Seasonal scallops at Brazen (Photo courtesy Brazen)
1. Seared Scallops
$34 at Brazen
This Fan District food parlor led by a team of L’Opossum alumni warms up its corner of Main Street with of-the-moment menus. Its evergreen jumbo scallop dish gets a golden-month glow up: The protein is pan shellacked and heat kissed, then bedded with cheddar grits, harissa romesco and crunchy apple. Find them complemented by almond and quinoa tabbouleh and adorned with tobacco onion threads — a showy, crispy-spicy addition.
2. Golden Orchard
$14 at Cirrus Vodka
What would the coming winter, the season of death, be without a drink of hope and harvest? This is a chilled-up beverage with layers. Barrel-aged Cirrus Vodka acquires a caramel-like depth, made creamy with lemony egg whites and pungent with orange bitters. A dried apple garnish with come-hither aroma serves as a final reminder that aging is beautiful in its various forms.
3. Breaking Dawn
$6.20 at Perk!
Take a bite out of the “Twilight”-themed menu at this Bon Air coffee shop before it fades into December’s dust. A housemade turmeric infusion heats up a whole milk latte with surprising spice and creaminess. Cinnamon, maple and honey are mixed to order — no premade syrups here — and sweeten the palate-awakening turmeric. Add a shot of espresso if you need help staying up past dark.
4. Cranberry Scones
$4.25 at TeaBerries
Midlothian’s TeaBerries is a quiet lunch spot adjacent to the sometimes-raucous Tea With Kip, the reservation-only tearoom devoted to group sipping. Its fall soup flights and housemade scones delight on stormy days. The rotating sweater-weather flavors include cranberry scones studded with bacon, orange and walnut, and blood orange. All have a biscuit-y softness that behooves a spread of clotted cream, softened butter or jam.
5. Pumpkin Chocolate Praline
$12 at Lillian
Homemade candy bars can impress like a kid playing dress-up, proving how an often uninspired, workaday staple can be transformed into whimsical magic by a creative hand. Lillian’s praline-pepita milk chocolate bar is dense and rich, boldly accessorized with kabocha squash gelato that crosses your tongue like a spreading smile.
