Pizza! A sneak peek at the inside of Pies & Pints, set to open April 23 (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Beer and ’Za
Pizza and beer — is there a more satisfying combination? Brace yourselves, Richmond: We are about to get a triple dose of restaurants focused on both.
Pies & Pints at 2035 W. Broad St. is set to open April 23 (I’ve been eyeing them from my office window). The West Virginia-based chain makes it debut in Virginia with specialty pies like Cuban pork and Mediterranean shrimp, along with the classics and a variety of craft beers on draft.
The Fan soon will welcome The Hop, a craft pizza and beer market located at 1600 W. Cary St. opening April 6. They will offer dine-in service, along with takeout and delivery for pizza … and beer! The market will feature more than 250 craft beers from seasonal releases to sours, along with six rotating drafts, a small wine selection and snacks. Every Friday The Hop will offer beer tastings from a different brewery from 5 to 7 p.m. to kick-start the weekend.
EAT Restaurant Partners is set to open Pizza and Beer of Richmond on West Cary and South Robinson streets on May 15. Expect a 60-person patio, a wood-burning stove from Italy and about 50 beers on tap. Diners can expect pizzas influenced by the restaurant group's other restaurants, such as Wong Gonzalez. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Perch Preview
Chef Mike Ledesma is no stranger to the Richmond restaurant scene, from his time with Richmond Restaurant Group to Kabana Rooftop to his many Filipino-inspired pop-ups. Ledesma’s first solo restaurant, Perch, located at 2918 W. Broad St., is set to open by June. Get a sneak peek inside his new project. Richmondmag freelancer Piet Jones also caught up with Ledesma recently; his interview will air on WRIR 97.3 throughout the weekend and will be on SoundCloud by Tuesday. (Richmond magazine)
Cider for Change
On March 27, Blue Bee Cider hosted a five-course dinner prepared by Brenner Pass Chef Brittanny Anderson and cider pairings from women-owned cideries across the state to raise awareness of human trafficking and benefit the Human Trafficking Institute. Check out the full story, along with photos from the dinner. (Richmond magazine)
Sweet Move
Chocolates by Kelly is relocating to Short Pump Town Center and is set to open by May 1. Here’s the scoop on Kelly’s chocolaty journey and what to look forward to at her new location. (Richmond magazine)
Communing Over Food
The Broken Tulip has already become known for its community-style dining, pop-up events, and changing four- or five-course menus focused on Virginia produce and products. Our own Todd Kliman recently reviewed the social eatery in Carytown. (Richmond magazine)
The Shagbuck at Shagbark
Looking for the crisp and refreshing flavor of a Moscow Mule but don’t want to be drowned in ginger beer? Derek Salerno, beverage director at Shagbark, finds a balance between old- and new-school flavor profiles with the Shagbuck (we see what you did there). (Richmond magazine)
Do the Hoke Poke and Shake It All About
Hoke Poke, a casual eatery and California-based chain, opened its first Richmond (and East Coast) location yesterday at 11823 W. Broad St. The restaurant offers build-your-own poke bowls with Hawaiian- and Japanese-influenced flavors.
Farewell, Craft Kolache
Open only on Fridays and Saturdays, Craft Kolache created a cult-like following in Church Hill. Folks flocked to the corner of Leigh and 29th streets, hoping to get their hands on some delicious Czech pastries before they sold out (and they always did). Owner Heather Horak announced over Instagram that CK is closing its doors after two years. Horak opened the store in 2016 after winning a grant from the Supporting East End Entrepreneur Development (SEED) program, which helps small businesses get started.
RVA Love
We know our food scene is one of a kind, but it seems everyone else is catching on. Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Company recently received a nod from Food and Wine Magazine for best coffee in the state. Their Dark as Dark blend is a bestseller, offering dark chocolate, smoky and sweet nuances. The best part about Blanchard’s? They offer Friday Cuppings at 10:30 a.m., an open invitation to sample coffees.
Richmond has advanced to the Final Four — of beer, that is. Amid college basketball's March Madness, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery has advanced to the Final Four in Garden & Gun magazine’s Southern Craft Brewery Bracket. I’m competitive, so let’s grab a beer, raise it high and help Hardywood put their stamp on the beer map once again with a simple click and vote. The final round is Saturday, March 31.
Adding to Richmond’s beer accomplishments, the city was just named America's third “Best Beer Scene 2018” by USA Today with its more than 25 craft breweries. Cheers!
Food (Truck) Court
Beer, check. Sunshine in the forecast, check. A Thursday with no plans, check. Food truck court, CHECK. The Ownby Lane Hardywood Food Truck Court makes its seasonal debut Thursday, April 5, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. with the taproom opening at 4 p.m. The most difficult part is figuring out what to eat, and Hardywood hasn’t made it easy with 16 new and returning food trucks, including vegetarian options. Find a full list of food trucks in the roundup.
Call It a Comeback
Climax Beverage Company, an iconic Richmond-based company sold in the ’60s and known for its brightly lit neon sign and clock that served as the backdrop on Belle Isle, is being resurrected. The re-launch includes a revival of classic pops such as their spicy flagship, a pale-dry ginger ale, as well as root beer, cherry cola, sarsaparilla, cherry cola, cream soda and rotating seasonal flavors. Don’t worry, they didn’t forget about the grown folks. Plans also include “harder sodas” — hard ginger and root beer, cider, sparkling wine and fruit flavors. The new home for the company, and the quintessential sign, will be in Swansboro, west of Manchester, and is part of a larger re-development project in the area including Siegel’s grocery, which has already begun to be restored. Read more about the Climax sign from Richmond magazine’s Harry Kollatz Jr. (The Dogtown Dish)
Upcoming Events
- Jelly Bean Wars, James River Cellars (March 31): Who said Easter candy is just for kids? The five-course jelly bean and wine pairing from noon to 5 p.m. even includes a mystery flavor.
- Rappahannock Oysters at Fine Creek (March 31): Live folk and blues music, oysters and brews.
- Hanover Tavern Easter Brunch (April 1): Brunch buffet-style at the historic tavern.
- The Jefferson Hotel Brunch (April 1): Champagne brunch in the historic hotel including a meat-carving station, seafood and brunch specialties
- Easter Brunch, Robins Tea House, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (April 1): Three-course prix-fixe menu is available for adults and children, surrounded by the beauty of the Asian valley garden.
- Boathouse Easter Brunch, all locations (April 1): A traditional brunch buffet including a carving station and made-to-order omelets
- Real Local RVA, Veil Brewing Co. (April 2): Join the grassroots group of local grocery stores, farmers, growers and restaurants, grab a beer and learn how to build healthy soil.
- Crush Your Sugar Cravings, Ellwood Thompson’s (April 4): I know I could benefit from this — I’m thinking about the candy jar at my house stocked with Starbursts as I type. Learn about some healthy food habits at Ellwood from 6 to 7 p.m.
- Hardywood West Creek Grand Opening Weekend (April 6-8): The Goochland location makes its debut. Expect live music, food trucks and 20+ beers on tap.
- The Joy of African-American Cooking, Virginia Museum of History & Culture (April 6): Award-winning food and nutrition journalist Toni Tipton-Martin shares stories and history of her culinary journey in the African-American community.
- Swine & Brine, Ardent Craft Ales (April 7): Fourth annual celebration of everything beer and pig. Food by ZZQ, Rappahannock Oyster Co., Postbellum, The Roosevelt, Lucy’s, Saison and Nightingale ice cream sandwiches.
- Always Sunny Beer Dinner, The Shaved Duck (April 8): Laughs, food and beer — a trifecta of happiness? Five courses prepared by Chef Matt Kirwan, five beer pairings from Ardent Craft Ales and five episodes of "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
- Alewife Pop-up, The Jasper (April 8): A preview of Roosevelt/Southbound Chef Lee Gregory’s forthcoming restaurant
In Other Food News …
- Ever wonder what dishes were popular back in the day? What was the avocado toast of the 1920s? Take a look at this list of 101 dishes that changed America. (Thrillist)
- Green Flash Brewery in Virginia Beach announced that they are “closed for business” and halting distribution to the East Coast. This comes shortly after the San Diego-based company was put up for sale on Saturday, March 24. Two months ago the brewery laid off 15 percent of their employees and limited distribution from 50 states to 18. (Pilot Online)
