The Best at This Moment

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Lehja

11800 W. Broad St., Suite 910 (Short Pump Town Center), 804-364-1111

THE CUISINE:

You’ll find dishes from India’s north, south, east and west, in what amounts to a dazzling armchair tour of the richness of the subcontinent’s various regions.

KEY FACE:

Owner Sunny Baweja, arguably the most gracious, engaging host in all of Richmond. Don’t be surprised if, even on the busiest night, he swings by your table.

INSIDER TIP: Richmond is rife with brunches, but none quite like this one: $20 brings three courses, including a witty, rewarding take on chicken and waffles.

BEST FOR:

Taking that friend who professes not to like Indian food. Because, as Baweja’s restaurant exuberantly demonstrates, there’s so much more to Indian food than just curries.

DRINK PICK:

Lehja is one of the few places in the country where you can sample, say, a wonderful Grover Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc from the Nandi Hills region.

IDEAL MEAL:

Coconut curry scallops; Lahori lamb shank; duck Pondicherry; garlic naan.

BEST BAR SCENE

Saison

23 W. Marshall St., 804-269-3689

THE CUISINE:

Central American flavors meet a Southern sensibility at the exact point where masa and cornmeal intersect. It’s there that you’ll find Saison’s cast-iron cornbread and oxtail sopes living together in menu harmony.

THE MOOD:

Hip and dark, effortlessly cool and a bit mysterious, with a bar that takes center stage and a dining room in which every seat feels intimate.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

Kind, intuitive service. Don’t feel like making choices? Utter a few preferences, and your server or bartender will take care of the rest with grace.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

Sitting an elbow away from neighboring tables, though it does have a certain metropolitan charm.

DRINK PICK:

A favorite from the spring/summer cocktail menu, the Oaxacan Old Fashioned combines tequila, mezcal, maple syrup, mole and orange bitters, in a Latin riff on a classic that’s smoky, teasingly sweet and as sultry as an Octavio Paz verse.

BEST FOR:

Slipping in for a bite and a drink before strolling through First Fridays.

Spoonbread Bistro

2526 Floyd Ave., 804-359-8000

THE CUISINE:

Southern-accented French country — grits; corn puddings, savory spoonbreads and sugared pones; crackling, collard-green egg rolls — melds with enough butter for Lafayette’s army.  

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE:

Fading sunlight winnowing through the restaurant’s stained-glass windows.

WHAT YOU WON'T:

No on-the-menu vegetarian entrées.

BEST TABLE:

Groups of six, reserve the front window booth. Each seat in the acoustically perfect enclave has a different view that includes Fan streets and dining-room seats.

THE MOOD:

A glowing, copper-accessorized room seemingly stuck at magic hour. Servers in crisp, dark-blue jeans skillfully deliver liquid emollients from the buzzy upstairs bar.

INSIDER TIP:

Call to reserve a five-course tasting menu, with wine, for $75. (Vegan option available.)

Shagbark

4901 Libbie Mill E. Blvd., Suite 175, 804-358-7424

THE CUISINE:

The pristine bounty of the waterways, farms and fields of the region, served up by Chef Walter Bundy (ex-Lemaire), who sings most sweetly with careful and loving preparations of fish and shellfish.

THE MOOD:

Take a ski lodge out west and cross it with a warm, cozily appointed bistro, and you have this splashy arrival in a nutshell.

BEST FOR: A quiet dinner with friends or family.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

Being connected to the terroir of this abundantly rich region and the many artisans who make up the larger culinary culture.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

The tendency, with some dishes, to try to do too much, resulting, at times, in cluttered arrangements and muddled flavors.

IDEAL MEAL:

Brown-butter scallops; Chincoteague clam chowder; grilled swordfish; Eastern Shore seafood bouillabaisse; “Up-South” peanut butter pie.

Sen Organic Small Plate

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

THE CUISINE:

A love letter to perhaps the sole upside to Franco-Indochinese colonialism.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

A menu that adapts to appetites and allergies without sacrificing art, texture or taste.

DRINK PICK: Offered hot or iced, the Natural Ca Phe Sua Da Phin Vietnam is a slow-mo pour-over that’s de-friggin’-licious.

IDEAL MEAL:

Go with friends and order lots of things: mushroom trigon (a savory vegan pastry), crispy golden roll, calamari sauté, salted duck egg, Buddha bowl salad, beet quail pot, gluten-free pho.

BEST FOR:

Chakras and chopsticks. Sen is the spot for when your senses want to be tantalized, but your body and spirit need to be revitalized.

THE MOOD:

Bamboo, water, Buddha … an utterly zen oasis smack in the middle of Carytown chaos.

Heritage

1627 W. Main St., 804-353-4060

THE CUISINE:

Melting pot, from the South to Italy, Asia and more.

THE MOOD:

Co-owners Joe and Emilia Sparatta’s extensive industry experience makes even packed Sunday brunches feel calm.

INSIDER TIP: Friday or Saturday brings a special late-night food and drink menu from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. with rotating themes.

IDEAL MEAL:

Pork “fries” and pimiento croquettes; chicken liver pâté; house-made bucatini pasta with shrimp, Manchego and Romesco sauce (add the burrata); deconstructed “cheesecake.”

DRINK PICK:

In fall or winter, sip the spice-filled Angostura Sour that blends “schloads” of Angostura bitters with lime, sugar and egg white.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE:

The best service in Richmond, with a team that never bats an eye at splitting the check various ways. (Sorry, guys!)  

BEST FOR GROUPS

Edo’s Squid

411 N. Harrison St., 804-864-5488

THE CUISINE:

The old-school Italian joint of your dreams — garlic in the air, abbondanza on the plate, Chianti in the glass — that just so happens to be one of the best restaurants in the country in its class.

INSIDER TIP:

If you show up with more than five people, Edo’s turns your night into a family-style orgy of eats, including, among other treats, meaty, lightly crispy soft-shells and a hanger steak the size of your arm whose dark, salted crusting reveals a rosy center.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

The simple soulfulness of the experience, which makes no attempt to dazzle, merely to send you away feeling stuffed and deliriously happy.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

Having to wait for an hour on weekends, in prime time, and then having to shout to be heard across the table.

THE MOOD:

A clamorous — OK, chaotic — open room of tables wedged into a cozy, delightfully run-down second-floor aerie in The Fan.

IDEAL MEAL:

Oyster stew; braised fennel; linguine and clams; whole branzino; tiramisu.

BEST FOR BRUNCH

The Roosevelt

623 N. 25th St., 804-658-1935

THE CUISINE:

Southern fare prepared with creativity and attention to detail — Chef Lee Gregory didn’t get nominated for three James Beard awards by accident.

THE MOOD:

The pre-World War II South. Curated by co-owner Kendra Feather, the turn-of-the-century Church Hill building houses antiques, pressed-tin ceilings and a big beautiful bar.

INSIDER TIP: Stop by early on Tuesday evenings for gluten-free fried chicken topped with hot honey sauce.

IDEAL MEAL:

Chicken-liver toast; crudo with warm chorizo vinaigrette, puffed rice, crispy shallots and pickled jalapeños; braised pork cheeks with cheese grits, Brussels sprouts and red wine jus; foie gras pound cake. For brunch, try the omelet topped with bacon hollandaise.

DRINK PICK:

The signature Seersucker cocktail, featuring Maker’s Mark, sweet-tea syrup, Angostura bitters and a charred lemon cube, is a boozy libation that features the perfect kiss of Southern sweetness and spice.

KEY FACE:

Chef de Cuisine Mike Braune has been a rock-steady complement to Chef Lee Gregory.

Stella’s

1012 Lafayette St., 804-358-2011

THE CUISINE:

Classics like avgolemono recall time spent in the old country, while the black kale salad puts familiar ingredients in a new context.

THE MOOD: Stella’s brims with energy — tables full and the next batch waiting, the bar spilling over into a communal table.

IDEAL MEAL:

An assortment of meze like tiropita, merides (fried smelts) and shrimp ouzo.

INSIDER TIP:

Meze Ora rewards early diners with a smoky kasseri drizzled with honey and loukaniko, a Greek sausage with grilled orange and fennel; pair it, as is tradition, with an ouzo tray, on weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

DRINK PICK:

The King George is a slow-drinking concoction of floral Lillet and orange blossom vodka with spicy, complex Metaxa brandy and a wisp of smoked anise.

BEST FOR:

A night out with friends who know how to share.

Southbound

3036 Stony Point Road, 804-918-5431

THE CUISINE:

A focus on local ingredients forms the playground where chefs Lee Gregory and Joe Sparatta run wild.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE:

A family-friendly restaurant south of the river that has creative cuisine, delicious craft cocktails, distinctive wines and friendly service? No, you aren’t dreaming.

THE MOOD:

Lively, friendly, boisterous.

IDEAL MEAL:

House-made bread basket; smoked chicken wings; orecchiette with butter-poached shrimp, preserved lemon and greens; candy-bar dessert.

INSIDER TIP:

Follow Southbound on Facebook to find out about wine and beer dinners that often sell out quickly, plus specials like the wings to-go they offered for last season’s Super Bowl.

KEY FACE:

Chef de Cuisine Craig Perkinson is the man behind the bread on the menu. Don’t miss his sticky buns or soft pretzels.

Secco Wine Bar

325 N. Robinson St., 804-353-0670

THE CUISINE:

It’s less tapas than in its old Carytown location, but the more entrée-oriented menu is still heavily Mediterranean-influenced. Dishes rotate out rapidly, nearly weekly.

THE MOOD: Secco is the place you go for that romantic evening but end up pulling tables together with the friends you run into.

INSIDER TIP:

Follow their Facebook page for upcoming wine nights. For a flat fee, you’ll get a multicourse dinner, along with paired wines.

DRINK PICK:

Look to the chalkboard, where owner Julia Battaglini trots out a red and a white from her “secret stash” to be served by the glass.

KEY FACE:

Bar Manager Tessa Nin whips up amazing aperitif-style tipples and can expertly steer you to just the right glass of wine.

BEST FOR:

This is possibly the nicest patio dining in The Fan. It’s even heated to extend the season into the cooler months.

L’Opossum

626 China St., 804-918-6028

THE CUISINE:

James Beard-nominated food that is as joyous as it is elevated. From the caviar-bedazzled “Fabergé” egg to “Darth Grouper,” this is serious whimsy on a plate.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE: The decor is a bordello-like riot of velvet and gold leaf, with all manner of nerdy “Star Wars” kitsch as well as a few naughty bits.

WHAT YOU WON'T:

The decor, especially if you suffer from coulrophobia — a fear of clowns.

DRINK PICK:

The Laura Palmer — gin, muddled cherries with dry vermouth and Luxardo. Yes, the glass is wrapped in plastic.

IDEAL MEAL:

Fabergé egg with caviar and dill-cured salmon; seared Hudson Valley foie gras; and filet mignon of beef “Swellington” — a filet stuffed with truffled duxelles and duck butter.

BEST FOR:

A third date — when you know they appreciate a great meal and aren’t easily offended.

BEST FOR DATE NIGHT

Nota Bene

2110 E. Main St., 804-477-3355

THE CUISINE:

As the brick-and-mortar offspring of the Pizza Tonight food truck, of course Nota Bene has a wood-fired pizza oven, but the restaurant is so much more than its pizza — spectacular as it is — with pasta and Italian-inspired dishes that are getting regional and national attention.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE:

Food prepared in a way that celebrates the ingredients without making things overly complicated or fussy.

WHAT YOU WON'T:

Busy Shockoe Bottom on a Saturday night.

INSIDER TIP:

Check the specials chalkboard carefully. Chef Randall Doetzer pushes the boundaries to create dishes you won’t soon forget. Also remember that Tuesday’s date night special lets you and yours share a bottle of wine, a starter, two entrées and a dessert for just $50.

DRINK PICK:

This place was made to quaff a Negroni. It’s served up with a single giant ice cube.

IDEAL MEAL:

Marinated octopus salad; fig and pig pizza; squid-ink spaghettini with cockles.

Dutch & Co.

400 N. 27th St., 804-643-8824

THE CUISINE:

Americana meets innovation.

THE MOOD:

The service, staff and scene are easy.

INSIDER TIP:

Don’t sleep on the chalkboard: Chefs/owners Phil Perrow and Caleb Shriver take it to 11 with small plates like a fluffy pupusa with Twenty Paces cheese and a divinely crisped pierogi with nasturtium yogurt.

KEY FACE:

Co-owner Michelle Shriver is hard to miss, since she’s everywhere, doing everything from running dishes to pouring wine behind the bar.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE:

The restaurant’s genuine, knowledgeable servers help take the intimidation out of inquiring about some of the intriguingly complex menu items.

IDEAL MEAL:

A languid mushroom soup with pops of cereal-like puffed barley followed by a fried mahi filet with squid-ink rice crust.

Belmont Food Shop

27 N. Belmont Ave., 804-358-7467

THE CUISINE:

Lightly upscaled American comfort food from a chef, Mike Yavorsky, who doesn’t go in for frills or clever juxtapositions.

INSIDER TIP:

Come late night, Chef Yavorsky prepares, for a small cost, a board of terrines, pâtés, pickles and perhaps a few things made with offal — the kind of simple, intensely flavored cooking that off-duty chefs flock to.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

When you’ve grown weary of restaurants that parade their trendy sexiness but don’t always deliver deliciousness, you’ll be angling to come back.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

In warmer weather, that appealing coziness can edge into unfortunate claustrophobia.

IDEAL MEAL:

Garlic custard; rib-eye with squash; fruit crumble.

THE MOOD: With just five tables and a handful of stools at the handsome old wooden bar, it’s très cozy all the time.

BEST FOR:

A date-night dinner at the bar or a quiet meal with friends.

Acacia Mid-town

2601 W. Cary St., 804-562-0138

THE CUISINE:

Modern American with an emphasis on seafood, consistently nailing the presentation and balance.

THE MOOD:

You feel special as soon as you walk in. The decor transports you to New York, Chicago or San Francisco.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE: The savvy staff who provide top-notch service.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

Looking for a parking spot (though they do have free valet parking). It can also get a bit loud when the dining room is full.

INSIDER TIP:

The bar menu has $2 off drinks until 7 p.m., and the $10 cheeseburger (featuring Wagyu beef) is a steal. The $25 prix-fixe menu is also available at the bar.

IDEAL MEAL:

A stirred cocktail; tuna ceviche appetizer; sautéed local velvet soft-shell crabs; any dessert.

Tazza Kitchen

Multiple locations; visit tazzakitchen.com

THE CUISINE:

It’s “everybody in the pool” with the wood-fired oven. Brussels sprouts get churched up with some char (also with Grana Padano and pickled mustard seeds), as do crab cakes, pork chops and the signature pizzas.

DRINK PICK:

Anything from the occasionally esoteric wine menu. You’ll also find Tazza’s private Portuguese wine label (a Verdelho and a red blend).

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE:

Tazza’s accessibility. It has approachability in spades.

WHAT YOU WON'T:

Tazza’s accessibility. It can feel a little corporate.

THE MOOD:

If your favorite chain restaurant used better ingredients, had ties to local farmers and changed their menu seasonally … actually, why go to a chain when we have two (soon to be three) Tazza locations?

BEST FOR:

Large parties with lots of different palates. There is something for everyone.  

Rappahannock

320 E. Grace St., 804-545-0565

THE CUISINE:

New American farm — or more accurately, sea — to table, with a stellar raw bar.

THE MOOD:

A spacious, casual-but-refined spot with industrial accents and big windows that afford a nice view of the passersby on Grace Street.

BEST TABLE: Grab the corner spot at the spacious bar, where you can watch the oyster shucker and bartenders at work.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

The ice-cold oysters and the atmosphere.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

The bar can sometimes get a little too bustling if you’re just trying to enjoy a quiet dinner — go for a table near the back if that’s the case.

IDEAL MEAL:

A few plates shared among friends: a platter of oysters (try at least two of each kind); wood-grilled octopus; grilled whole fish.

DRINK PICK:

Prosecco on draft (paired with a dozen oysters, natch).

Maple & Pine

201 W. Broad St., 804-340-6050

THE CUISINE:

A merger of locavore with highbrow.

THE MOOD:

Bold. Serpentine seating, pink ornamental touches — everything is bigger than life here.

BEST FOR:

Impressing the family — or your next boss. The dining room is smack-dab in the middle of everything, literally. It’s the lobby of the Quirk Hotel.

IDEAL MEAL:

Oysters from down the street at Rappahannock get a kick with yuzu, Burrata cheese shakes hands with country ham, and an assortment of onions share a plate with a hanger steak.

KEY FACE: Katie Ukrop (one of Quirk Hotel’s owners). Ask her about art — she’ll know exactly which direction to point you toward after your lush meal.

BEST TABLE:

Chill at the bar and voyeuristically watch Chef David Dunlap painstakingly inspect each course at the open kitchen’s pass.

Lucy’s Restaurant

404 N. Second St., 804-562-1444

THE CUISINE:

Simple, straightforward food done well in the heart of Jackson Ward. Beef is always a good choice at Lucy’s — which isn’t surprising given that Monrovia Farm (a local cattle farm) is in the family.

INSIDER TIP: At dinner, you’ll want to get the steak special — typically a ribeye or New York strip. These people raise, age and cut their own grass-fed Angus beef.

KEY FACE:

Amanda Lucy, owner and wife of Chef Jason Lucy, is almost always out on the floor making sure everyone has what they need.

IDEAL MEAL:

Treat yourself to housemade beef bacon on one of RVA’s best burgers — ground from their own dry-aged beef.

BEST FOR:

Lunch with a business associate who appreciates beef.

DRINK PICK:

$21 and Under Wine Night on Tuesdays features very drinkable bottles at a very drinkable price.

Metzger Bar & Butchery

801 N. 23rd St., 804-325-3147

THE CUISINE:

Given the kitchen’s finesse with chicken schnitzel and schupfnudeln, you might call this contemporary upscale German, but the rest of Europe is not cut out of the equation.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

The kitchen’s light touch with rustic, countrified dishes that might otherwise be dense. GM and Sommelier Nathan Conway’s well-chosen wines.

THE MOOD:

A narrow, tile-floored slip of a place that, when it’s packed and the kitchen is humming, can feel like the best-kept secret in town — albeit one that everyone knows.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

The noise at prime time, which may have you shouting to be heard.

BEST FOR: A culinary thrill ride, minus the pretension.

IDEAL MEAL:

Local oysters; steak tartare; spaetzle; pork chop; peach pavlova; buttermilk cheesecake.

Brenner Pass

3200 Rockbridge St., Suite 100, 804-658-9868

THE CUISINE:

The in-house term for this homage to France and Italy is “Alpine.”

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

The exacting care that’s extended — from meats dry-aged and butchered in-house to pastas fashioned by hand.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

With dinner for two topping $100, you would hope for more pampering.

THE MOOD:

The window-wrapped space keeps much of the indie character of Chef Brittanny Anderson’s first restaurant, Metzger Bar & Butchery.

IDEAL MEAL:

Marinated artichokes; fritto misto; tête de cochon; pacherri Bolognese blanco; burger; veal porterhouse; gianduja tart.

BEST FOR:

A gastronomic blowout, from James Kohler’s inventive cocktails to pastry chef Olivia Wilson’s sublime desserts.

Dinamo

821 W. Cary St., 804-678-9706

THE CUISINE:

Seasonal, soulful Italian Jewish food with freshly made, pitch-perfect pasta and a surprisingly expert yet uncomplicated treatment of seafood.

KEY FACE:

Never far from the front door, owner Mya Anitai has a sharply honed sense of hospitality and runs a tight ship of smart servers.

BEST FOR: A long lunch with a glass or two of wine.

INSIDER TIP:

Can’t decide among the crostini — chicken liver, cured salmon or smoked whitefish? Ask for a sampler of all three.

IDEAL MEAL:

Start with maitake mushrooms, sautéed with olive oil, butter and shallots, then enjoy a steaming plate of squid with Swiss chard. Round out the meal with one of the house-made pastas or, for a hungrier soul, the roasted half chicken.

THE MOOD:

Buzzy and hip, with Futurist art and an inviting marble bar crowned with a shining Victoria Arduino espresso maker.

Perly’s

111 E. Grace St., 804-912-1560

THE CUISINE:

An artisanal-ized take on the Jewish deli — not so chi-chi as to lose the soul of the idiom, but determined to avoid the cheap, processed meats and subpar, factory-made breads that, in the post-war era, came to define deli culture.

THE MOOD:

The kind of easy, unforced character that hipster joints would kill to have.

BEST FOR:

A lingering breakfast, any day.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

The smoked fish boards. Each fish is smoked differently, and the accompanying crunchy vegetables are all pickled in different brines.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

Certain dishes (the thinly developed, over-mayoed whitefish salad) are more about nostalgia than deliciousness.

IDEAL MEAL:

Smoked fish boards; “Schlubby” fries; the Jewish Sailor sandwich; a bagel with fish.

Lemaire at The Jefferson Hotel

101 W. Franklin St., 804-649-4629

THE CUISINE:

Focused fine dining with nods to the food of the South — and Virginia more specifically — think roasted cobia paired with Surry County sausage and sorghum butter served with the bread.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

Skillful service that makes you feel like a VIP.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

The VIP-level price tag.

THE MOOD:

White tablecloths surrounded by the sort of refined opulence you’d expect from the more than 120-year-old grande dame of Richmond hotels. It’s saved from stuffiness by the friendly service.

DRINK PICK: Ask for wine advice from your server; they will guide you toward a perfect pairing.

IDEAL MEAL:

Baked Chesapeake Bay oysters with shaved country ham; Caesar salad; dry-rubbed flank steak; Meyer lemon tart.

BEST FOR:

A celebratory meal or a pull-out-all-the-stops date night.

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How We Did It

Our team of food writers collectively made close to 300 visits this past year to restaurants considered for this list. Restaurants were scored numerically, and each restaurant that made the list received a minimum of three separate visits from our team members to make sure it was consistently providing solid table service, fitting ambiance, top-notch food preparation and knowledgeable bar and/or wine service. The team dispensed with rankings this year as they considered restaurants that opened by June 30, 2017. The highest rated was designated as restaurant of the year, while others received special badges to note particular strengths such as best brunch or bar scene. This list is a snapshot of a crowded field. We did not consider counter-service restaurants or pop-ups. Restaurants included all serve dinner five to seven nights a week.

Team members included Richmond magazine reviewer Jackie Bruce, former Richmond magazine reviewer Bird Cox, drinks writer Catherine Amos Cribbs, former Richmond Times-Dispatch restaurant critic Dana Craig Hoeck, food writer Stephanie Ganz, Sanjay Hindjua, food writer Piet E. Jones, food blogger Megan Marconyak, beer writer and WRIC-TV8 food reporter Robey Martin, food reviewer and former Saveur online editor Laura Sant, food writer Genevelyn Steele, food writer Jason Tesauro, and the magazine’s new editor-at-large, Todd Kliman.

Missing from this year’s scoring and writing team is longtime contributor Hollister Lindley, to whom we dedicate this feature.