurant since 2005. "I don't think there's anything on the menu that's not tried and true."
2. Mekong
3. Joe's Out
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