Richmond Food News: Week of Oct. 26-30

Thanksgiving feasts a call or click away, a new bakery in Church Hill, and all the sweet and spooky events

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Thanksgiving Roundup

Whether you’re a purist in favor of classic holiday dishes, looking for a meal outside the box, or in search of vegan-friendly or gluten-free dishes, we’ve got a collection of spots around the region serving up Thanksgiving feasts for pickup or delivery, with plenty of wine and desserts to boot. Bonus: No cooking required, and it’s an opportunity to support local restaurants, markets, caterers and bakers. (Richmond magazine)

The Family Business

Sisters Jessie Williams and Jackie Holsinger always had a dream of opening their own bake shop. When the two were working for WPA Bakery in Church Hill, owner David Rohrer mentioned plans to downsize and focus on the bakery’s Forest Hill Avenue location, and the duo seized the sweet opportunity. Taking over the former WPA space, JJ’s Makery will debut on Oct. 30. (Richmond magazine)

Grounded

Having a connection to our food is one of the most humbling and important lessons we can learn as consumers. Farming in Manchester and Mechanicsville, Real Roots Food Systems founder Mark Davis encourages volunteers to do just that, while also practicing regenerative agriculture and growing a variety of Afro-Caribbean, culturally meaningful foods. (Richmond magazine)

On Deck

It appears that Temple, the Laotian-inspired eatery on Broad Street from the owners of Sabai, will bid farewell to its name and current menu. Stay tuned for more info on Sabai Jai, a tropical concept coming soon.

Known for its Koko boxes and Pacific-inspired flavors, Kokonut Grill in the Fan is expanding westward. By the end of the year, owner Tom Tham will roll out a second location, Kokonut Box, at 10921 W. Broad St. (Richmond BizSense)

ICYMI

The Beet Box is now open on Cary Street and serving up smoothies, fresh-pressed juices and avocado toast. (Richmond magazine)

Ever Better debuted over the weekend in the former Pie space on North Lombardy Street, offering healthy protein shakes — think strawberry shortcake or s’mores flavors — and energizing tea and coffee. (Richmond magazine)

Whiskey warms the soul, and with these Manhattan recipes from Kabana Rooftop, Lemaire and Virginia Distillery Co., the forecast is looking toasty. (Richmond magazine)

'Tis the season of sage, and Bombolini Pasta owner John Kreckman has the brown-butter sage sauce recipe we need to take our noodles up a notch. (Richmond magazine)

I got a bag of burritos delivered to my doorstep last week, and let me tell you, it made my day. Check out a handful of local meal-prep and -delivery services offering everything from keto-friendly bites to budget burritos and vegan bangers and mash. (Richmond magazine)

Blanchard's Coffee has spilled into its new South Side outpost in The Hill Standard, complete with a snazzy walk-up window. This marks the roasters’ second location, and they’re the first of a handful of food and beverage heavy hitters to occupy the development, including The Veil Brewing Co. and Charm School ice cream shop.

After two years on the road, Zorch Pizza is graduating to a brick-and-mortar space. Owner Rob Zorch will introduce a New York-style ’za shop at 2923 W. Cary St. by December and promises a menu of the usual suspects and fresh additions. (Richmond BizSense)

Also on the pizza front, Billy Pie is heading back to where it all began: breweries. The artisanal pizzas, originally on the menu at Triple Crossing in Fulton and then at founder Billy Fallen’s brick-and-mortar restaurant in the Far West End, can now be found at Basic City Brewing in Waynesboro, too, and will soon be available at the brewery's Manchester location as well. (Richmond BizSense)

One of The Jasper’s favorite events of the year has made its return: Celebrating the Day of the Dead, Bar Muertos will take over the Carytown bar through Sunday, Nov. 1, with a lineup of takeout libations honoring the traditions and tastes of Mexican culture. I’m eyeing the Wings of Dante cocktail, touted as straddling “the line between daiquiri and margarita.”

Brenner Pass and Metzger Bar & Butchery Chef-owner Brittanny Anderson and Cobra Burger co-owner and Certified Cheese Professional Joshua James Franklin have joined forces to introduce Cave Culture, a weekly exploration and virtual hangout dedicated to the world of curds, with goodies included. First up on the tour de cheese is France.

PSA to all the early risers: Union Market will now open its doors at 9 a.m. daily and dish out breakfast on the regular. Side note: The pop-up Chewy’s Bagels now drops off fresh bagels there every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Each year at Fire, Flour & Fork is Food U, a daylong series of thought-provoking sessions from demos to discussions. On the virtual agenda this year find Bakers Against Racism founder and pastry chef Paola Velez; Vivian Howard of “A Chef’s Life”; and Lisa Donovan, chef and author of “Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger.” Tickets are still on sale for the Food U session on Nov. 7. (News release; Richmond magazine Associate Publisher Emeritus Susan Winiecki is a co-founder of Fire, Flour & Fork.)

RVA Love

Craft Beer & Brewing magazine recently released its Favorite Breweries roundup, selected by readers, and The Veil Brewing Co. takes the No. 12 spot in the Small Breweries category. The Veil, soon to open its new location in The Hill Standard, represents the only Virginia brewery on the list.

Upcoming Events 

We strongly encourage everyone to make safe and smart decisions and adhere to municipal and business guidelines related to the pandemic.

In Other Food News …

  • Cecilia Chiang, considered the matriarch of Chinese cuisine in America, has died at 100. Chiang attracted diners from across the country upon opening of The Mandarin restaurant in San Francisco, introducing them to a whole new world of Chinese cooking. (The New York Times)