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Every year I envision New Year’s Eve being a grandiose evening filled with exciting tales I’ll rehash the next morning (or afternoon) and 'Gram-worthy pictures to share with the world. This often is not the case, and my wait-until-the-last-minute attitude gets the best of me. Don’t be like me. I’ve gathered a small sampling of spots to ring in 2020 however you please, from places offering multicoursed dinners that can land you in comfy clothes before midnight to restaurants dancing the night, and the decade, away.
When: 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Cost: Open to the public, but VIP tickets are $75 per person (tax and gratuity included)
Lowdown: Like the freedom to move around and bust a move? Enjoy a competitive game of skeeball or air hockey? The thought of a themed party delight your inner fashionista? Channel Great Gatsby and eat-ertainment vibes with Bingo’s Roaring 2020s soiree.
On the menu: Five cocktails, a spread of snacks from oysters Rockefeller to charcuterie and Bingo Black Lager tenderloin stew, tunes from DJMass FX, and a Champagne toast when the clock strikes 12.
When: Dinner reservations begin at 5 p.m. with the last seating at 9 p.m. The late-night party kicks off at 11 p.m. and stays bumping until 2 a.m.
Cost: Three-course prix fixe menu for $65 per person; late-night ticket is $75 in advance and $100 at the door.
Lowdown: Guests can opt for dinner at the Alpine-themed Scott’s Addition enclave or choose to arrive in party mode for an all-inclusive late-night shindig.
On the menu: Three courses of European-influenced dishes from co-owners Chef Brittanny Anderson and pastry mastermind Olivia Wilson paired with a contemporary and crisp aesthetic. Here for the turn-up? Expect unlimited libations, tunes from DJ Rudeboi and bubbles when the ball drops.
When: 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Cost: $30 per person in advance or $55 for a pair (not including taxes and fees)
Lowdown: Hear that? It’s the tunes of 1979 coming to life inside North Side’s Fuzzy Cactus. The restaurant/dive bar/music venue is serving up throwbacks from the likes of The Ramones, Elvis Costello and Blondie performed by local acts.
One the menu: Fill up on a buffet of hors d’oeuvres (only available for the first two hours), along with drink specials like $5 Ilegal Joven mezcal and glasses of sparkling. They officially welcome 2020 with a balloon drop at midnight.
When: 5 to 11 p.m.
Cost: $65 per person (not including tax and gratuity), wine pairing $25 additional
Lowdown: Stop into this intimate Robinson Street wine lair/restaurant helmed by Executive Chef Julie Heins for a celebration that ends just in time to head home for the ball drop.
On the menu: Three courses with multiple choices available under each — I foresee sharing with your date to maximize noshing — along with cheese and charcuterie boards, antipasti, and plenty of wine. Dishes that caught me eye: Seven Hills beef cheek ravioli, winter vegetable pakora, and fried churros with cinnamon sugar and plum jam.
When: 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Cost: $50 per person
Lowdown: Bust out your finest cocktail attire, because Libbie Hill’s newest restaurant from Marty’s Grill and Riverbound Cafe owner Michael Cohan is ringing in the new year by throwing a '20s-themed event with a DJ in the 6,000-square-foot space.
On the menu: A welcome cocktail and heavy hors d'oeuvres from the Southern-tinged and globally inspired menu
When: Dec. 30 and 31 from 5:30 to 9 p.m.
Cost: $75 per guest, (not including tax and gratuity). Drink pairing is an additional $25.
Lowdown: Chef-owner Lee Gregory and his siren squad deliver a double dose of dinners and drinks in their Church Hill, "Life Aquatic"-esque sustainable seafood den.
On the menu: Buzz-worthy ingredients to ignite the excitement for this four-course lineup, if you weren’t already intrigued: trout roe ranch, sea island red peas and lava cake.
When: Dinner from 5 to 10 p.m., DJ and party from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Cost: $125 per person (includes tax and gratuity) for dinner and $40 per person for the post-dinner party.
Lowdown: This Broad Street restaurant plays the role of a modern Pacific Rim getaway guided by Chef-owner Mike Ledesma before transforming into a dance party led by the ever tune-tastic DJ Billy Crystalfingers.
On the menu: A Champagne toast, as well as five courses with a kiss of Polynesian influence — think sugar cane skewers with lamb and za’atar, red snapper and key lime bars with hibiscus. Post-dinner, expect a glass of sparkling and a spread of snacks.
When: 5 to 10 p.m.
Cost: $80 per couple (excludes tax and gratuity) including alcohol pairings (beer, cocktails and Champagne)
Lowdown: This marks the eighth annual New Year's Eve festivities from Chef-owners Danny and Tiffany Ingram of Mechanicsville’s homey Bell Cafe.
On the menu: A four-course dinner with various alcoholic beverage pairings and, of course, sparkles for the New Year’s toast. Wild boar porchetta with dill-roasted green beans, anyone?
Additional options for celebrating: Maple & Pine, Restaurant Adarra, Lucy’s Restaurant, Mosaic Restaurant, The Roosevelt, Buskey Cider, Havana '59 and Barrel Thief Wine Shop & Cafe
