Enjoy a condensed version of Food News, and hopefully a day or two off, during this holiday week. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
A Legend Lost
Over the weekend, the local dining scene lost one of its most iconic and influential figures. Stella Dikos, tenured chef, Greek matriarch of Stella’s restaurant and yia yia to all, died Friday at 82. She first began cooking in Richmond as a young immigrant at The Village and would go on to nourish her community for over 50 years. Preserving Greek culture, Dikos made an impact not only with her stellar food, but also with her unwavering, genuine kindness and a legacy that will live on beyond her days. A public memorial service is scheduled for July 21 at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. (Richmond magazine)
‘Wild at Heart and Weird on Top’
L’Opossum is in a class of its own, which is part of the French-tinged Oregon Hill lair’s undeniable charm. Proprietor David Shannon and his loyal crew capitalize on being everything but conventional. The restaurant reaches a 10-year milestone this month, and writer Stephanie Ganz peels back the velvet curtain at one of Richmond’s most wildly intriguing and consistent gems. (Richmond magazine)
Restaurant R&R
The time of year when restaurants and bars take a brief summertime break is upon us. (Don’t go anywhere this week without first confirming your destination’s hours on their website or social media.) We caught up with a handful of industry players to chat about the lure of the annual holiday pause, as well as the importance of educational field trips and culinary camaraderie. (Richmond magazine)
Sunny Days
Don’t let the size of the property fool you: Farming on a small but productive single acre in Orange County, September Sun Produce is offering a bounty of pesticide-free greens, rainbow-colored eggs and a sliding-scale CSA to boot. Led by activist turned farmer Kendall King, the stand is a regular presence at Richmond’s Birdhouse Farmers Market each Tuesday. (Richmond magazine)
Best Bites
In our latest edition of local dining picks, a tostado with peak craveability — as in, I’m not sharing it — leads us to a Patterson Avenue Mexican restaurant; we rejoice in a buttery, veggie-packed Indian dish in Henrico; and we track down an uber-comforting broken rice dish at a Vietnamese standby. (Richmond magazine)
ICYMI
Summer mode is fully activated, and we have plenty of ideas on how to lean into the season, from hop-in-the-car edible adventures to farmers market must-buys, dinners with a view and essential thirst-quenching sips. (Richmond magazine)
Hop behind the bar at Kismet Modern Indian to check out their cocktail program that embraces the “on holiday” spirit. (Richmond magazine)
Restaurateur and woodworker Rick Lyons has given his Scott’s Addition restaurants a face-lift, with Supper moving into a bigger, brand-new space on the property. (Richmond magazine)
