Elsa Ethiopian Cafe & Market has closed its location at 912 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. Injera fans, stay tuned — the owner says they hope to reopen in a new space in the future. (Photo by Stephanie Ganz)
Bye, Y’all
Richmonders, I encourage you to head downtown and order a final banana pudding creme brulee or plate of meatloaf and mac and cheese at one of the strongest proponents of the city’s growing dining scene, and cherish it. After nearly two decades, hospitality hotshots and owners Michele Jones and Jason Alley are saying goodbye to Comfort. (Richmond magazine)
Pizza Party, Cobra Style
The fellas behind Cobra Cabana are taking another bite out of Carver: this time, a hot, gooey, cheesy one. Hot for Pizza, described by the metalhead entrepreneurs as a mashup of New Haven- and Greek-style pies, is slated to open in May. I’m just excited that their definition of “slice” is a generous one-quarter portion of the pizza. (Richmond magazine)
It Takes 2
Cue the Marvin Gaye duet with Kim Weston, because writer Piet E. Jones has tracked down a collection of local restaurateurs who are partners in business and life and working to revive menus and concepts around town — from barbecue in Jackson Ward to Korean influences at Cafe Ole and a seasonally driven spot doubling as a late-night sandwich haven in the Devil’s Triangle. (Richmond magazine)
Such a Lovely Place
If you haven’t visited the "Edward Hopper and the American Hotel" exhibition at the VMFA, not only do you have until Feb. 23 to do so, but we’ve also found a few spirited and on-brand ways to unwind afterward. Channel Hopper’s nomadic lifestyle without leaving the city and escape to these tucked-away hotel bars for a beverage or two. (Richmond magazine)
Holy Whole Foods
After the initial announcement dropped almost six years ago, Whole Foods has finally revealed an opening date for its 47,000-square-foot grocery store anchoring the Sauer Center development on Broad Street. On Jan. 30 at 9 a.m., our running office joke about how many Instagram progress pics we will post before our grocer neighbors actually open will finally come to an end. (News release)
Ownership Ch-ch-ch-changes
After more than 20 years of business, restaurateur Kendra Feather has bid farewell to her Grace Street veg-friendly institution, Ipanema Cafe. Stepping in as owner is UVA graduate Seth Campbell, who says he plans to keep the concept and crew intact. (Richmond BizSense)
The news follows the announcement last week from Morgan Botwinick of Whisk bakery that her ice cream venture, Scoop, will pass to a new but not-so-new owner, Paula Demmert. Demmert previously owned the beloved Video Fan store that occupied Scoop’s building for over three decades. Botwinick says the decision was difficult but that Demmert “felt like the perfect fit, and it made the decision that much easier.”
RVADine Departures
Elsa Cafe & Market, known for its house-made injera flatbread and authentic Ethiopian fare, closed at the end of December after three years in business. The hidden-in-plain-sight gem on Arthur Ashe Boulevard was featured in our 2017 Best New Restaurants list. The owner says they are currently looking for a new location and hope to reopen in the near future.
After debuting in the former Yaki space on Broad Street in August 2018, the Filipino-inspired Tiny Victory has closed, according to Yelp and other sources. Attempts to reach the owners have not been returned as of this writing.
ICYMI
Brookland Park is about to get its own dose of a “Union Market-type” venture from brothers Sean and Pat Lynch. The pair plan to open Brookland Park Market at 305 W. Brookland Park Blvd. by May. (Richmond BizSense)
Helping to ease the Monday blues, chef-owners Joe Sparatta and Lee Gregory have announced that Southbound will now be open on Mondays and dishing out fried chicken.
Metzger Bar & Butchery Chef-owner Brittanny Anderson shared the news that Carson Bledsoe will now hold the title of chef de cuisine at the German-influenced Union Hill eatery.
Pop’s Market on Grace has rolled out a new tapas menu featuring dishes that range from four to six bucks including charred shishito peppers, salumi croquettes and marinated mushrooms.
Peter Chang devotees on the west side of the city may need to trek to the Scott’s Addition outpost over the next several days to satisfy their Szechuan fix. The Chinese cafe at 11408 W. Broad St. in the Walmart shopping center is moving into the shuttered Noodles and Dumplings space nearby at 11424 and is slated to reopen by the beginning of February.
A few weeks ago we shared the not-so-sweet farewell of Sugar Shack Donuts locations in Virginia Beach and Charlottesville amid lawsuits filed against the company’s owners last fall, and now the doughnut company’s Fredericksburg outposts have changed their names to Freddy Donuts and will no longer use the same recipes. (Richmond BizSense, Richmond Times-Dispatch)
RVA Love
Where can you find one of the country’s 10 Best Breweries? Right here in Richmond. Triple Crossing took home the top spot for the Mid-Atlantic region, getting props for its Falcon Smash and, added bonus, Neapolitan-style pizza pies. (Vinepair)
On Tripsavvy's list of Best Places to Travel This Year, Richmond was dubbed the best place for boozehounds and described as “one of the most dynamic bar and distillery scenes in the country.” Cheers!
Remember when that TV personality with the red convertible and bleached-out, spiky hair came to town? Well, more episodes of Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” showcasing Richmond eateries have begun to roll out. Carena’s Jamaican Grille was recently featured on the show, and viewers can tune into the Food Network Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. for an appearance from ZZQ.
The only Richmond spot to grace Yelp’s list of Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2020: Stella’s, the namesake restaurant of one of the city’s longest tenured chefs. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Upcoming Events
- Ninja Fire Cider Class, Ninja Kombucha (Jan. 11): Join Windblown Sister Botanicals and Ninja Kombucha in making a traditional folk remedy.
- Comfort Food Pop-up, Hardywood Ownby Lane (Jan. 12): A food truck court with local favorites dishing out warm comfort food
- Food Truck Sunday With Thai Won On!, Final Gravity Brewing (Jan. 12): Drunken noodles, pad thai and spring rolls mark the Taiwanese food truck’s debut.
- Reverie Dinner With Chef Johnny Spero, Longoven (Jan. 13): An evening of culinary collaboration over six courses from Reverie’s visiting chef
- Make Ahead Monday: Pot Pies, Mise en Place (Jan. 13): Learn how to make various sweet and savory pot pies.
- Beer Tastings: Coffee Stouts, The Butterbean (Jan. 14): Sample a variety of stouts from breweries near and far.
- SVA Backstage Pass: Belle Isle, Common House & Ledbury, StartUp Virginia (Jan. 15): Hear the stories of successful businesses like Belle Isle Moonshine over drinks and snacks.
- DIY Immune Support: Fire Cider & Elderberry Workshop, Ellwood Thompson’s (Jan. 15): Discover ways to support your immune system with natural herbs.
- Maison Ferrand Cocktail Dinner, Perch (Jan. 16): Journey through the Maison Ferrand spirits portfolio over three courses.
- Late-night Your Choice, Plantbar (Jan. 16): A build-your-own terrarium class with a splash of wine, sangria, champagne or beer
In Other Food News …
- “I now believe that what I experience as a diner is inextricably linked to the racialized and gendered history of eating out in the United States.” That line is a small snippet from a compelling essay in the book “Women on Food,” revealing the writer's perspective on dining out as a black woman. (The Washington Post)
