Follow the smoke to ZZQ. (Photo courtesy ZZQ)
With an underdog’s charm; small-city/big-town vibes; a résumé of national accolades; and a wealth of talent from James Beard Award nominees, food-centric creatives, and award-winning bartenders and brewers, it’s fitting that Bon Appétit touted Richmond as “America’s Next Great Restaurant-Obsessed Town” in April. The slogan “Virginia Is for Restaurant Lovers” was recently introduced by the state tourism agency to shed light on the impact of restaurants regionally and statewide. Whether you’re trying to get more in tune with the local dining scene or you want to show off the city to friends and family, here’s a tour that will allow you to join Richmond’s food frenzy.
The South of the James Market is a must-visit on Saturday mornings. (Photo by Jay Paul)
Rise and Shine
Forest Hill Park’s South of the James Market gets buzzing early, so to enjoy it in its full glory, rise and shine. Are there babies, strollers and puppies to dodge? Absolutely, but you’ll also be immersed in a bounty of local produce from Tomten Farm, foraged mushrooms from Steve Haas Mushrooms, fermented goods from Wild Earth Fermentation and much more — vendors change weekly. If you don’t mind a line, a hot ring of glaze-dripping fried doughnut goodness from Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen is obligatory.
Head for the Hill
Cross the river and pop into the cafe-meets-garden oasis Pomona for a pick-me-up coffee or a refreshing flight of house-made herbal sodas. Take a stroll to Union Market for a crash course in “RVA Purveyors 101,” then hop across the street to the wood-fired shrine Sub Rosa Bakery for a Turkish lamb and beef borek pastry. Known to have a late-night sweet tooth? Grab a slice at Proper Pie Co. to save for later — you’ll thank me.
Photo courtesy Richmond Region Tourism
Beer, BBQ and More
Head west down Broad Street to Scott’s Addition and follow the intoxicating smell of brisket to the Texas-tinged smokehouse ZZQ before embarking on a beer and spirits tour. Between a classic Pilsner from Ardent Craft Ales, a crisp heirloom cider from Blue Bee Cider or a honey wine at Black Heath Meadery, your thirst-quenching bases are covered. Afterward, go down the rabbit hole via the multicourse tasting menu at Longoven, which Bon Appétit picked for the No. 3 slot on its list of America’s Best New Restaurants in September.
Top It Off
Finish the day with a nightcap: a cocktail, a cool concoction or both — no judgment — in Jackson Ward. At Stoplight Gelato, a former Acacia Mid-town and Dutch & Co. chef whips up a sensational lineup of gelato and sorbetto flavors in the nostalgic, European-inspired spot. Down the street, the dimly lit bar and intriguing libation list at Saison beckons — I’ve never met a cocktail there I didn’t like.
Insider Tip: Visit the grand dame of Southern box lunches, Sally Bell’s Kitchen, a Richmond institution that has embodied nostalgia since 1926. Nosh al fresco at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ sculpture garden, Scuffletown Park, Libby Hill Park or Maymont.
Agecroft Hall (Photo by Dominic Hernandez)
FIRST-TIME VISITOR
An English Transplant
The first stop on a guided tour of Agecroft Hall is a short film that tells the story of the house, which was originally built in Lancashire, England, about 500 years ago before ending up in Richmond. Wealthy Richmonder Thomas C. Williams Jr. bought the historic Tudor home at an auction and had it shipped to Windsor Farms, where it was reconstructed. It was the wish of Williams’ wife, Elizabeth, that the property become a museum once their time at Agecroft had ended.
Tour guide Susan Robinson describes the museum as a fantasy: While the building is authentic, much of what’s inside doesn’t have a direct connection to the original residence, though many of the portraits and artifacts are illustrative of what you might’ve found in an actual English manor house like Agecroft Hall. Outside, there is an ornate garden with a crepe myrtle walk, a bowling green, an herb garden, a fragrance garden and a turf maze.
In museums, it’s now fashionable to tell the whole story about revered people and places, including the not-so-nice stuff. The last stop on the tour, Agecroft Hall’s library, is the sole room that has been kept exactly like its former residents had it in the 1960s, and here you might discover some unfortunate aspects of Mr. Williams’ worldview, as well as rumors about his wife’s closeness with his physician, whom she married after his death. It’s a sobering finale, but the picturesque garden awaits to reboot the fantasy. —Craig Belcher
