Richmond Food News: Week of Dec 24-28

RVADine’s top stories of 2018, goodbyes and hellos, and festive bites to bring in 2019

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Dec. 30 clarification: Rogue under Maher family ownership will have its last service Dec. 31. The restaurant has been sold to new owners.

Top 5 in Food

We tracked down the top five food stories on our website this year, ranging from tales of wood-fired pizza to a thoughtfully curated tasting menu, proving that the Richmond dining scene has room for all sorts of players.  

  1. Pizza & Beer of Richmond from EAT Restaurant Partners opened at the end of May at 2553 W. Cary St. Is there a more classic combination?
  2. Little Nickel, South Side’s Polynesian/tiki-inspired eatery with a must-enjoy punch bowl (bring friends) exudes on-vacation vibes, just like the neon sign inside boasts. This was just the beginning of a busy 2018 for Katrina and Johnny Giavos (see No. 3). 
  3. Stella’s Grocery, a one-stop shop for Greek-inspired bowls, made-to-order sandwiches, beer and wine, and items from local purveyors, added two new locations, the first in Scott’s Addition and a second later in the year on East Grace Street. 
  4. Urban Hang Suite from radio personality and woman about town Kelli Lemon debuted its coffee shop-meets-lounge environment at 304 E. Broad St., meant to boost patrons' creativity and energy — they carry Lamplighter coffee and make a mean oat milk latte.
  5. Longoven transitioned from pop-up cult classic to brick-and-mortar restaurant in Scott’s Addition after quite the journey and is now home to one of the most audacious menus in the city. 

Farewells

Each year brings changes, and although we welcomed fresh bites, we also bid farewell to others. 

  • Closings: Lower 48, Graffiato, Luncheonette - Brookland Park and Shockoe Bottom, Continental Divide, Keagan’s Irish Pub, Bertucci’s - Innsbrook, Pie Five - Innsbrook, Su Casa, Best Friends Forever, Pelon’s Baja Grill, Flora, Boka Tako - Fan, Twisted Ales Brewing, 7 Hills Brewing, Starlite, Garnett’s Cafe at The Valentine, Delphi Greek Cuisine, Papa’s Pizza, Carolina Ale House, Duck Donuts - Short Pump, Kitchen on Cary, Nacho Mama’s
  • Long-term restaurants: Extra Billy’s - West Broad near Willow Lawn (33 years), Big Al’s Sports Bar & Grill (11 years), Enzo’s Italian Chophouse (24 years, however it was recently reopened as Amici di Enzo), Strange Matter (9 years), Stuzzi (8 years)
  • New ownership: Rogue has been sold to new owners. The Maher ownership team will have their last service Dec. 31.

New Spots on the Block

For every restaurant that exited the scene, many more were added to the mix, from globally inspired bites to plenty of pizza and pop-ups that graduated to brick-and-mortars.

  • Pizza: The Hop Craft, Pies & Pints, Pizza & Beer of Richmond, Billy Pie, Papa Murphy’s Take & Bake, Your Pie, Pupatella - downtown and Innsbrook, Peddler on Pine, Brooklyn Pizza Authority, Sparrow’s, Giustino’s at Galley Go-To, 8 ½ Church Hill, La Vera Pizza RVA
  • Breakfast: Yanna’s Cafe, The Wooden Spoon Cafe, Nate’s Bagels, Salt & Forge, Hot Diggity Donuts, Front Porch Cafe, First Watch, Ironclad Coffee Roasters, Bravo Rocco Cafe, Ellwood Thompson's Cafe in the ICA at VCU, Capitol Waffle Shop, 521 Biscuits & Waffles, Root Stock Provisions, SB’s Lakeside Love Shack
  • Seafood: Autentico’s Kitchen, Ocean Blue, Awful Arthur’s - Henrico County, Latitude Seafood Stony Point, Alewife, West Coast Provisions, SaltBox Oyster Co.
  • Bakeries/Sweets: Mon Chou Patisserie, Corner Bakery, Kilwin’s Chocolate Shop, Pearl’s Bake Shoppe (which moved from Grove and expanded), Scoop, Lush Cupcakes, Gelati Celesti
  • Vegan Bites: Hang Space, Nu Vegan Café
  • Coffee/Cafe: Urban Hang Suite, Ironclad Coffee Roasters, Lulabelle’s Café, Early Bird Biscuit Bellevue, Little Chez Cafe and Deli, Carriage House Café, Westover Station (in the former Cafe Zata on Forest Hill Avenue), North End Juice - Midlothian
  • BBQ: Pig & Brew, ZZQ
  • Ramen: Hai Ya’ll, Ramen Spot
  • Fast-Casual/Grab ’n’ Go: Soul N’ Vinegar, Tijuana Flats, Roots Natural Kitchen, Stella’s Grocery Scott’s Addition and Grace Street, Cava - Midlothian, b. Good, Luther Burger, TASTE
  • Globally Inspired Bites: KuRu Ethiopian, Temple, Perch, Tiny Victory
  • New Chapters for Veteran Restaurateurs: The Shaved Duck, Spoonbread Deux, Aloi, Tazza Kitchen Scott’s Addition, Little Saint and Bar Solita, Kreggers at Hand, Billy Jack's Shack, Eat 66, Cobra Cabana, Little Nickel, Swan Dive, Havana 59, Amici di Enzo
  • Latin American: Fire and Chicken, El Jinete, Terraza, Abuelita’s, Ay Caramba, Guadalupana Tortilleria & Restaurant, Don’t Look Back Triple, Don’t Look Back South, Chicano’s Cocina Bar & Grill, Soul Taco, Happy Empanada, Empanadas Market, Tres Machos Mexican Grill, La Bodega
  • Entertainment: River City Roll, Bingo, Tang & Biscuit
  • Breweries/Libations: Canon & Draw Brewing, Shiplock Brewing, The Jasper, Basic City Brewing, Hardywood West Creek, Bingo Beer Company, Courthouse Creek Cider tasting room, Bryant’s Cider, Virago Spirits, Three Crosses Distilling Company, Trial & Error distillery, Sleepy Fox Distillery

New Year's Eats

In case you missed it last week and you're still looking for a tasty way to ring in the new year, check out our roundup of local spots to enjoy a celebratory feast on New Year's Eve. (Richmond magazine)

Award-winning Infusions

Self-described "herb and food nerd" Corey McDonald turned her passion into a paycheck with the launch of Red Root & Co. The company specializes in botanical infusions and also offers syrups, shrubs, tonics, bitters and oxymels, mixtures of honey and vinegar. During the 2018 Virginia Food & Beverage Expo, Red Root’s Heirloom Garlic Oxymel won Best New Food 2018. (Richmond magazine)

RVA Love 

Cheers to Rapp Session, whose “Rebel Without a Claus” cocktail was dubbed the most festive in the state by USA Today. This is the second year in a row that Rapp Session has rolled out its festive “Tis the Session” holiday bar takeover.

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