Head below for the scoop on a handful of newly debuted spots. We've got chicken wings, an outdoor park with a restaurant and picnic menu, grilled cheese paninis, a vegan-friendly pizza joint, and tacos in Union Hill. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
The Cocky Rooster
Wings are the name of the game at Main Street’s recently opened The Cocky Rooster. Adjacent to Three Monkeys, the takeout spot opened June 16, launching a concept five years in the making. Smoked wings at the eatery are the creation of pitmaster and partner Jayme Campbell, also of the Norfolk barbecue outpost Bar-Q. Campbell and co-owner Brett Diehl attended the same high school in Alchua, Florida, reconnecting years later for this new restaurant venture. Wings are offered in boneless, vegetarian and vegan varieties and can be tossed in sauces like a hot cilantro or blueberry-barbecue flavor called Gator Blue or rubs including lemon pepper and Buffalo-zinged ranch. The Businessman presents a towering sandwich of tenders blanketed with provolone, pickles and a choice of sauce between thick slices of Texas toast. The Cocky Rooster is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Kahlo’s Taqueria & Bar
After initially announcing plans for an ode to the street food of Mexico City in Union Hill in July 2018, Iliana White-Padilla is finally opening the doors of her first restaurant. Located at 718 N. 23rd St., Kahlo’s Taqueria & Bar opened Tuesday. Drawing inspiration from street food and White-Padilla's trips to Mexico City with family, the menu blends menudo tripe beef soup with esquites (Mexican corn salad), an array of tacos from carnitas to lengua, and sandwiches from pambazos to tortas. During those visits she also developed an appreciation for the passion and perseverance of Frida Kahlo, hence the dedication to the Mexican artist and activist. “We are so excited about opening. … Lots of people have been messaging us saying they can’t wait,” White-Padilla says. The dining room is currently open at 50% capacity, and patio dining is available as well.
Hot for Pizza
The ovens are fired up at Hot for Pizza, a pie-focused project from Herbie Abernethy, lead singer for metal band Valient Thorr, and restaurateur and chef Josh Novicki. Bringing life into the former Magpie and Sheep Hill Bistro space at 1301 W. Leigh St., the takeout spot opened softly on Monday, with delivery launching next week. Abernethy describes the crust as "not too thick, not too thin,” resulting in a New-Haven-meets Greek-style pie. The trio was also influenced by Archie’s in Bushwick, a neighborhood pan pizza joint in Brooklyn, New York. Plant-based eaters are not forgotten, with Richmond’s local vegan cheese UnMoo featured prominently on the menu, appearing on everything from a vegan “meatball” sub to the Temple of Boom, with mushrooms, roasted garlic, feta, balsamic reduction and sage. The extra-hot deal: Everybody Wants Some, an 18-inch pie that comes with a pick-two option of other menu items.
Cheddar Jackson
Owned and operated by mother-and-son team Debbie and Brandon Jackson, the grilled cheese panini shop in Jackson Ward at 522 N. 2nd St. is fittingly dubbed Cheddar Jackson. Previously a media and brand developer for Pop’s Bar and Grill, Brandon says he made the transition into restaurant owner because he wanted to do something outside the norm. “I just decided at some point to put my money where my mouth was,” he says of taking the leap. “I got these ideas, and I really believe in them. I want to stand behind them.” Cheddar Jackson’s menu is a hefty lineup of grilled cheese sandwiches including The Smokey Ghost, which marries smoked cheddar and smoky ghost pepper jack with caramelized onions and a crispy Parmesan crust, or the Bella Verde, with kale-basil pesto and sun dried tomatoes, in addition to vegan and gluten-free options. And did we mention the dipping sauces? The dining room is currently closed, but Cheddar Jackson is offering online ordering, takeout and delivery.
Brambly Park
Tucked away in a corner of bustling Scott’s Addition, Brambly Park presents a social distancing-friendly respite. The 2-acre space from The HofGarden’s Bobby Kruger offers a little bit of everything, complete with a winery, restaurant, park and private event space. Brambly Park offers a six-deep squad of varietals represented by different anthropomorphic Victorian-era animals, such as a sauvignon blanc portrayed by the enigmatic bulldog Sir Dogwood, and the cabernet sauvignon by Lord Sneyd Kynnersly, an octopus. The restaurant can seat up to 60 diners and will officially debut its Southern Italian-driven menu with seasonal influences and meats butchered in house on July 3. Brambly is also home to a spacious dog-friendly park that can accommodate over 200 people, offering a separate picnic-style menu of meat and cheese platters, breads and spreads, and classic sandwiches. Live music on weekends, corn hole and giant Jenga also add to the experience. Kruger says, “The thought process was, let's bring a fun, wine-focused concept to Scott's Addition.
