Head below for everything (see what we did there?) making news on the Richmond dining scene this week. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Memory Lane
Bringing us back to childhood trips through the drive-thru, paper bags brimming with fries and spoon-stabbed frozen desserts, local restaurants and food trucks are channeling peak edible nostalgia with riffs on fast-food and snack-time favorites. Get ready to fire up those pleasure centers with remixes on throwback classics, from a Filet-O-Fish doppelgänger to a McSmash burger. (Richmond magazine)
Family Ties
There’s a special energy that runs through a family business, a place with a personal touch. In our latest issue, we checked in with a handful of local family-owned food businesses, including a North Side deli where every employee is related, a longstanding local doughnut shop being passed through the generations and a recently opened multigenerational Mexican restaurant. (Richmond magazine)
Victorious Vegans
Plant-based diners showed up, chowed down and cast their votes. The results of the annual Vegan 72 — now a weeklong event where restaurants bring out their best meat-free specials — have been announced. In the savory category, Zorch Pizza took the crown for its vegan chicken Alfredo-inspired pizza, with Cobra Cabana’s “Noshin’ on Heaven’s Door” Reuben sandwich taking second, followed by Minglewood Bake Shop’s portable and hefty chicken and bacon ranch hand pie in third. Click the link above to view the winning desserts, too.
Mark Those Calendars
If you’re a budding vino connoisseur, expert oenophile or simply love to support local, the 2024 Virginia Wine Expo — the premier wine event of the year, showcasing the commonwealth’s top vineyards and vintners — comes to town Feb. 23-March 3. From grand tasting events to a series of wine-centric dinners, imbibing options abound.
On Feb. 26, the Richmond chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild will host a 1 p.m. showing of “The Hail-Storm.” The documentary will explore the story of John Dabney, a formerly enslaved man who became a renowned Richmond chef and bartender, inventing the beloved Hail-Storm mint julep.
County officials have revealed initial details about the inaugural Chesterfield Restaurant Week (March 29-April 7), with more info coming soon. (News release)
ICYMI
Jackson Ward welcomed a two-in-one combo last weekend with the debut of The Hive Bar & Grill and its adjacent market. (Richmond magazine)
In our 2024 “Dining Deck,” we highlight some of the key culinary players on the local restaurant scene. (Richmond magazine)
With the help of crowdfunding, Belle Isle Moonshine is entering new territory: distilling bourbon. (Richmond magazine)
The city meals tax saga continues. Last month, local restaurants including Latitude Seafood Co. and Philly Vegan turned to social media upon receiving bills for erroneous late fees that totaled over $100,000 between them. In recent weeks, more restaurateurs have come forward, including a former owner of Brenner Pass and the founder of Richbrau Brewing. This week, Richmond City Council approved changes that would allow tax payments to be applied to the month they are made versus to delinquent balances, as currently required by a state law. Other changes in the works: electronic bill payments and removing convenience fees for credit card payments. (Axios Richmond, Richmond BizSense)
Known for her gorgeous blooms, medicinal herbs and other plants, Ash Hobson Carr of Mechanicsville’s Hazel Witch Farm announced that this spring will be her last season. The grower, often found at Birdhouse Farmers Market, began operations in 2018 and has put the business up for sale.
Cambodian-inspired supper club Hem & Her now offers online orders for its brown butter black sesame chocolate chip cookies, a sweet, chewy, toasty treat available Tuesday through Friday for pickup at Second Bottle Wine and Snack Shop in Church Hill.
Upcoming Events
- Chocolate, Wine & Whiskey Festival, Main Street Station (Feb. 17): A tasting experience boasting everything from Champagne and bourbon to s’mores bars and cakes
- Beer Fest 2024, Stone Brewing (Feb. 17): Stone’s first-ever beer fest with appearances from a crew of sudsy pals such as Ardent Craft Ales, The Veil Brewing Co. and The Answer Brewpub
- Sunday Bagel Pop-up, Paix (Feb. 17): Snag sourdough loosies from the budding bagel concept helmed by New York transplants.
- Cider and Cookies, Buskey Cider (Feb. 17-18): Girl Scout Cookie season is upon us, which means cookie-cider flights are our futures.
- A Valentine Drag Brunch, Gold Lion (Feb. 18): Enjoy brunch with mimosa pitchers and shimmy-and-shake queen Sassy Sunday.
- Profs & Pints Richmond, Triple Crossing Fulton (Feb. 19): VCU’s Jeffrey Green (we talk to him in our Memory Lane piece above) explores “The Psychology of Nostalgia.”
- Nam Prik Pao Pop-up, Natalie’s (Feb. 20): The Thai-inspired pop-up is bringing the heat with a family-style feast.
- Ferments and Fiction, Black Heath Meadery (Feb. 21): The start of a monthly, mead-centric book club led by Black Heath owner Bill Cavender and Richmond-based beer author Lee Graves
- Eat. Talk. Connect: A Cultural Immersion, Buna Kurs Ethiopian Cafe (Feb. 21): The traveling Culture Encounters series lands at Buna Kurs for a three-course Ethiopian dinner and discussion with owner Lily Fasil.
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