Food takes us to a happy place, literally. When we eat certain foods, our brains release feel-good chemicals, and in turn, we’re left feeling warm, buzzy and content. A dining trend we forecast for 2023 is an increase in that need for comfort: bites, sips and eateries that our bodies and souls crave — part indulgence, part therapy. When we need a reliable fallback that instantly rewards, from a cup at a cozy cafe to a curing Cantonese experience, these are places that serve up a dose of dining dopamine.
The Westland Special at Nick’s Roman Terrace (Photo by Katie Brown)
Westland Special
Tidiness maven Marie Kondo should never set foot in Nick’s Roman Terrace, because nothing in its whimsical decor — from the year-round Christmas tree and train set to the over-the-top Valentine’s Day doll displays — fails to bring joy. As with most old-school Greek/Italian diners, the kitchen and wait station are hidden from view, but the memories aren’t. This is a place for high school graduations in the back party room, which is walled with mirrors for the ultimate selfie station. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Nick’s is all about the carbs. Pecan pancakes, homemade rolls and Greek spaghetti baked with feta are faves, but the go-to has to be the Westland Special — pancakes, French toast, fried eggs, bacon, sausage and apples with a mimosa. —Genevelyn Steele
Chicken Tenders
Saying goodbye to fast food years ago, my one exception, forever and always, is Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken. The chain’s only Virginia location has been kind to me during my more wallet-conscious college days and served as a regular stop when the magazine’s office was right across the street, and a big box of Lee’s chicken has greeted me at events from parties to funerals. While the drive-thru promises convenience, order inside to catch a glimpse — and a whiff — of the action up close and personal. We’re fans of the tenders, and the crispy, battered handheld bites destined for a dunk in honey mustard are a Richmond staple. A not-so-secret guilty pleasure? Swinging by Lee’s after a shopping trip to the adjacent Whole Foods. This semiweekly ritual doubles as a personal pick-me-up. —Eileen Mellon
Lumpia
Auntie Ning’s is named after co-owner Frederico Enriquez’s aunt, a former chef who introduced one of the first Filipino restaurants in Hampton Roads. Though spring rolls can be spotted on several menus at Asian eateries around town, lumpia, not so much. While Auntie Ning’s food truck pops up around the region, I’m a frequent flyer at The Market on Meadow, a takeout eatery and small grocer that’s home to both Auntie Ning’s and Polpetti. Wrapped in foil like a shiny, sacred gift, the hot and crispy, crepe-esque handheld snacks are available in beef and veggie; unveiling them immediately rejuvenates the spirit. —EM
Old Fashioned at Shagbark (Photo by Jay Paul)
Old Fashioned
Catering to fat and happy instincts needn’t mean self-service in sweatpants. Multiyear AAA Four-Diamond-rated Shagbark retains much of its opening staff, all of whom effortlessly fulfill creature comforts while looking sharp. If you believe that Virginia is one of the country’s best eatin’ states, then Shagbark’s menu and bar offer proof positive. The setting: oil paintings, fresh flowers, cushioned seats and a sumptuous chef’s table planned by Helen Reed, Richmond’s first lady of restaurant design. The comestibles: revelatory local in catch, harvest and pour. An old fashioned with Bowman Brothers bourbon, diver scallops with Kite’s country ham, Chesapeake Bay fried oysters with Anson Mills grits, and stewed Pat Boyle’s field peas with fried green tomatoes give this chichi establishment its chicken-fried pedigree. —GS
Pho
There is something immediately soothing about entering Pho Tay Do. Maybe it’s the familiar face of waitstaff mainstay Denzel, maybe it’s the homey, no-frills, cash-only vibes, or perhaps it’s the tables dotted with bowls of inviting steaming broth. Here, diners can show up solo without judgment. During lunch hours, it offers a chance to recharge before heading back to the office. And for pho-loving pals, it’s a destination for a near-religious experience, pointing to their favorite table upon arrival and spouting off standing orders before waiting patiently for the bouquet of mint, cilantro, jalapenos and lime to hit the table. —EM
Pandebono
Cafe & Sabor Bakery and Restaurant
There are two approaches at this buzzy bakery and coffee shop: Join the queue in front of the cappuccino machine, or sit at a table and be waited upon, teased by aromas of freshly ground espresso. Sports fans fist-bump under the big screens, but it’s little wonder most folks choose the line — it feels faster. The view? Two brimming pastry cases chockablock with deep-fried and baked Colombian ecstasies, oranges juicing and coffee beans roasting. The scene could be one from the Bronx, where neighborhood bakeries sprout like mushrooms. Pandebono, panuelo and chicharron de guayaba are but a few of the sweet and savory pastries joining the overstuffed empanadas — and just like at a neighborhood bakery, the snacks are sold for a song. —GS
Dim Sum at Full Kee (Photo by Katie Brown)
Dim Sum
Ambling into Full Kee on a weekend is like walking into a formal embrace, one that’s both warm and a bit unknown. In this era of cook and tell, the chefs here don’t feed Instagram. Rather, they fill dim sum carts on leisurely Saturdays and Sundays. There’s no better guarantee than this: Once you’re corralled at a table, the steam cart comes. Its wheels glide across the low-pile carpet, past glossy hanging roast ducks, and tanks swimming with lobster, until the server stops at the table and begins lifting lids. While sipping hot tea with rock sugar, choose among shrimp dumplings, tofu skins, pork ribs, Chinese broccoli and, if you’re a purist, chicken feet from the cart, knowing that noodles and seafood will follow. —GS
Eggplant Parmesan
Though Richmonders are still mourning the loss of Mamma ’Zu, its memory lives on through plates at sister establishment Edo’s Squid. Yes, you have to walk up a flight of stairs, but that walk is akin to walking up the aisle to another era, one that started in D.C. at the honorable, long-closed A.V. Ristorante, where the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was a regular. All three restaurants were founded by the Vasaio family. Following tradition, Edo’s dining room is cramped and chaotic, with a garlic cloud billowing from the kitchen, stacks of Italian beverages filling every nook and cranny, and a din that requires guests to lean into their table mates to converse. Also legendary is the eggplant Parmesan, with a thick, Parmigiano Reggiano-laced crust blanketed in warm marinara. —GS
Chocolate Chip and Sea Salt Cookies
Sometimes less is more, and the chocolate chip and sea salt cookies from this Church Hill ’za shop are a prime example. Simple, classic and utterly delicious, they border on perfection. Dubbed miniature cookies, the chewy delights are bedecked with flecks of sea salt, adding a pleasant contrast to morsels of rich chocolate. It’s no surprise that owner Ashley Patino dabbles in the sweet side of things. The baker’s resume includes stints at Sub Rosa Bakery and San Francisco’s Tartine Bakery, both considered among the country’s best. At only $1 each, there’s no hesitation in buying a five-stack. Pray that you’re rich in cookie karma so you can catch the treats right as they’re being pulled out of the oven. —EM
Ham and escargot biscuits at L’Opossum (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Ham and Escargot Biscuits
A trip to L’Opossum is one to anticipate. Walking through the red velvet curtains feels like entering a dimly lit, clown-adorned, psychedelic art den — and we’re here for it. The Oregon Hill restaurant possesses an eclectic charm that transports, and when dining at this safe space where indulgence is welcomed and celebrated, life’s everyday woes seem to evaporate. A must-order at the flirtatious French refuge: escargot and ham biscuits. The dish unlocks dining’s deepest desires — salty fats, pungent garlic and a s---load of butter. Igniting a pathway to pleasure, this staple remains on the menu for a reason. —EM
