Spring is here, and the eighth edition of Richmond’s annual fungi fest, Mushroom Mania, returns April 19 to Stone Brewing Co. Ahead of the event, festival founder and ’shroom fanatic Lauren Vincelli has hunted down mushroom maniacs around the city and beyond, highlighting offerings from the region’s many fungi friends.
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Steve Haas, founder of HaaShrooms (Photo courtesy Steve Haas)
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Photo courtesy Minglewood Bake Shop
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Score alcohol-free canned cocktails at Point 5 in Carytown, including this selection from Little Saints that features organic lion’s mane mushrooms. (Photo courtesy Lauren Vincelli)
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Lotte Plaza Market on West Broad Street stocks a wide variety of mushrooms. (Photo by Lauren Vincelli)
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Photo courtesy Easterday Mushroom Co.
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Nick Adams, co-founder of Charlottesville-based Koji House (Photo courtesy Koji House)
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Some of the spice blends and other products available through Koji House (Photo courtesy Koji House)
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(From left) Rob Jones, Nathan Lewis and Alec Sloat of Rudy’s Exotic Mushrooms & Produce (Photo courtesy Rudy’s Exotic Mushrooms & Produce)
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A foraging knife from Fever Dream Forge, a Richmond-based knife and leather company (Photo courtesy Fever Dream Forge)
Chaotic Good Tempeh: This lean protein is made by binding cooked beans with the mycelium of Rhizopus oligosporus during the fermentation process. Chaotic Good Tempeh founder and chef Keith Gurgick, aka “Macho Man Mike Celium,” works out of Hatch Kitchen crafting tasty tempeh burgers, chickpea breakfast sausage, Italian and chorizo-style crumbles, tempeh pastrami, brisket, and bacon — all plant-based. Shop online, at Birdhouse Farmers Market and Good Foods Grocery.
Easterday Mushroom Co.: A local mushroom company led by trio Justin, Dima and Steffen Easterday. “[Dave Boso of Rappahannock Mushrooms] trained the guys for months while we were waiting for the mushroom grow house building to be put up. We’re very grateful for him,” Dima says. They specialize in growing lion’s mane, oyster, chestnut, reishi and golden enoki mushrooms and are currently part of the Birdhouse and Dorey Park farmers markets. Spot Easterday mushrooms on the menu at The Roosevelt, HealThySelf Healthy Mixes Herb Spot, Penny’s Wine Shop, RVA Big Soup, Celeste Farms, Sweet P’s and VegTable RVA.
Fever Dream Forge: For sturdy handmade foraging knives, chef’s knives, one-of-a-kind cleavers, utility blades and leather goods, check in with Haley Pope’s Fever Dream Forge. Pro tip: When cutting foraged mushrooms in the wild, it’s best to cut the mushroom at the base, leaving a bit of the stem attached. This will minimize damage to the mycelium (similar to a root system) and promote continued growth. Never eat a mushroom you’re unsure of.
HaasShrooms/ Forage Skincare: Founded in 2010 by forager and farmer Steve Haas, HaasShrooms has expanded from selling fungi to integrating them into handcrafted tinctures, teas, coffees and skin care products. Haas also invites guests to the farm, holding classes and foraging forays on their 60-acre Goochland estate. You can learn how to ID mushrooms and wild edibles among the cool-water creeks and old-growth trees. Find their products online and at The Farmers Market at St. Stephen’s.
Idle Hands Bread Company: The bakery’s lacto-fermented sourdough bread and laminated pastries are legendary, with unbelievably vegan options to boot. Stop by the shop on Strawberry Street to pick up a flaky mushroom tart to savor in the sunshine at Scuffletown Park. Grab a ball of their pizza dough and bust out your portable pizza oven for a spring fungi pizza party.
Koji House: Koji House educates those in Richmond and beyond about the magic of koji and other mold-based ferments with knowledgeable, approachable content. Based in Charlottesville, the small-batch producer of artisanal koji also produces koji-powered goods, from spice blends to exfoliating scrubs. Koji is made when cooked rice is inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae. “Koji uniquely enhances food by producing enzymes that transform nutrients like starches and proteins to create tasty sugars and amino acids,” co-owner Nick Adams explains. “This process is used to create Japanese kitchen staples like soy sauce, miso and sake.” Koji House works in partnership with nearby North American Sake Brewery. Adams says, “Sake kasu [a by-product of sake production] is naturally packed with restorative active enzymes, ceramides, vitamins and minerals.” Find their fungi fountain of youth online and at local farmers markets and gourmet shops.
Lotte Plaza Market: Since opening in May 2024, this Asian grocer and produce wonderland has been a go-to for shoppers of all stripes. The store boasts an expansive selection of fresh, dried and canned mushrooms, including king trumpet, shiitake, enoki, shimeji, tremella and wood ear mushrooms, along with kimchi and other fun fermented foods.
Minglewood Bake Shop: This adorable 100% vegan bakery in Carytown offers an array of equally adorable mushroom-themed cakes. Call ahead to order the sweetest little chocolate stump cake covered in frosting fungi for an edible work of art.
MushMouth: This Henrico ghost kitchen and caterer pops up on DoorDash Wednesday through Sunday, whipping up fried oyster mushroom po’boys, fried baskets and tacos, along with delectable plant-based macaroni and cheese and collard greens.
Point 5: A bottle shop in Carytown led by Jodi Sidle, Point 5 specializes in alcohol-free sips, selling a variety of sans-booze beverages including St. Juniper from Little Saints. The gin alternative, recently featured on “Shark Tank,” is spiked with organic lion’s mane mushrooms. The result is a woodsy, bright blend that is perfect for a martini or G&T.
Real Foodz Cafe: Located in Petersburg, Real Foodz Cafe is a weekend-only pop-up offering a Caribbean-inspired plant-based menu. Be sure to order their signature jerk portobello sub, brown stew with mushrooms or fried oyster mushroom basket with crispy crinkle-cut fries. Order or DoorDash and follow them on Instagram for more info.
Rudy’s Exotic Mushrooms & Produce: One of RVA’s longest-running purveyors, Rudy’s started in 1994 with Rudy Karkosak sourcing mushrooms from his brother’s farm near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, the mushroom capital of the world. The company has since integrated top-quality Virginia produce and supplies restaurants and grocers around the region. Find their iconic van making stops at all the best restaurants.
Mushroom Mania on Saturday, April 19, is a free, family-friendly event and will feature screenings, music, speakers, classes, tastings, artists and “mush more.” Grab a free ride on the Pulse to the Main Street at East Riverfront stop.
