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The view from the forthcoming Bateau; the outside area will feature approximately 15 seats.
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Husband-and-wife team and Bateau owners Harry Watkins and Arvat McClaine
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Bateau is located along Richmond's Canal Walk inside Vistas on the James.
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Outdoor seating at Bateau will occupy space directly alongside the Canal Walk.
Harry Watkins and Arvat McClaine met in 1983 as neighbors on West 19th Street in South Side and would frequently visit the nearby Buttermilk Trail together. Six years later, they began to date, and five years after that they got married at Forest Hill Park.
Richmond and the water have always been prominent forces in their life, and now, 35 years later, the couple is on the brink of opening their first restaurant together along Richmond's Canal Walk. Expected to open in mid-December inside the Vistas on the James high-rise community, Bateau will specialize in coffee and wine and focus on creating an experience for diners that pays homage to the site's history.
“For me [the canal is] really where America began,” says Watkins, who co-owns a counseling service with his wife. “We have the canal, we have the river, and we’ve got a lot of influence in terms of the rebirth of America.”
Richmond residents walk the canal, visit Brown’s Island and drive across the James daily, but do we truly recognize or understand the role that water played in shaping the city we live in?
“We wanted to have the opportunity to embrace not just the spirit of America and the spirit of Virginia but [also] the folks who helped [make] this country what it is now,” says Watkins. “[Bateau is] an opportunity to say thank you and tell that story in a way that can be exciting.”
During the 18th and 19th centuries bateaus — from the French word for boat — traveled along the James transporting tobacco, Virginia's top cash crop at the time, and other goods to the colonies, building the regional economy.
Long and thin, the boats' flat bottoms allowed them to navigate the unruly river before diminishing in the 20th century as other modes of transportation became prevalent.
The duo highlight the area’s rich historical context, explaining Bateau’s close proximity to the American Civil War Museum, 17th Street Farmers Market and Lumpkin’s Jail site. The area is steeped in history, even down to its cobblestone streets.
“I’m a runner, and a lot of people love this area, but hate those cobblestones,” says McClaine, who is also an author and podcast host. “If you know the history, then it makes you understand why they left them there.”
The couple hope Bateau can bring history closer to the community, shed light on Richmond’s past, and highlight the vital role the canal and river played in shaping the city.
“People aren’t thinking about how history impacts what’s going on today,” says Watkins. “[At Bateau] we’re just pulling out small snapshots and focusing on bateaumen and the role they played in the making of America.”
Watkin and I step outside onto a balcony at Vistas on the James, where he shows me a 200-year-old snapshot of the Canal Walk, and I spot a multistory brick building that looks quite familiar — the CarMax building at 140 Virginia St., the same structure bateaumen laid eyes on when traveling along the canal in centuries past.
“This is where the bateaumen would come after navigating the river to the canal,” says Watkins. “I get goosebumps when I think about it.”
Bateau, whose interior is designed by Helen Reed, will feature water and earth tones including deep navy blues and sepias. Comforting accents include a fireplace, an intimate bar and an outdoor area with approximately 15 seats.
McClaine shares a vision for a massive mural or painting of bateaumen as the centerpiece of the restaurant and a celebration of the "unsung heroes." The couple are also speaking with the Department of Historic Resources about placing a historic marker next to the restaurant to highlight the role of bateaumen on waterways.
Visits to Bateau will be centered around an experience where guests can swirl and sip on South African and Jamaican wines or be warmed by Ethiopian coffee. Bateau has currently partnered with Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Co. for its beans.
So why coffee and wine?
"The process is very similar ... you can savor wine and coffee," says Sarah Choi, marketing consultant for Bateau. "Leave the worries at the door and really enjoy the now, and it creates the idea of slowing down in the present moment."
Bateau’s bar will offer strictly wine, and the restaurant’s menu, sprinkled with stories of the bateaumen and historical tidbits, will offer a collection of small plates ranging from $12 to $20. Spearheading menu development is chef Michael Hall, owner of Spoonbread Bistro and Spoonbread Bistro Deux.
“I always love a challenge, and this is definitely a challenge [with smaller plates],” says Hall, who will bring Southern- and French-inspired culinary nuances to Bateau. “It’s my influence, so I’m going to imprint my style."
Hall says the focus is on seasonality and foods that pair well with wine. Diners can expect seafood, vegan options, charcuterie and products from local purveyors including Manakintowne Growers.
An executive chef has not yet been chosen.
Live jazz will be on tap Tuesdays and Fridays, and Watkins says “Blue Note Hours” will be dedicated to artists including Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald. Bateau will host “History Happy Hour” events, a historian-led discussion created by the American Civil War Museum, pairing education with food and wine.
“[Guests] can have a special evening” says Watkins. "It’s also an opportunity for folks who want to come in for a cup of coffee and feel good being here and escape and not worry about being shuffled out.”
Bateau will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and reopen for dinner service from 5 to 11 p.m.
