Best New Restaurants

18 Dining Hotspot You Must Try

Your food is innovative, well executed and, after multiple visits from our experienced food writers, we’ve found it to be consistent, too. Your staff is friendly, your servers knowledgeable. You bring a gleam to our eyes when we recount the meals you’ve given us, and we can’t wait to share your plates with everyone we know. Though you’re new to the game — having opened between Nov. 1, 2013, and March 6, 2015 — you show not only promise but culinary prowess. As a city, we’re lucky to have you.

POMEGRANATE

3321 W. Cary St., 447-

4365

Pantone’s 2015 color of the year is Marsala, “a naturally robust and earthy wine red” — a shade that accents chef Kevin LaCivita's charming and cozy new Pomegranate in more than just ambiance. You’ll find the color — and the fruit — lightly woven into his menu, from pomegranate champagne vinaigrette to POM juice-studded craft cocktails. Entrées such as braised beef cheeks au jus or rainbow trout with mascarpone polenta impress, and brunch is elevated with duck-fat biscuits and duck confit gravy. —Catherine Amos Cribbs

PERLY’S RESTAURANT & DELICATESSEN

111 E. Grace St., 332-6434

The reincarnation of Perly’s includes a brighter bar and a kitschy attitude. Order a piled-high pastrami sandwich and opt for a side of pungent garlic dill fries, then take the leftover fries home to reheat for a delicious reminder of the previous day’s outing. Or tackle the Veal Schnitzel Perlstein, which comes with a side salad, smoked trout, capers and a sunny-side-up egg. Wash it down with your choice of any of the wines on tap. L’chaim! —Perry Matthews

FOO DOG

1537 W. Main St., 342-1800

There’s a new kid on the scene who seamlessly combines traditional Asian sensibilities with high-end street food. At Foo Dog, the ramen bowls are the star attraction, combining broths packed with flavor (try the Japanese-style ramen), protein (I opt for chasu pork) and veggies. Surely it’s a menu misprint to say that the soft-poached egg is optional, because why would you order it any other way? —Beau Cribbs

METZGER BAR & BUTCHERY

801 N. 23rd St., 325-3147

Think of Metzger as a tonic for your Southern food

ennui; the brilliant white-tiled restaurant consistently produces a pithy selection of outstanding and distinctive German-inspired fare. Tucked inside the eatery, a cozy and quaint butcher shop specializes in house-made sausages and hard-to-find imports. Both the restaurant and the retail section display finesse and urbanity cloaked in a friendly and relaxed style. Plates such as bright magenta pickled eggs exceed expectations, as do the Maultaschen — think ravioli with house-made quark — polishing the familiar and unfamiliar with panache. —Robey Martin

CHEF MAMUSU’S AFRICAN-CARIBBEAN CUISINE

3514 Forest Hill Ave., 912-2812

(UPDATE: NOW CLOSED)

Take your taste buds on a global journey at Chef MaMusu’s African-Caribbean Cuisine on Forest Hill Avenue. Start with parathas: little fried pastry pockets filled with minced vegetables, paired with a veggie dipping sauce.  Then enjoy fork-tender, spicy chicken curry or hoppin’ John with rice, beans and smoked turkey. Entrées come with mouthwatering sweet cornbread. And if you are a collards fan, rejoice! Chef MaMusu’s cooks up some of the best greens in town. —PM

L’OPOSSUM

626 China St., 918-6028

All too often, complex food ends up being just that: complex. It looks great on a menu but doesn’t deliver on the plate. L’Opossum excels at complexity by adding a heavy dose of whimsy that’s evident from the dishes to the décor, filling a hole in Richmond’s dining scene left by 1 North Belmont’s closure. There’s also a dash of irreverence; yes, the cider-braised rabbit is served with “schadenfreude,” and the Laura Palmer cocktail’s glass is wrapped in plastic, just like its namesake. —Piet E. Jones

THE ROGUE GENTLEMEN

618 N. First St., 477-3456

Painterly. That’s an apt description of the food at The Rogue Gentlemen. Plates come out masterfully layered not only with flavor, but also with color, texture and intrigue that beg your fork to start excavating — and every bite lives up to the anticipation. Uni butter? Nduja? Perfectly roasted foie gras? Yes, please. A five- or seven-course tasting menu? Even better. Nationally acclaimed bread and a hyper-creative, expert cocktail game round it out as an instant Richmond classic. Though we’re sad to see executive chef Aaron Hoskins leave, we’re certainly excited to discover what The Rogue Gentlemen has to offer next. —Bird Cox

THE URBAN TAVERN

10498 Ridgefield Parkway, 716-7028

The Urban Tavern’s big, wooden bar, spacious patio and warm atmosphere are all welcome additions to western Henrico. Chef Tim Bereika of Secco fame is back, this time with an upscale menu that’s got a casual feel, featuring an addictive “po’ mì” made with crisp, fried Virginia oysters and all your favorite bánh mì fixings on a fresh, chewy baguette; whole seared fish; well-executed cheese plates; and innovative desserts like Pad Thai Crème Brûlée, alongside wines on tap, plenty of local and regional beers and a fun cocktail list. Not to be missed is happy hour, when special snacks range from pork-belly sliders to crispy fish tacos, as well as The Urban Tavern’s regular beer dinners, at which you can try various beers paired with multiple courses for around $35. —Megan Marconyak

LUCY’S RESTAURANT

404 N. Second St., 562-1444

If rib-eye is the “beef of the day” at Lucy’s, consider yourself blessed. At this Jackson Ward eatery, hand-cut, dry-aged, USDA prime steak from grass-fed, grain-finished beef finds its Valhalla. Monrovia Farm supplies the marbled cut that separates the meat eaters from the vegetarian-meatball lovers in the homey, air-plant-decorated dining room. This isn’t a fancy chophouse, but a cowboy’s paradise of burgers, stews and briskets rotating through the   whole steer. —Genevelyn Steele

HAYASHI SUSHI & GRILL

2160 John Rolfe Parkway, 360-1642

An unexpected gem at the front of an unassuming shopping center, this hibachi grill and sushi bar excels at delicate preparation and nuance. A fresh scallop roll is appealingly creamy with pops of saltfrom capelin roe; fried tofu is treated gingerly with a barely there coating of flour. Not to be missed is the oyster shooter, an impeccable combination of oyster, ponzu, sake, flying fish roe and quail egg. —RM

SOUTHBOUND

3036 Stony Point Road, 918-5431

When Joe Sparatta and Lee Gregory announced they were opening a restaurant together, expectations began to build. Could Southbound live up to its hype? We say, resoundingly, yes. By removing the space constrictions of the city, Southbound is spacious and sprawling (although you’ll still need a reservation), with alluring wood tones and soft lighting. The menu features the innovative pasta dishes that Sparatta is famous for, combined with the upscale Southern fare we expect from Gregory. Everything, from a crunchy tostada featuring carnitas, green tomatoes, salsa and pinto beans, to kale gnocchi sardi with pesto, shrimp and house-made bacon, is expertly executed. —MM

CHENG DU CHINESE RESTAURANT

9503 W. Broad St., 747-5282

Opened by Yan Yang, owner of Ginkgo in Charlottesville, and Wen “Linda” Xu, Cheng Du serves cold beef tendon drenched in signature chili sauce, and over 200 other Sichuan-style favorites in the West End. Order a vegetable, something dry-fried and a soup. Gingery cabbage, Sichuan peppercorn “bullfrog” legs with lotus root, and 24-hour-roasted, licorice-and-garlic scented beef pot with fettucine should get you started. —GS

QUICK & CASUAL

Some of Richmond’s best new food finds embrace counter service.

SAISON MARKET

323 N. Adams St., 269-3982

Saison Market carves out its own space in the dining scene with a well-executed menu full of casual fare that’s anything but boring. Its chicken biscuit is the stuff of local culinary legend, but it’s hard to go wrong with any of chef Adam Hall’s offerings. Check in for food, coffee, weekly wine tastings and a carefully curated retail selection. —Stephanie Breijo

EARLY BIRD BISCUIT CO. & BAKERY

5411 Lakeside Ave., 335-4570

To the joy of all carb-loving, nostalgia-seeking, red-blooded Richmonders, Early Bird opened last summer; and I swear you can taste the love (er, butter?) in these insanely fluffy buttermilk biscuits. Sure, they’re pricier than a gourmet doughnut, but they’re worth every penny. Specialty flavors and old-school treats (“pop-tarts”and pies!) change daily. —CAC

THE DOG & PIG SHOW

314 N. 25th St., 303-5958

With a small but near-flawless menu, this Church Hill spot riffs on Southern favorites (pimento grilled cheese, anyone?), with Asian sensibilities (hello, shrimp and grits with kimchi). Don’t forget the baked goods, either, like house-made whoopie pies with rosemary cream. For best results, walk your to-go wares around the block and enjoy them in Patrick Henry Park. —SB

CORIANDER

3125 W. Cary St., 358-8811

Coriander could be easily overlooked, small and tucked into a bustling block of Carytown. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in flavor, value and character. A hot bowl could consist of perfumed beef and fasoulia (uncommonly good green beans); a cold bowl could contain corn salad or the addictive tabbouleh. Do yourself a favor and get a side of smoky, smooth vegan lentil soup. —RM

JKOGI 

325 N. Second St., 225-8734

They might specialize in kimbap — think large futomaki (rice-and-seaweed rolls akin to sushi) with fish or cooked meat — but the Korean street food from the window at JKOGI is much more than sliced rolls. Soy garlic chicken wings, crispy and tender, or any of the bowls, like the katsu chicken option, are what fast food was meant to be. —PEJ

SHYNDIGZ 

1903 W. Cary St., 938-3449

It’s a sign of how dynamic and vibrant Richmond’s food scene has become that we can now support niche eateries like dessert destination Shyndigz. What makes it even better: a new location with a whole new vibe, plus beer and wine, weekly specials and even more decadent offerings. With options like Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake or the gluten-free Butterfinger Wow Pie, Shyndigz consistently hits the increasingly high expectations of Richmond’s sweet tooth. —PEJ