Richmond Bakers Against Racism returns with a pop-up bake sale. Head below for the full scoop. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Never Been Better
Whenever I think of the space at 301 N. Lombardy St., college memories of the late-night watering hole and pizza shop Pie come to mind. But after standing empty for five years, the space has been given a serious facelift and a fresh new concept from a husband-and-wife team combining a love for wellness, caffeine and the community at Ever Better. (Richmond magazine)
A Hand Up
Kitchens are magical — a place for growth and development, creativity and exploration. Through a recently launched kitchen apprenticeship program, the Neighborhood Resource Center of Greater Fulton hopes to offer area residents, in particular formerly incarcerated individuals, the opportunity to sharpen their culinary skills and find employment in local restaurants. (Richmond magazine)
At First Scoop
After five years of selling cool concoctions at farmers markets and grocery stores in the D.C. area, Rabia “Ruby” Kamara, 31, along with co-owner Emmett Wright, has returned to Richmond to debut Ruby Scoops, an ice cream shop set to open at 120 W. Brookland Park Blvd. in North Side this fall. Learn more about her quest to leave a sweet mark on the city that changed her life in our interview. (Richmond magazine)
Big Green
The husky cousins of tomatoes, tomatillos stand out for their bright color and tangy flavor. Writer Stephanie Ganz offers the lowdown on the versatile fruit. Plus, Abuelita’s co-owner Karina Benavides shares a recipe for a pork rib and salsa verde guiso (aka stew) that you won’t want to miss. (Richmond magazine)
Baked With Purpose
After their initial event in June, I can barely contain my excitement for the spooky treats Richmond Bakers Against Racism will be dropping for Halloween. Luckily, to tide us over until then, the local chapter of the worldwide initiative is hosting a pop-up bake sale on Sept. 12 at The Veil Brewing Co. All proceeds will benefit Frank Community Farm and Nolef Turns Inc., with ordering going live on Sunday, Sept 6.
Keep It Weird
Need an excuse for a mini adventure outside the city, consider yourself pro-beer and want to take a walk on the wild side? Luckily for us, Fine Creek Brewing is about to get funky. This year, the Powhatan brewery will turn its annual daylong celebration of barrel-aged, mixed-culture and sour brews, the Wild & Weird Festival, into a monthlong affair. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in September beginning Sept. 4, beer drinkers can visit Fine Creek for a selection of mouth-puckering, palate-pleasing sips from breweries near and far.
Beertown USA
Speaking of beer, Richmond is a city of proudly poured pints, with almost 40 breweries in the surrounding region. We made our presence known at the 2020 Virginia Craft Beer Cup with a number of wins for local contenders including Bingo Beer Co., Ardent Craft Ales, Petersburg's Trapezium Brewing and the aforementioned Fine Creek.
ICYMI
Qui’s Cafe, a dose of comfort food inside Celebration Church on Midlothian Turnpike, has officially opened its doors. And yes, cheesesteak egg rolls are on the menu. (Richmond magazine)
Have you ever tried kombucha that listened to classical music as it fermented? Give SoulSmith Kombucha from Nani Smith a sip. (Richmond magazine)
Who doesn’t love a listicle? Check out RVADine’s fan favorites in our 33rd annual Best & Worst roundup, from top takeout to BBQ and bagels. (Richmond magazine)
Get to know Kamlesh Kundalia, the owner of the vegetarian-friendly, produce-packed Indian grocer in Henrico, Laxmi Palace. (Richmond magazine)
The weekend is almost here — I, you, we, deserve a drink. Take matters into your own hands with these ways to pour up a Negroni from area bartenders. (Richmond magazine)
The Robinson Street eatery Metro Bar & Grill has closed its doors for good after originally opening in 1999 and going thorough an ownership change in 2015. (Richmond BizSense)
After initially closing upon the onset of COVID-19 in March, Caturra on Grove has decided to shutter permanently. Owner Rob Slotnick opened the restaurant in 2007 as Cafe Caturra before switching to a full-service bistro concept in 2018.
Need some greens in your life? The ghost kitchen Dunharrow Concepts has launched its latest delivery-only concept, Victory Garden, focused on creative salads. (News release)
A couple weeks ago I shared some information about Gold Belly, a service that delivers food from across the country to your doorstep — cheesesteaks from Philly, bagels from NYC — and lo and behold, one of Richmond’s favorite local products is now in the mix. The husband-and-wife team from Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches has started shipping their cool confections nationally.
September is Virginia Pride Month, and in celebration, Starr Hill Brewery plans to donate $1 per pint sold in the taproom to Side By Side — an almost 30-year-old nonprofit that works with the LGBTQ community — through its Cheers for Charity program.
Fire, Flour & Fork festival is back, baby. Tickets for the virtual celebration go on sale Sept. 15. (Note: Richmond magazine Associate Publisher Susan Winiecki is a co-founder of Fire, Flour & Fork.)
After closing its doors a few weeks ago, Salt Box Oyster Co. in Willow Lawn will be replaced with an IHOP. (News release)
RVA Love
A local entry in the popular sparkling boozy beverage market has recently garnered national attention — take that, White Claw. Belle Isle Moonshine’s Blood Orange & Soda made Vogue’s list of top 10 canned cocktails. Shout-out to Charlottesville cidery Potter’s, which also made the list for its Guava Galaxy Cider.
Richmond’s own ZZQ has earned smoky recognition as some of the best barbecue in Virginia and serves, according to Food & Wine, “some of the finest brisket on the Eastern Seaboard.”
Upcoming Events
We strongly encourage everyone to make safe and smart decisions and adhere to municipal and business guidelines related to the pandemic.
- Fridays Alfresco, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (Sept. 4): Kick off the weekend with a picnic-style night at the garden.
- Music & Menu, New Kent Winery (Sept. 4): Enjoy a food truck and live tunes.
- Sincero Pop-up, The Veil Brewing Co. (Sept. 4): Authentic Mexican fare from 4 p.m. until sellout
- Breakfast Day, Pop’s on Grace (Sept. 4): A menu dedicated to the first meal of the day, including a charcuterie and cheese breakfast
- Lemonade Stand, The Jasper (Sept. 4-5, additional dates): Lemonade meets liquor at this adults-only walk-up stand.
- Pizza Bones, The Jasper (Sept. 5): Order to go from this weekly pie pop-up.
- Harvest Wine and Oyster Field Day, James River Cellars Winery (Sept. 6): A socially distant oyster feast with plenty of vino
- The Smashper, The Jasper (Sept. 6): A night of smash-style burgers
- Wine Wisdom: Greek Getaway, VA Wine Academy (Sept. 8): Travel to Greece via your wineglass during this virtual tasting.
- Wednesday Evening Farm Stands, Wild Urban Farm (Sept. 9): The weekly farm stand returns with fresh veggies, herbs and flowers.
In Other Food News …
- The TikTok craze has been sweeping social media, and while most videos shared on the platform consist of users dancing to popular songs or funny parodies, teens in California are capturing something far more serious. As wildfires continue to blaze and with the pandemic still very much a reality, migrant farm workers have not stopped working, and TikTok videos reveal children as young as 8 working in the fields. (Vice)
