Please scroll down to see our tips for supporting the local dining industry and our list of closures and reduced/revised service.
Patrons enjoy natural wines at Restaurant Adarra during a Fire, Flour & Fork event. The restaurant is among dozens in the area that have closed their doors to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
In the span of just a few days, the restaurant scene in Richmond, and across the United States, has completely shifted. Dining rooms empty, reservations canceled and the majority of industry employees at home, unsure of when they may return to work or whether they will even have a job in the near future. Perhaps Richmond’s most celebrated industry, one that has experienced exponential growth in the past decade, progressing from an undiscovered gem to a culinary epicenter, garnering national accolades and James Beard Award nominations, is simply operating in survival mode.
“This is tough, not knowing if this is our last service or not, after everything we’ve done this past year,” says Randall Doetzer, chef and co-owner of Restaurant Adarra, following the decision to close the restaurant amid the public health crisis.
As the number of case of the new coronavirus continues to rise, the community has been encouraged by the government to stay at home and avoid the very places that they often sought for respite: restaurants, bars and breweries.
What began with stepped-up sanitation protocols and monitoring the temperatures of employees last week took a drastic turn for many restaurants over the weekend — owners forced to make what they are calling one of the hardest decisions of their lives. For many, that meant shutting their doors for the foreseeable future.
Asked how long Restaurant Adarra could sustain being closed, Doetzer replies, “Not long.” He and his fellow co-owner, wife Lyne, spent Sunday calling hundreds of people to cancel reservations.
“We are going to keep as many people covered financially as possible, but the fact is we are a small restaurant with only a year under our belts. The cash will dry up fast, and that’s it,” he says, noting that he is ordering supplies such as dried beans and rice for employees who may be in need.
Many restaurant owners have switched to curbside takeout only or special to-go menus, but some, including Adarra, are built on the foundation of sharing, ordering an abundance of dishes with friends and enjoying them together.
The South Side bar and restaurant Laura Lee’s, one of the first restaurants in the city to announce it would be closing its doors indefinitely, operates on a very similar social ethos.
“We need to flatten the curve,” says General Manager Michael Smith, who notes they had already begun to witness a decrease in business last week. “It was clear by Sunday after brunch service that we had to act. It’s the only decision we felt confident in. Closing our doors was the safest and most responsible option for our staff and patrons alike.”
Chefs like Brittanny Anderson, co-owner of Metzger Bar & Butchery and Brenner Pass, says she began to notice a change last week on returning to Richmond from a trip to Texas. Her flights were empty, reservations at both restaurants had dwindled, business had decreased by half, and she was already being forced to cut employees’ hours. Anderson implemented a purchasing freeze on Thursday and says the two restaurants are combining resources to offer a family-style curbside menu, which launched yesterday, along with a “Raid Our Cellar” special with varying price levels for house and premium wine selections.
Nota Bene owner Victoria DeRoche will release a pasta- and pizza-focused takeout menu today, halting all in-house dining. She says closing felt like the right thing to do and describes it as a “very weighty decision.” Her goal is to find ways to keep staff busy, whether through deep cleaning, organizing storage or having front-of-house employees assist with takeout options.
“For as long as we can legally operate, I will find ways to keep people working,” DeRoche says, adding she will set up a “tip option for folks who want to support staff as well.”
On Monday, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced plans for an amnesty program to eliminate penalties and interest accrued on taxes due between now and June 20. While it doesn’t eliminate the meals tax, it buys restaurants time to pay their bills. There is also a potential program that will issue small, no-interest loans to support small businesses, but details are yet to be determined.
The city of Richmond also proposed that restaurants limit their dine-in guests to 50% of their normal capacity (the White House encouraged Americans to avoid gatherings of larger than 10 people as of Monday), distance tables 6 feet apart and eliminate bar seating. While owners are adapting to these changes, many are voicing their dissatisfaction with the delayed efforts of local and state governments and pleading for help.
“We are going to need a lot of help from the government in order to get back afloat,” Anderson says. “I’m very, very worried about [our employees], very, very worried. There is no safety net in this industry, there is no backup plan, and I hope our state, local and national leaders can come up with some sort of bailout for the people in the hospitality industry.”
Doetzer agrees. “The local government needs to get its [act] together now and take this by the horns,” he says. "If everyone drags their feet, this could go on for months, and nobody will be able to reopen. We need everyone to take this seriously so we can mitigate the overall damage.”
While restaurant employees will likely bear the brunt of the impact, Anderson adds that the industry is innately connected and that the closure of restaurants has a trickle-down effect that can also touch farmers, fishermen and purveyors.
“All of these industries will be hit really hard; it just breaks my heart.”
Tips to Support the Dining Industry
- Order food through local delivery services such as Chop Chop and Quickness RVA.
- Visit markets and small grocers that offer grab-and-go meals, as well as local butcher shops.
- Purchase gift cards from your favorite spots (check out Keep Calm and Nom Nom) so that when things settle down you can celebrate.
- Purchase restaurant merchandise such as T-shirts or glassware.
- Buy produce from local purveyors online, at places such as Fall Line Farms.
- Donate to groups like the Holli Fund, a local nonprofit that aids industry workers during economic crisis.
- Order your favorite brews and ciders online and pick them up to go.
- Utilize local meal services (see options below).
Closures and Reduced/Revised Service
This is a not a comprehensive list, but a growing one. Please email Eileen Mellon to share any updates, and be sure to contact individual businesses to confirm their status.
Closed for at least two weeks or until further notice:
3 Monkeys
8 1/2 Strawberry Street
Bacchus
Baker's Crust
Barrio Taqueria & Tequila
Brick & Mortar Coffee (closed indefinitely)
Brunch
Carmela’s
Continental Westhampton
Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream
Dinamo
Don’t Look Back
East Coast Provisions
Edo's Squid
Fresca on Addison
Front Porch Cafe
Goatocado
Heritage
Hutch
Hotel Greene
Joe's Inn
Kuba Kuba
Kuba Kuba Dos
Lady Nawlin's
Longoven
L’Opossum
Lulu's
Pop’s Market (hosting occasional pop-ups)
Parterre
Proper Pie Co.
Red Cap Patisserie
Roastology
Secco Wine Bar
Stoplight Gelato
The Naked Onion
West Coast Provisions
ZZQ
Closed for dining in but offering to-go and/or delivery options:
8 1/2 Church Hill
821 Cafe
88 Garden
Abuelita’s
Alewife
Anthony's on the Hill
A Sharper Palate
Bamboo Cafe
Barrel Thief Wine Bar & Cafe (cafe closed but wine shop remains open)
Bell Cafe
Belmont Butchery
Belmont Food Shop
Belmont Pizzeria
Beijing on Grove
Beauvine Burger Concept
Bev's Ice Cream
Billy Jack’s Shack
Bingo
Billy Pie
Blanchard’s Coffee
Bocata Latin Grill
Bocata Arepa Bar
Boka Tako
Bombolini
Bonchon
Bookbinder's
Boulevard Burger & Brew
Branch & Vine
Brenner Pass
Brunetti Express
Burger Bach
Buz & Ned's
Caboose Market & Cafe
Cafe Rustika
Can Can Brasserie
Cardinal State Butchers
Carytown Gyro
Casa Del Barco Canal Walk
Chez Foushee
Chicken Fiesta
Chicken Salad Chick
Christian's Pizza
Cobra Cabana
Commercial Taphouse
Coppola's Deli
Crafted
Dot's Back Inn
Dutch & Co.
Early Bird Biscuit Co.
Eat 33
En Su Boca
Fatty Smokes
Fat Dragon
Fest Midlothian
Fighting Fish
Foo Dog
Frank's Ristorante
Fuzzy Cactus
Galaxy Diner
Galley Go-To
Garnett’s
Gelati Celesti
Gersi
Grisette
Hang Space
Helen’s
Hobnob
Hog's Head Cafe
HopCraft Pizza
Hot Chick
Hurley's Tavern
Ipanema Cafe
Irie Vibes
Island Shrimp Co.
Izzy's Kitchen
Jackie's on Laburnum
Julep's New Southern Cuisine
Kitchenette
K-Town Kitchen & Bar
La Milpa
Lark Baking Co.
Latitude Seafood Co.
Laura Lee's
Lebanese Bakery
Lee's Chicken
Lehja
Libbie Market
Liberty Public House
Little Mexico
Lulabelle's Cafe
Lunch/Supper
Mabel's
Mama J's
Ma Michele's Cafe
Manchester’s Table
Marisco's El Barco
Mary Angela's
McCormack's Whisky Gril
Metro Bar & Grill
Metro Diner
Metzger Bar & Butchery
Mi Jalisco
Mission BBQ
Mixing Bowl Bakery
Moore Street Cafe
Mosaic
Ms. Bee's Juice Bar
Nama
Nate’s Bagels
New York Deli
Nightingale Ice Cream
Nile
Nota Bene
Nutty Buttery Cafe
Nu Vegan Cafe
Oak & Apple
Osaka Sushi
Pepe’s
Perch
Perk!
Perly's
Peter Chang’s
Pho 1 Grill
Pho 95 Hai Ky Mi Gia
Phoenix Garden
Pho Tay Do
Pizza & Beer of Richmond
Pomona Plants
Poor Boys
Postbellum
Pupatella
Rappahannock
Red Door
Red Salt Sushi & Chophouse
Restaurant Adarra (wine delivery only)
Rivers Bend Grill
River City Roll
Roma Restaurante Italiano
Ronnie's Original Barbecue
Roots Natural Kitchen
Rootstock Provisions
Rowland Fine Dining
Saadia's Juicebox
Sabai
Saison and Saison Market
Saltbox Oyster Co.
Sally Bell's Kitchen
Salt & Forge
Sandston Smokehouse
SB's Lakeside Love Shack
Scoop
Sen Organic Small Plate
Shagbark
Shore Dog Cafe
Sibley's BBQ
Social 52
Soul Taco
Southbound
Station 2
Stella's Grocery (Malvern Gardens)
Stella's Grocery (Downtown)
Stella's Restaurant
Sticky Rice
Stir Crazy Cafe
Stump's Pig & Pint
Sub Rosa Bakery
Sugar & Salt
Sugar & Twine
Tarrant's/Tarrant's West
TASTE
Tazza Kitchen
The Beach House
The Big Kitchen
The Boathouse locations
The Broken Tulip
The Camel
The Continental Westhampton
The Daily locations
The Forest Restaurant
The Grapevine
The Greek Taverna
The Grill at Patterson and Libbie
The Hill Cafe
The Jasper (Only on weekends and with a food order)
The Pitts (May 16)
The Roosevelt
The Savory Grain
The Shaved Duck
The Tottering Teacup
Toast
Urban Hang Suite
Vino Market
Whisk
Wild Ginger
Wong Gonzalez
Wong's Tacos
Wooden Spoon Cafe
WPA Bakery
Yellow Umbrella Provisions
Breweries and Distilleries offering grab-and-go, online ordering and curbside pickup only:
Ardent Craft Ales
Barrel Thief Wine Shop
Basic City Beer Co.
Bingo Beer Co.
Blue Bee Cider
Bryant's Cider
Buskey Cider
Canon & Draw Brewing Co.
Castleburg Brewery
Center of the Universe Brewing Co.
Courthouse Creek Cider
Cirrus Vodka
Dogtown Brewing
Final Gravity Brewing
Fine Creek Brewing (food as well)
Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Intermission Beer Co.
Isley Brewing Company
Legend Brewing Co.
Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery
Ninja Kombucha
Richbrau Brewing Co.
Steam Bell Beer Works
Strangeways Brewing
Starr Hill Brewery
Tabol Brewing
The Veil Brewing Co.
The Answer
Three Notch'd Brewing Co.
Trapezium Brewing Co.
Triple Crossing Brewing Co.
Vasen Brewing Co.
Virago Spirits
Meal plan options:
Well Fed (from the founders of Everyday Gourmet)
Keya Wingfield, chef and founder of Keya & Co. and Candy Valley Cake Co.
