Richmond Food News: Week of March 2-6

New pizza in Scott’s Addition, a revival of rural culture, festivals with a side of food and all the craveable events

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Full Circle

Pizza is one of those foods that everyone can vibe with. If someone says they aren’t a fan, frankly, it's a slight cause for concern in my book. Hence the name People’s Pie; it's the forthcoming grab-and-go pizza concept from Craig Perkinson, former chef de cuisine of Southbound, and Goatocado’s Ian Newell, set to open this spring in Scott’s Addition. Perkinson aims to start slinging East Coast- and Detroit-style pies by mid-April. (Richmond magazine)

Home Grown

Aiming to get the community back in touch with the ways of the land, Goochland's Center for Rural Culture is kicking off another of its Homestead Series of courses this Sunday, March 8, in Montpelier with Dominic Carpin of Delli Carpini Farm. The group of classes aims to empower people to preserve rural culture through practices such as canning, fermentation and regenerative farming. (Richmond magazine)

Celebrate Good Times

Festival season is moving into high gear as the weather begins to warm up, and writer Miranda Yañez has the scoop on local celebrations where culture and cuisine collide. Richmond may be a mid-sized city, but we’ve got a massive appetite. Mark your calendar for events ranging from the 35th Irish Festival in Church Hill March 21-22 to the 36th annual Lebanese Food Festival in May. (Richmond magazine)

Chef Camp

I like to think of Indie Chefs Week as a shorter, food-focused version of camp, where chefs from across the country gather and bond while cooking together for four days. The traveling cast of culinary characters returns to Richmond for four days April 2-5 at Brenner Pass, and founder Grover Smith says this year the mission is to “dive much deeper in our conversations with guests about our lives, inspirations and goals in hospitality during each dinner.” Nine chefs — six of whom are surprise guests for the Sunday dinner — will collab over 11 courses; expect familiar local faces including host Brittanny Anderson and Longoven's Andrew Manning, along with visiting chefs hailing from Pittsburgh vegan outpost Apteka, D.C.’s Kith & Kin, Seattle's No Anchor, and many more. (Richmond magazine)

Last Chance

Richmond Black Restaurant Experience wraps up on Sunday, so there are only a few more days to take part — aka get your nosh on — during the fourth annual celebration that supports black-owned eateries and other businesses. The final days include a trolley brunch experience on Saturday in Jackson Ward and the walk-around tasting event Stick a Fork in It at the Altria Theater on Sunday.

Imbibers, this weekend also marks the end of the 13th annual Virginia Wine Expo. Stay thirsty: The Walk-around Grand Tasting events on Saturday and Sunday offer over 120 wines and spirits, as well as cider, mead and sake, and some special offerings from the Loire Valley and Washington State. While we're talking wine, if you missed the winner of the coveted 38th annual Virginia Governor’s Cup or are curious about how judges evaluate over 500 wines, head this way.

ICYMI

Peter Chang restaurant in Short Pump recently unveiled its new digs after relocating a few doors down to the former Noodles & Dumplings space. Diners can expect craft cocktails and a revamped menu that now includes Peking duck. Take my advice and ask for extra plum sauce. (Richmond magazine)

Don’t miss seeing area dining industry pros channel their inner middle schooler for some dodgeball fun. The second annual On the Fly Dodgeball Tournament returns March 15, and tickets for the public are officially on sale. Proceeds benefit the Holli Fund, a nonprofit named in memory of longtime Richmond food critic and restaurant supporter Hollister Lindley. Did we mention costumes are involved? (Richmond magazine)

A Scott’s Addition fixture for 74 years, The Dairy Bar is undergoing a change in ownership. After owning the restaurant for more than two decades, husband and wife Bill and Tricia Webb are passing the torch to longtime cook Corey Martin, who promises that he’s “not changing a single thing.” (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Aisha Farooque, owner of Bottom Burger in Shockoe, plans to revive the shuttered Emilio’s (and short-lived Richmonder Public House) space in the Fan. She aims to debut The Burger Bar in a few weeks, and diners can expect more diverse offerings and brunch. (Richmond BizSense)

Tacos, barbecue, pizza, fried chicken, ramen — is there anything the EAT Restaurant Partners won’t touch? With 12 restaurants, including second locations of Hot Chick and Pizza & Beer of Richmond on the way, next on their plate is sushi. Expected to open in late spring, Lucky AF will channel late-night sushi den vibes in the former Aloi space in Scott's Addition. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

En Su Boca 2.0? Sort of. The owners of the Arthur Ashe Boulevard taqueria are rolling out a similar concept near VCU. Patrick Stamper and Randy O’Dell, also owners of Beauvine Burger Concept, are combining the former Roxy Cafe and adjacent The Pit and the Peel space for an almost 4,000-square-foot restaurant with a yet-to-be-determined name. (Richmond BizSense)

West Enders craving a bite from the Carytown Burger & Fries will now have to drive to the city for their patty fix. After five years, the Short Pump location shut doors Feb. 27. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

After opening a tasting room on Adams Street in Jackson Ward in late 2018, Bryant’s Cider announced plans to make the shuffle to Shockoe Bottom last year. Following months of renovations, they are officially debuting fresh digs and a spacious production facility during a soft opening on March 14.

After more than a decade, Tricycle Urban Ag, the agriculture-focused nonprofit with a fellowship program from which a number of local purveyors have graduated, is ceasing operations. Fellow nonprofit the Enrichmond Foundation will take over Tricycle's farms and other assets. (Richmond BizSense)

Perch is hosting a five-course French-meets-Filipino dinner, Lyon Meets Luzon, on March 9. The event benefits Richmond Public Schools' Technical Center Culinary Program, and students will help whip up the meal with Chef-owner Mike Ledesma and visiting chef Jean Marc Tachet and gain some front-of-house knowledge from Perch Event Manager Sam Cheng.

Upcoming Events

In Other Food News …

  • David Chang’s Netflix series "Ugly Delicious" returns with season 2 on March 6. You all know what I’ll be doing this upcoming lazy Sunday.
  • Following a devastating tornado in Nashville earlier this week, the local restaurant community there has banded together to help. Efforts to save food and provide shelter and meals are underway, along with a GoFundMe page launched by the Nashville chapter of United States Bartenders Guild. (Food & Wine)