Show up with a colossal appetite and prepare yourself for small plates galore from eateries across the city including Everyday Gourmet (above), Lehja and Aloi at the 12th annual Broad Appetit this Sunday, June 2. (Photo by Jay Paul)
A New Smokehouse in Shockoe
What do you get when you combine chef-driven barbecue riffs, 'cue classics like brisket and collards, a cider-heavy tap list, a dog-friendly patio and a 28-year-old pitmaster nicknamed “Big Kat”? They're all key ingredients in Shockoe Bottom's forthcoming Oak & Apple, which makes its smoky debut June 6. (Richmond magazine)
Fresh Takes on Old Favorites
"Flaming tropical drinks in Henrico" were words I thought I would never type, but writer Piet E. Jones discovered them during a culinary cruise through the suburbs, visiting the new cocktail-focused venture Mix from the owners of adjacent Hutch Bar & Eatery, along with a spot in Mechanicsville serving up solid pulled pork sandwiches and an intriguing spin on ’za in Innsbrook. (Richmond magazine)
Island in the Sun
Chef-owner Mike Ledesma’s temple of modern Pacific Rim cuisine, Perch, opened at the end of September in the former Joy Garden space in Scott's Addition. Reviewer Laura Sant takes a detailed dip through the high and low tides of the tropical enclave, sharing memorable moments such as the Spicy Malaysian Shrimp and a tiki-tinged cocktail menu as well as a few elements that missed the mark. (Richmond magazine)
Broad Street Block Party
How does a Broad Street takeover and tastes of more than 60 area restaurants sound? If your stomach just grew two sizes at the idea, plan to immerse yourself in the annual Broad Appetit this Sunday, June 2, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The street transforms into a marketplace of affordable small plates and top-notch dishes meant to impress. Stick around to discover the winners of best signature dish, best healthy dish and best dessert. P.S.: Proceeds benefit Feed More.
Farewells
Following the closure of The Black Sheep, devotees of Chef Kevin Roberts awaited his next project, and along came Swan Dive. The restaurant opened in early June of last year and exuded an approachable French bistro vibe, but now it has officially closed its doors and has been sold to new owners.
Ellwood Thompson’s Cafe inside the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU will depart the museum at the end of the June. The ICA hopes to find new tenants to occupy the space within the next few months. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Sometimes nothing can beat the original, which might be the case regarding the West End location of Havana 59, the Cuban restaurant shuttered back on Mother’s Day. The original Shockoe Bottom location celebrates a milestone 25 years in 2020. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
A Secret Forest at 102 W. Broad St., home to edible works of art including lollipops and candies, has officially closed its storefront. Owner Vanessa Beller plans to operate out of the startup space and food business incubator Hatch Kitchen RVA, making pop-up appearances around town and continuing online sales.
ICYMI
Flavors of N’awlins are alive in North Side after Manchu, a food truck turned brick-and-mortar, started rolling out po’boy sandwiches, gumbo and their famous wings May 27. Service is takeout only.
Making its Virginia debut, a restaurant centered around bar bites and brews, Growler USA, plans to open in the Stonehenge Village shopping center in Midlothian. (Richmond BizSense) Nearby, a second iteration of Crustacean Boil N’ Grill is in the works. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
This past Saturday, Bateau, a coffee and wine bar boasting numerous offerings from African-American vintners and a concise menu, opened along the Canal Walk with a focus on paying homage to the area's history. (Richmond magazine)
Last weekend Carytown gained The Mantu, a new eatery that showcases modern Afghan cuisine, in the former Burger Bach space. (Richmond magazine)
More than 100 types of tequila are now pouring at The Annex, a Tex-Mex taco outpost located at 1919 W. Main St. from the owners of neighboring District 5. (Richmond magazine)
Over the weekend Strangeways Brewing spilled into Scott’s Addition at 3110 W. Leigh St., the brewery's third location since debuting in 2013.
Earlier this month Vasen Brewing launched can distribution, allowing imbibers across the state to experience their double IPAs and goses without making a trip to Richmond. Locally, cans from the two-year-old brewery can be found in beer coolers at neighborhood grocers including Union Market and bottle shops. (Richmond BizSense)
Richmonders may consider the city a beer community, but apparently we are also some seriously dedicated wine drinkers. The Carytown Kroger sold more wine than 100 other stores in the grocery chain's Mid-Atlantic division, an area that includes Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia. (News release)
RVA Love
Over the weekend, a new travel series coming to Netflix later this year, "American Road Trip," made a pit stop at Early Bird Biscuit in The Fan and will feature the bakery in an upcoming episode. The show hits the road to discover noteworthy bites, bars and entertainment across the country.
Upcoming Events
- 44th Annual Richmond Greek Festival, Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral (May 30-June 2): The Richmond tradition returns, celebrating Greek culture and cuisine.
- Pizza Pop-up, Yellow Umbrella Provisions (May 31): Food truck Zorch Pizza dishes out takeout pies.
- Richmond Crab Cake Week, Various locations (June 1-9): Area restaurants offer crab cake specials to benefit the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
- Cooking Class: Seasonal in Virginia, Mise en Place (June 1): Learn techniques for cooking with market produce.
- Fulton Hill Fish Fry, Ms. Girlee’s Kitchen (June 1): An outdoor gathering featuring fried bites, vendors and family fun
- TC Beer Garden, ChildSavers Overlook (June 1): Enjoy Triple Crossing brews including a special beer release, food trucks and a bangin’ city view, with a portion of proceeds benefiting ChildSavers.
- Lilly Pad Luau, Lilly Pad Cafe (June 2): Smoked hog from Autumn Olive Farms paired with a water view, tiki drinks and tunes
- First Sundays With Little Chez, Canon & Draw Brewing (June 2): Snacks from Little Chez of Chez Foushee for the weekly Sunday food vendor pop-up
- Guest Bartender Series: Justin Ayotte of Saison, Virago Spirits (June 2): The libation leader of Saison whips up craft concoctions using Four-Port-Rum.
- Real Local RVA’s June Meeting, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church (June 3): Explore the RVADine scene with a panel of women leaders in the food and beverage world.
- Learn How to Brew Mead Workshop, Final Gravity Brewing Co. (June 3): A class on the history and process of brewing mead led by Black Heath Meadery
- Meet the Winemaker & Tasting, Puck’s Market (June 4): A guided tasting and discussion of wine from Oregon’s Jezebel and Willful Wines
- Vegan Pop-up and Shop-up, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (June 5): An all-vegan lineup of food trucks, along with vegan-friendly vendors
- Rebelle Community - The Women In Food, ZZQ (June 6): An insider's perspective from women experts in the field on the evolution of the Richmond dining community
In Other Food News …
- According to a recent report, women farmers run a quarter of the farms within the commonwealth, and there has been a 45 percent increase over the past five years. Shout-out to Richmond's bounty of female farmers! (WTVF)
- It seems some breweries across the country are ditching high ABV brews for lighter, refreshing sips geared toward health-focused consumers. Sound a bit like the idea behind the Suncrush series of brews from the founders of Hardywood? (The New York Times)
