Hot and new can steal the spotlight, but what about longstanding local favorites? Each month, we’ll visit a Richmond-area restaurant that has been in business 15 years or longer.
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Palani Drive owner Jeff Weatherly
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Southwestern quesadilla
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The menu board at Palani Drive
When Jeff Weatherly opened Palani Drive in the former Don Warner Music building at 401 Libbie Ave. in 1998, his idea was a coffee shop that also offered smoothies and burritos. “Starbucks wasn’t here yet,” Weatherly says. The smoothies and wraps took off, and Weatherly knew he had something. Twenty-seven years later, the original inspiration for the longtime eatery remains.
The name “Palani Drive” is a nod to the Ironman World Championship held in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Palani Road is the homestretch, “where you’re almost at the finish line,” Weatherly says. While traveling along the West Coast and competing in triathlons, Weatherly became inspired by the cafes. “There was nothing like that in Richmond,“ he says.
Palani Drive’s casual offerings include spicy Thai peanut wraps, shrimp po’boy wraps, breakfast burritos, quesadillas and hearty salads. The smoothies are a signature item at Palani Drive. Freshly made (they even squeeze their own guava juice) and packed with flavor, longtime favorites include the Mango Monkey (banana, blueberry and mango juice). Dressings, hummus and sauces are made in-house.
Palani Drive has an array of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Weatherly says, “The menu allows customers to create their own meals and accommodate dietary preferences.”
After all these years, one principle keeps Weatherly and Palani Drive going: “Do what you know, and do it well.”
