Thirsty, hungry, all of the above? Head below for a feast of edible and drinkable news. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
At Ease
After working as a culinary instructor and operating her own cooking school, Ann Butler decided to make a foray into restaurant ownership with 21 Spoons. Tucked away in the Waterford Shopping Center in Midlothian, the intimate eatery with just two dozen seats dishes out a tight-knit menu three nights a week. (Richmond magazine)
Bending Perceptions
Not only is Richmond experiencing an influx of Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., residents, dining concepts from those areas are beginning to make their way to Richmond, too. Hailing from Old Town Alexandria with a Michelin Bib Gourmand-winning sister restaurant in the capital, Kismet Modern Indian will make its debut in the former Perch space this fall. (Richmond magazine)
The Almighty Dollar
Every day we make choices, from buying a morning latte to deciding which bag of buns to grab from store shelves. This month, I dive into the power of consumer spending and look at how political ideologies can shape where we spend our money — and what we eat. (Richmond magazine)
Roasted and Smoked
A weirdly wonky, yet totally successful concept, Brookland Park Boulevard’s The Smoky Mug boasts a double identity: part neighborhood coffee shop, part smokehouse. The colorful, Tex-Mex vibe-y spot has become a popular hangout, and we recently caught up with co-owner and pitmaster Ryan Maynes to talk brisket, beginnings and more. Pro tip: Try the breakfast burrito with eggs, hash browns, cheese and Hatch chiles on a house-made tortilla. (Richmond magazine)
RVADine Debuts
After hosting a soft opening last month and then going on a mini summer break, Union Hill’s Fat Rabbit bakery is officially in action. Recent menu items include Hop-tarts, buttermilk biscuits and tomato galettes. (Richmond magazine)
A grocer-cafe-bakery trifecta, The Mantu Market premiered earlier this week, stocked with everything from fresh-baked naan and sambosas to spices and orange blossom honey at 7510 W. Broad St. (Richmond magazine)
Taproom makeover, you say? Taking over the former Richmond Wine Station space next door, Three Notch’d Brewing Co.’s Broad Street outpost has reintroduced itself in a swanky new expanded space, boasting a badass mural by local artist Nico Cathcart and a menu of oven-baked ’za and bar bites. (News release)
Calling Roanoke home base, Blue Cow Ice Cream — a mini chain with scoop shops throughout the state — will debut at 1707 Three Chopt Road this Friday with free scoops. (News release)
Mark Those Calendars
Another fall, another Folk Feast — finally! After a pandemic hiatus, the ultimate walk-around event featuring bites from some of the area’s top eateries, and the unofficial kickoff to the music-packed celebratory weekend, is back Oct. 3. Tickets went on sale for the Richmond Folk Festival fundraiser this morning. Snag ’em quick.
In a mix of good and bad news, the annual fundraising dinner for the Birdhouse Farmers Market dinner sold out in record time, but waitlist spots are available.
Oysters and cider join forces at Courthouse Creek Cider during Oysters in the Orchard, Sept. 10-11. The two-day party on the farm in Maidens is an ode to bivalves both ways — roasted and raw — along with live tunes and charcuterie.
ICYMI
The husband-and-wife duo behind Maya have rolled out a seafood-centric concept in Midlothian inspired by the European coast. Oceano, here we come. (Richmond magazine)
From farm to salad to online cart to doorstep, Dreaming Tree Farms is making it easy for diners to get locally packed produce and greens. (Richmond magazine)
Burgers are always in season, and we’ve got a juicy collection of patty-forward pit stops to add to your list of two-hand contenders. (Richmond magazine)
Last week, Carytown sammie institution Coppola’s Deli posted an Instagram story asking followers where they’d like to see a second location, teasing a 2.0 in the future. Stay tuned for more details.
The Hop in the Fan is transforming its beer room into The Hop Cafe, Market and Deli, stocked with grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, take-and-bake pies, homemade bread, and desserts. P.S.: Sunday brunch and breakfast pizza have returned.
RVA Love
As we mentioned a few weeks back, and now viewable online, Jackson Ward’s Restaurant Adarra was named one of Wine Enthusiast's Forward 50 Restaurants for 2022, praising the Basque-inspired escape for offering Virginia’s largest inventory of organic, bio-dynamic and low-intervention wines.
The Washington Post recently highlighted the importance of foraging and relying on what grows naturally, catching up (as we did earlier this year) with Crystal Stokes and Adam Weatherford of Henrico’s Project CommuniTea and their adventures with yaupon, a Virginia-grown source of caffeine.
Upcoming Events
- MacSmashed, 5819 Lakeside Ave. (Aug. 19): Jiji Frozen Custard, 1115 Mobile Kitchen and Smashed RVA join forces, serving up McDonald’s-inspired fare.
- A Special Event With Casa Shop, Na Nin (Aug. 19): Vintage home finds paired with summer vinos from Second Bottle Wine & Snack Shop
- Vegan Eats With Bri Pop-up, The Green Kitchen (Aug. 20): Barbecue sandwiches with fixin’s, all plant-based; preorder online for Saturday pickup.
- Mystic Market, SB’s Lakeside Love Shack (Aug. 21): The traveling pop-up of handmade goods heads to the happenin’ brunch spot for Sunday Funday.
- Tour and Tasting, Virago Spirits (Aug. 21): A distiller-led exploration of the production facility, followed by a sampling of products
- Summer Seafood Boil, Rappahannock (Aug. 22): Head online to schedule a time slot for quality time with crab, mussels, shrimp, oysters and more.
- Eazzy Burger Pop-up, ZZQ (Aug. 23): Catch a sneak peek of the burger concept from the crew behind ZZQ during the reso-only event with multiple seatings.
- Summer Movie Night, The Veil Brewing Co. Scott’s Addition (Aug. 24): Grab a pint and a pal and watch an outdoor screening of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
- Danger Boys: Michael Smith and Perry D’Angelo, Laura Lee’s (Aug. 24): Two oenophiles lead the natural wine-tasting soiree, also featuring snacks.
- Cajun and Creole, The Kitchen Classroom (Aug. 25): Bananas Foster, maque choux and gumbo are on the menu for this hands-on cooking demo.
