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Acacia Midtown owners and spouses Dale and Aline Reitzer
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The newest iteration of Acacia Midtown is located at 2363 Roux St. in the Libbie Mill – Midtown community.
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The dining room inside Acacia Midtown, which will feature a seafood-centric menu
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The bar area of Acacia Midtown
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More seating inside and the forthcoming market area
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The open kitchen
“Older but wiser.” “Third time’s the charm.” The notion behind these common sayings is that we learn from the past, and that it can take a few tries to get things just right. At a moment when many restaurant proprietors are rethinking their visions, rebranding or retiring from the industry altogether, after two successful forays into the Richmond dining scene, Acacia Midtown owners Dale and Aline Reitzer are diving back in head first.
“Having time off was not that much fun,” says Dale as his wife, Aline, lets out a chuckle.
“Then you feel the guilt of, ‘What am I going to do today? Well, I don’t have any plans today, I need to accomplish something,’ ” Dale continues. “Running a restaurant is work, but it’s a lot of excitement, too, especially if you create a space and do something unique. A lot of people don’t get that opportunity in life.”
“You want to create that energy,” echoes Aline. “I was interviewing yesterday, and it felt like … this was just the other day I was doing this.”
Aiming for an early February reveal, the couple will open the third iteration of their famed seafood shrine, Acacia Midtown — signature crabcakes included. The new space, at 2363 Roux St. in the suburban Libbie Mill – Midtown development, feels lighter, casual and more in tune with the easygoing aura of the beach-loving duo.
There’s a comfort that comes with getting older, an ability to understand oneself in a way that was shaded by previous decades, and the Reitzers are embracing that. They opened the original Acacia in Carytown in 1998 (diners who have been fans since their debut may spot some familiar-looking table bases in the new space). In 2008, they revealed plans to relocate to the corner of Cary and Robinson streets, where they would hold another decade-long residency before exiting the industry months shy of pandemic-related shutdowns.
“This time around, we’re like, let’s learn from our 20 years of experience and figure out what gave us headaches and what shortcuts we took and not do that again,” Dale says.
“We’ve got it this time,” Aline adds.
Having secured the current space in December 2021, they will join the growing Libbie Mill – Midtown community that — bonus — features parking spots right out front.
“It’s trying to take Acacia to everything it is about with being seafood-driven and trying to create a very bright, airy, relaxing space,” Aline says. “And we have parking.”
“We don’t want to be that [fine-dining] destination, most restaurants don’t, and you get labeled that,” says Dale, the chef behind the operation and recipient of multiple James Beard Award nominations. “We’re hoping that comes across with a more laid-back feel and a more approachable menu. We’re not trying to set the world on fire, we’re just trying to cook good food.”
Red pepper soup and crabcakes, menu staples that would practically cause diners to throw a fit if they weren’t included, will return. Besides established favorites, guests can also expect dishes such as crudo and ceviche, plates that require light preparation but pack lots of flavor. A wood-fired oven will host roasted oysters and bone marrow and finish off whole fish. Joining Dale in the kitchen is Chris Collins, his sous chef of more than 17 years.
During their time off, the Reitzers and their kids hit Islamorada, a village in the Florida Keys known for its coral reefs and tropical views. The entire family obtained boating licenses and spent weeks snorkeling and fishing, docking their vessel for lunch and eating grouper sandwiches by the water. Influences from their coastal travels can be spotted in the rattan light fixtures and pops of teal tile throughout the space.
The cocktail menu is simple and straightforward, with plenty of classics. Michelle Shriver, former co-owner of Church Hill charmer Dutch & Co., and also Aline’s sister, is heading the cocktail program. She’s bringing with her the Basil Smash, a popular libation from her former restaurant.
The new Acacia will also be home to a small market area, an idea that had been on the Reitzers’ vision board but hadn’t yet come to fruition. They plan to stock the area and its two fridges with condiments, sauces, wine and beer, fresh fish, and perhaps even crabcake mix to go.
“We’ll have a board where we can say, ‘Would you like two pieces of rockfish to take home today?’ and they’ll get a nice portion of fish,” Aline says. “You know the quality is there.”
Suckers for nostalgia and a good comeback story, Richmonders — faithful fans who have witnessed Acacia and its evolution, and fresh faces eager to learn what all the fuss is about — are welcoming the duo’s reentry to the scene with much anticipation, ready for a reintroduction to the acclaimed eatery.
Last week, Acacia hosted two pop-up dinners in its new digs, with about 85 guests total. The events sold out within an hour, similar to multicourse sneak peeks held at Yellow Umbrella Provisions last year. The Reitzers share the excitement for this next chapter.
“I don’t think there’s any other place I’d rather be than right here,” Dale says.
“We just kept coming back to this,” Aline adds. Of Libbie Mill – Midtown, she says, “We looked here before Walter [Bundy, chef-owner of nearby Shagbark] announced he was going to be here, and a couple years before we closed, and right after we closed. We feel like this is it, third time’s a charm here, and we’re at the right place at the right time, and it’s really exciting.”
Acacia Midtown will be open Monday for dinner and Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.
