A loaded edition of Food News awaits below. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Bee-lieve It
A spot in Jackson Ward with a storied past as a neighborhood restaurant, bar and market is back in action … as a neighborhood restaurant, bar and market. This week, Brandi Brown, owner of Ms. Bee’s Juice bar in North Side, debuted a two-in-one concept in the shuttered Saison space. The Hive Bar & Grill and its adjacent market offer a wide assortment of food and drink, including vegan options and late-night bites. (Richmond magazine)
Dining Deck
As Richmond chefs who have opened their own establishments settle deeper into the role of restaurateur, a number of fresh faces have stepped up as driving forces in their kitchens. In our “Dining Deck” (we had fun with the baseball card theme), we got the lowdown on some key culinary players on the local scene. From a fine-dining veteran holding it down at Brenner Pass to a baker transplanted from New York running the bread program for Lost Letter and Lillian, get to know the rising stars of RVADine — coaches’ notes included. (Richmond magazine)
Maturing Bonds (and Bourbon)
From honey-habanero and blood orange spirits to canned cocktails including the Concord grape Transfusion, Belle Isle Moonshine has always done things a bit differently. But after selling more than a million bottles of craft cocktails, the company has circled back to its original dream with the help of crowdfunding: distilling bourbon. (Richmond magazine)
Fat Tuesday
Bust out those beads, get ready to feast and let the good times roll because Mardi Gras happenings — Feb. 13 this year — are upon us. For those looking to celebrate the carnival-themed holiday, Get Tight Lounge will host Pay Rent Brass Band and serve up Grenade shooters and drink specials all night, while Bingo Beer Co. is throwing a Hurricane-heavy soiree under the tent. Although preorders are closed, Up All Night Baking promises a menu of Fat Tuesday pastries, and over at The Jasper, Ryba’s is popping in for a night of paczki — puffy, jammy Polish doughnuts — along with pierogies and pelmeni (Polish and Russian dumplings). For a sit-down dinner, head to Natalie’s, where The Verdant Lady cocktail lounge has created sips to accompany a Taste of New Orleans. Party on, friends.
ICYMI
Denzel Lewis is a familiar face and welcoming presence at Vietnamese mainstay Pho Tay Do. (Richmond magazine)
We caught up with restaurateur Brittanny Anderson, the force behind Metzger Bar & Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge, in our latest Spotlight. (Richmond magazine)
A dining dream come true: Jewish-Mediterranean pop-up Susie’s has secured a cozy cafe space in the Fan. (Richmond magazine)
One of the city’s long-established vegan restaurants, Fresca on Addison, is doing the unfathomable — adding meat and dairy to the menu. Originally founded by Jimmy Sneed and his daughter Jenna in 2011, the purveyor of plant-based bites quickly earned a reputation for top-quality produce and stellar pizza. The family operated it for a decade before Angela and Rasool Al Hasani took over for a brief period, followed by Simo Boudouaia in 2023. The announcement says, “It has been difficult to stay in business selling only vegan. This has been a moment of deep reflection and decision-making for us.”
With Midwest roots and a diner persona, 88-year-old Texas Inn, aka the T-Room, is coming to Richmond. Madison+Main ad agency founder David Saunders plans to debut a local outpost, joining current locations in Harrisonburg and Lynchburg. (Richmond BizSense)
Regular patrons of The Boathouse, Casa Del Barco and Island Shrimp Co. may notice a difference in their checks. A heated topic of local social media threads and the cause of confusion and frustration among many guests, HOUSEpitality Family restaurants’ automatic 20% service fees have been eighty-sixed. A release from the restaurant group cited a recent Pew survey notes that 72% of Americans oppose such fees. (News release)
Queer-led Dayum This Is my Jam recently announced plans to exit their production kitchen in Lakeside and leave behind a building that, as they say, “did not allow us to be out glorious, super fruity selves.” The jam purveyors have settled into a safe space in Jackson Ward at 406 Brook Road.
The restaurant space in Shockoe Slip’s Berkley Hotel will soon see some action after being dormant for two years. Radha Kamarajugadda, who formerly operated Indian fast-casual franchise Desi Bites, is preparing to open Chef’s Kitchen. (Richmond BizSense)
Queens of fashion and purveyors of the finer things in life, Church Hill boutique Dear Neighbor recently launched a second round of its wildly fun series Meet Our Neighbors. This time, it’s the restaurant edition, a showcase of women chefs, bartenders and owners, all styled to the nines. In a sneak-peek video, I spy Leah Branch of The Roosevelt, Alewife bartender Sophia Kim, Erin Keene of Second Bottle Wine and Snack Shop, and more faces from the neighborhood.
Upcoming Events
- Seconds Pop-up, Na Nin Warehouse (Feb. 10): North Carolina-based East Fork Pottery is the star of a pop-up featuring RVA favorites Sunday Bagel and Blanchard’s Coffee.
- Chocolate Fest 2024, Center of the Universe Brewing Co. (Feb. 10): Chocolates galore, from beers to Bundt cakes and other treats
- The Doka Get Pop-up, Buna Kurs (Feb. 10): The Jackson Ward Ethiopian cafe hosts Black-owned entrepreneur The Doka Get
- Tet Celebration, The Answer Brewpub (Feb. 10): Welcome the year of the dragon Vietnamese style.
- Big Gay Market RVA, Diversity Thrift (Feb. 11): A showcase of queer and trans artists, crafters and growers
- Lolight Pop-up, Stanley’s (Feb. 12): “A kitschy over-the-top Valentine’s party” from the women-led concept
- Point 5 NA Pop-up, Reveler Experiences (Feb. 13): A Valentine-themed evening with sans-booze sips and live music
- For the Culture III: The Legacy of the Black Garden, online (Feb. 14): A webinar featuring writer, podcaster and food historian Deb Freeman
- The Art of the Cocktail, Virago Spirits (Feb.13): An intimate class and tasting event
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