This article has been updated since it first appeared in print.
Richmond’s dining scene is alive with restaurants that have a clear point of view. From a fast-casual taqueria straight out of Mexico to a cozy neighborhood deli, a long-standing Cantonese favorite and a spot reimagining Southern cuisine, each excels while telling its own story. Many have been in business for more than a decade, a testament that longevity and relevance can coexist.
While there are familiar restaurants in the mix, their reappearance is proof that the best possess staying power, continuing to endure amid an always changing dining landscape. Easygoing and elevated, time-honored and trendsetting, with seamless service and unforgettable menus, these are the city’s top restaurants for 2025.
(Clockwise from left) Matzo ball soup, turmeric-fried cauliflower, the Tony brisket sandwich and potato latkes with smoked salmon from Susie’s (Photo by Justin Chesney)
Susie’s
1600 W. Cary St.
Opened at the end of 2024 by industry vet Yael Cantor, this sweet neighborhood deli is a buzzy hangout with a reliable menu of casual Jewish- and Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Your first order of business should be a soul-hugging bowl of matzo ball soup, followed up by the best-in-class potato latkes. Choosing a sandwich is a challenge, but in terms of hitting the spot, it’s hard to beat the Tony, with its slow-cooked brisket and zippy horseradish sauce. Whether it’s one of their seasonal makers markets or a late-night karaoke session, there is always something fun happening at Susie’s — bookmark the restaurant’s event calendar to stay in the loop. —Stephanie Ganz
Ceviche trio at Lillian (Photo by Fred Turko)
Lillian
3001 W. Leigh St.
This sleek, chic oyster hall from spouses Patrick Phelan and Megan Fitzroy Phelan has an old-school charm that’s rare in a new build. With its tiled details and numbered barstools lining a long, low-slung bar where guests can watch chefs at work, Lillian feels mature beyond its years. Bring someone you want to woo and spring for the seafood tower, along with an array of shareable plates such as roasted scallops with tangy yuzu hollandaise. Stop by during happy hour for beer and wine specials, and — the rarest find of all — buck-a-shuck oysters served with mignonette, housemade hot sauce and a relish-like, fermented condiment. —SG
The Roosevelt
Leah Branch, executive chef at The Roosevelt (Photo by Ash Daniel)
623 N. 25th St.
Chef Leah Branch’s food is thought-provoking artistry, offering a glimpse into a lost era: our grandmother’s table, laid with fried meats served in cast iron, crisp vegetables wading in bowls of vinegar and pepper, and peas so fresh their shells are still piled beside them on newspaper. Branch’s gift is bringing those sacred bites, with nods to Appalachia, into modernity. Fried sunchokes replace okra. Potatoes are glazed in tallow, pig ears pickled with apples, and scallops adorned with crawfish bisque. Service at The Roosevelt, led by a steady staff that includes longtime sommelier Troy Hancock, matches the menu’s tone — warm, attentive and authentically engaged. Finish the night with a slice of Cheerwine cake. P.S.: Co-owner Kendra Feather’s South Side haunt, Laura Lee’s, is also worth a visit. —Bird Cox
Pho Tay Do
6328 Rigsby Road
Bust out the loose bills for this cash-only spot where you’re almost guaranteed to see someone you know slurping from a bowl of steaming pho. Step into the little blue house and you’ll be treated like family — fitting, since the 25-year-old restaurant is family-run. Second-generation owner and cook Anh Thu Doan-Lewis runs the place with her husband, Denzel Lewis, whose kind, efficient service is second to none. The traditional Vietnamese menu centers on pho, whether it’s pho tai with its thinly sliced rare eye of round or pho dau hu's fried tofu bobbing in rich beef broth. Don’t miss the goi du du, a fiery green papaya salad tossed with shredded beef and heaps of fresh basil. Reminder: Pho Tay Do is closed on Wednesdays. —SG
Blue Atlas
1000 Carlisle Ave.
If you travel specifically to sample cuisines, Blue Atlas is likely your most visited restaurant. The Fulton Hill spot, located in a former schoolhouse, offers a rotating menu of small plates spanning five continents and a customizable dining experience. Think sticky-sweet pork belly bao buns with harissa cauliflower, spicy jerk chicken with pillowy pierogis, and a slice of expertly baked pie to finish. Chef-owners and spouses Rachel Best and Ben Watters also have a niche: vegan dining. Every few months, they restructure the menu for their wildly popular Vegan Takeovers — sellout multinight dinners showcasing seasonal ingredients and zero animal products. —BC
Mama J’s
415 N. First St.
Bopping around Jackson Ward is a feast for the senses: The architecture and Black history of this vibrant neighborhood call for a celebratory plate, one that Mama J’s delivers with friendly attention. The eatery was a James Beard Foundation Service Award semifinalist in 2019, and top chef and matriarch Velma Johnson’s shimmering cabbage, creamy mac and cheese, and cracking fried catfish are still served with the same care by her restaurant family. Thick bowls of chilled seafood salad, tangy collard greens and Southern-style crabcakes are house specialties, but the desserts — especially the thickly frosted coconut pineapple cake — will make you sing to the rafters. Keep an eye out for the forthcoming Mama J’s Market next door. —Genevelyn Steele
Grisette
3119 E. Marshall St.
A Francophile at heart, restaurateur Donnie Glass speaks with unwavering adoration for the motherland. Drawing inspiration from bouchons — traditional, family-run Lyonnais restaurants that specialize in rustic, regional food — Glass also highlights Virginia flavors, working closely with New Kent’s Old Tavern Farm and boasting big Bordeauxs. The signature steak frites (sliced hanger steak served with a mound of shoestring fries and bearnaise) is a classic, but the menu changes often, bringing dishes such as beef bourguignon and perfect meal-ending profiteroles. While Grisette remains the beloved firstborn of the bunch, Glass’ newer debuts — wine spot Jardin and oyster bar Beaucoup — stand strongly on their own. —Eileen Mellon
The dining room inside Adarra (Photo by Justin Chesney)
Restaurant Adarra
501 S. Pine St.
The romance of it all! Reopening in Oregon Hill earlier this year, Adarra is Lyne and Randall Doetzer’s magnum opus. It’s also date-night destination No. 1, serving sensual, supreme-quality bites and a palpable intimacy achieved when every detail — from food to atmosphere to service — is prioritized. Golden-lit evenings include sipping sherries, eating buttered clams and relishing in melty leeks with lamb. Nearly everything on the plate is sourced from local farmers and watermen, and cooked on a custom wood-fired system. There is no wine list; instead, ask Lyne, a certified sommelier, to guide you through their massive hand-picked selection. —BC
Shrimp fritters from Slack Tide Fish Co. (Photo by Fred Turko)
Slack Tide Fish Co.
1320 Summit Ave.
Despite a June debut that makes it the newest restaurant on our list, Slack Tide — the vision of the brothers behind Yellow Umbrella Provisions — exudes an ease often earned over years. Much of the credit goes to its tenured team, including general manager Steve Yang, bartenders Madelyn Gleeson and Vanna Hem, and executive chef Caleb Shriver. Start with a Billingsgate, an umami-packed vesper martini, and a dozen bivalves. Then, let the small plates shine: shrimp fritters with pickled gochu peppers, Thai basil and shrimp aioli; imaginative smoked rainbow trout and za’atar churros; or a heady beef tartare. Mains bounce between land and sea, from an impeccable smashburger to roast chicken with crayfish velouté and dirty rice or whole Arctic char. —EM
Abuelita’s
6400 Midlothian Turnpike
Karina Benavides and her husband, Everardo Fonseca, are the sturdy trunk of the family tree that sprouted Abuelita’s, a South Side stew nursery where bubbling guisos simmer beside beans, rice and housemade tortillas. Their grandmothers — the original abuelitas — had Sunday traditions in Mexico stirring richly flavored one-pot meals that filled the air with spice and comfort. That tradition lives on here. Taste their heritage in the guisos, such as pork ribs in green salsa, creamy mushrooms or tender steak with cactus, among other slow-simmered stews on the hot line in the orange-hued dining room. A spicy self-serve salsa bar keeps the rib-sticking meals lively. Craving brothy chiles rellenos, birria tacos, tamales, chocoflan or a margarita? You’ll find those, too — served up fast. —GS
Conejo
5820 Patterson Ave.
Since 2022, Conejo has built a reputation as a lively lunch and dinner spot with cheerful service and a killer bar, so reservations are recommended. Heirloom grains are the backbone of the menu — the restaurant partners with small family farms in Mexico to source the corn for sopes, tostadas and tortillas. The Sonoran wheat that gives the flour tortillas and costras their distinctive flavor and chew is milled locally by Sub Rosa Bakery. Shareable standouts include rockfish ceviche and crispy potato taquitos. Chef Danny Mena also showcases comforting Mexican dishes including slow-cooked cochinita pibil and bold, zesty pescado a la Veracruzana. Though Conejo is known for its impressive mezcal collection, the stars of its drink menu are seasonal frozen margaritas — order a swirl to enjoy the best of both worlds. —SG
Stanley’s
2601 Park Ave.
Declaring itself “your neighborhood hoagie emporium,” Stanley’s has proven that Richmonders are suckers for a mighty fine handheld. Beyond being superb sandwich makers, the back of house piques diners’ interests daily with menu drops that weave in the “good arugula,” local mushrooms, ’maters and more on Philly-imported seeded rolls. The cheesesteaks and wedge salad are obvious orders, but the specials — including veg-forward plates, a hoagie with mortadella, burrata, and pistachio pesto, and the seasonal fried chicken ramp sandwich — are worth straying from the usual. Go, Birds! —EM
Alewife
3120 E. Marshall St.
Approaching its eighth year in operation, Church Hill's come-as-you-are seafood joint Alewife remains as relevant as ever. Offering an ode to the fruits of the Chesapeake Bay, owner Lee Gregory executes his vision with a steady squad of longtime chefs, including Matt Brusca and Grayson Tharrington. Find offbeat catches, such as meaty cobia collars or rockfish cheeks, served alongside dishes that reveal Asian and Virginia influences, from littleneck clams in cider-ham broth to coconut curry fried perch. Always check the chalkboard for specials, never say no to the crab claws, and, if you arrive early, order the Siren Song, a stellar assortment of the day’s offerings. —EM
Edo’s Squid
411 N. Harrison St.
A Richmond rite of passage: climbing the precipitously steep carpeted staircase to the dining room of Edo’s Squid. Pungent, half-peeled bulbs of garlic strewn across tabletops unleash an instant flood of dopamine that lets you know you’re home. The tables are tight, the service blunt, handwritten specials hang on the wall, and there is always a steady roar of conversation. Opened in 2002, and with little changed since, Edo’s will forever be a place for passing plates, over-ordering and gathering with friends you feel comfortable enough to fight over the last bite with. In an age of modernity, take comfort in knowing that dishes like braised fennel; squid, white beans and arugula salad; behemoth plates of pasta; pork chops; and a negroni will always be in style. —EM
Full Kee dim sum (Photo by Katie Brown)
Full Kee
6400 Horsepen Road
Full Kee operates in two modes: dim sum and daily dining. On weekend mornings, the carts roll out at 11 a.m., offering steamed buns, char siu pork, Chinese broccoli, chicken feet and shrimp dumplings. During the week, owner Helen Tan serves the quieter but no less impressive dining room dishes, including whole fish steamed with ginger, Cantonese lobster and crispy-skinned duck. Her brother Frank is calm and composed, knows all the regulars, and tempts them with whatever is fresh and off-menu that day. I count down until spring, when snow pea shoots return. The well-worn carpet evokes the no-frills dim sum halls of Sunset Park in New York, where families negotiate orders with Brooklyn cart attendants, maximizing time to dine together. Go get a taste — and don’t miss the wide noodles and the meat and seafood chow fun. —GS
Celladora owner Megan Lee Hopkins and chef Ben Burakoff (Photo by Justin Chesney)
Celladora
111 N. Lombardy St.
Designed to mimic an at-home dinner party, this bright 14-seat wine lair with a teal blue tin ceiling creates an intimate, vibe-y cocoon where diners can lose all sense of time. From the little kitchen that could, chef Ben Burakoff cranks out ultra-seasonal dishes, while owner Megan Lee Hopkins floats around the dining room pouring natural wines from her carefully curated nightly selections. The brothy beans are transcendent, elevating the humble legume, whether paired with Parmesan broth and aji dulce salsa or sticky rice and cabbage. Loyal to local purveyors, Celladora relies on produce from Tomten Farm and pasta from Oro, and they serve their spreads with a side of Keya's Chips. An atypical restaurant — resos by phone call or text only — its quirks are part of its charm. —EM
Lehja
11800 W. Broad St.
For the past 15 years, chef-owner Sunny Baweja has been writing love letters to his homeland of Punjab, India, through plates that celebrate its traditional flavors — including slow-cooked saag paneer and fluffy, potato-stuffed Amritsari kulcha — as well as modern creations born from his boundless creativity, such as duck à la pondicherry and a cleverly deconstructed butter chicken. Baweja is known as much for his mastery of chaat — the crunchy, craveable Indian street food — as for his easygoing charm and gift for conversation. His warmth defines the experience as much as his food does. Step inside the swanky, meticulously designed interior of Lehja and prepare to be transported far beyond Short Pump, to a place dreamed up by Baweja himself. —SG
Fresh tagliatelle with Bolognese, housemade sausage with polenta and beans at Dinamo (Photo by Justin Chesney)
Dinamo
821 W. Cary St.
Nothing is guaranteed in this gilded mirror of Jewish and Italian foodways. Petite, artisan-painted tables are sparse. Parking is off an alley. Near closing time, sometimes all they serve is dessert — for winter, a chocolate espresso torte with brandied cherries. The menu changes seasonally and is heavily dependent on the items a long-cultivated supply chain brings to chef-owners Brad Wein, Ed Vasaio and Mya Anitai. Dinner reservations are essential. Its surprises are delightful but fluid. One season might bring Christmas Eve takeout dinners paired with small-production wines, while another might feature smoked whitefish and chopped liver by the pound, or housemade squid ink fettuccine cradling seared sea scallops. Look for ramp or chanterelle pizzas, soft-shell crabs and plenty of vegetable dishes. —GS
The dining room at Cochiloco (Photo by Ash Daniel)
Cochiloco
3340 W. Moore St.
Cochiloco is not where you head for low-key vibes. The energy here is high and echoes that of a bustling Mexican taqueria — just as owners (and Jalisco natives) Nelson and Paulo Benavides intended. Settle in and enjoy the most consistent, crave-worthy and flavor-packed tacos in the city. The namesake Cochiloco taco, a large flour tortilla griddled with cheese then loaded with pork, grilled pineapple, guacamole, cilantro and onions, is unmissable. So are the smothered burritos, best paired with a crisp, tangy margarita made with the owners’ own Mosto Tequila. Bring friends for a lively evening, especially Friday or Saturday when the restaurant is open until midnight. —EM
Stella’s
1012 Lafayette St.
Few Richmond restaurants have touched generations of diners in the way Stella's has. Eating at the family-owned institution, founded in 1983 by its late namesake, Greek immigrant Stella Dikos, feels like a loving embrace. Start with mezze, such as the spanakopita Dikos learned to make as a child, flaming saganaki and expertly cooked octopus, accompanied by a pour of ouzo or a Greek-inspired cocktail such as the Kapnos, which blends anejo tequila, mastiha, lemon, honey, Aegean sea salt and smoked rosemary. The pastitsio with No. 5 noodles, spiced meat sauce and a flurry of kasseri cheese, plus roasted lamb, delivers pure comfort. With service managed by a fine-tuned staff, and owners that are present, Stella’s is restaurant gold. —EM
Metzger Bar & Butchery
801 N. 23rd St.
Meat, please. All of the meats. All of the preparations. No matter which proteins grace the German-driven menu at Metzger, they’re butchered, roasted, grilled, tartare-ed or moussed to perfection. The oldest of restaurateur Brittanny Anderson’s concepts at 11 years, Union Hill’s Metzger feels like eating dinner at a friend’s — if that pal just happens to be a culinary artist with a penchant for Euro-centric delicacies. Pork schnitzel with brown butter hollandaise, leeks and olive relish is essential, while brunch hits are equally satisfying. Also noteworthy: the inventive cocktail menu and an under-the-radar happy hour, featuring a $10 vesperbrett (Alpine tasting board) with charcuterie and pickles. —BC
(Front to back) Steak and Tomato Tartares in Stereo, the Hooty Hoo cocktail and A Cool Crudo of Yellowfin Ahi Tuna from L’Opossum (Photo by Justin Chesney)
L’Opossum
626 China St.
How lucky are we to live in the era of David Shannon? The proprietor of L’Opossum curates middle-American wants and serves them as irresistible desires. Beef “Swellingtons” grace vintage china, groovy playlists purr and sparkling walls conjure memories of Grandmother’s dining room — in Shannon’s crepuscular den, nostalgia struts in haute-camp drama. L’O’s menu refreshes last century’s special-occasion classics. Escargot on ham biscuits, coq au vin and chocolate flambé are pageantry on the plate. This is a place for bons vivants, celebrating milestones with surprise, delight and the occasional shock. The key to getting a seat: Arrive at 9 p.m., call the same day in hopes of a cancellation, or secure a reservation months in advance. —GS
Lost Letter
2939 W. Clay St.
Few restaurants feel truly romantic, but this Scott’s Addition refuge makes one swoon. On a perfect evening, the gentle hum of diners fills the minimally decorated, low-lit room, complementing the blissful first bites of carpaccio, Piedmontese ragu with pappardelle or ricotta gnudi. The Caesar salad arrives blanketed in ribbons of Parmesan. Silky tonnato packs layers of depth, while the pork and prosciutto meatball with golden raisins, white wine, pine nuts and sage is a paragon of perfection. Lovingly offering a taste of Northern Italy, Lost Letter is guided by a knowledgeable crew and an expertly curated wine list, balancing comfort and elegance in equal measure. Ending the meal is almost as exciting as beginning it — you’d be remiss to skip the luscious tiramisu or a scoop of homemade gelato. —EM
Lance Lemon, co-owner of Penny’s (Photo by Justin Chesney)
Penny’s Wine Shop
405 Brook Road
Not many places in the city are as charming as Penny’s. An homage to the Maggie Walker-founded St. Luke’s Penny Savings Bank, this petite wine bar on a quaint and quiet street in Jackson Ward is run by childhood friends Lance Lemon and Kristin Gardner Beal. Here, natural wines, Virginia vintners and small producers are highlighted alongside a compact, seasonal menu of eight to 10 dishes. Wine dinners and weekly tastings offer patrons a unique way to enjoy Penny’s, although my favorite seat is at the bar or on the patio during lively First Fridays. Pro tip: Stop by for a wine tasting on Saturdays from 2 to 5 p.m. and linger for dinner. —EM
Shagbark
4901 Libbie Mill East Blvd.
If anyone can entice Gen Z on the hunter-fisher-waterman lifestyle, it’s Walter Bundy and his sharp front- and back-of-house cadre at Shagbark. The balance is perfect: a reverence for land, animals and plants infuses the menu, shapes the staff interactions and fills the spacious, mellowly twinkling dining room. Dietary restrictions are carefully considered and local Virginia ingredients shine — Hub’s Peanuts, Surry sausage, Anson Mill grits, Shenandoah apples. The butternut squash bisque is divine; wild game is a must, and sticky toffee pudding a staple. —BC
