Rappahannock

320 E. Grace St.
545-0565
rroysters.com/restaurants/rappahannock

Second Place: The Hard Shell

Third Place: The Boathouse

Executive chef Dylan Fultineer got the call from “Top Chef” but turned down the production team because it would take him away from the stove at Rappahannock. Now helmed by chef de cusine DeAndre Wilson, the menu brings ingredients directly to Richmond from the source — fish from the Chesapeake Bay, oysters from owners Ryan and Travis Croxton’s Rappahannock Oyster Co. And even though crab cakes may be a bestseller, you can get them only when Virginia blue crabs are in season. Vegetables are seasonal too, and come from small farms that Fultineer visits with the staff each week so that they’re fully versed in Rappahannock’s menu. The Hard Shell is a longtime Shockoe Slip stalwart, offering the raw stuff when it was hard to find in Richmond. And no matter which Boathouse location you choose — Rocketts Landing or Swift Creek Reservoir — the view is spectacular, while the dry-docked Short Pump spot makes up for its distance from the water with a beachy feel, full raw bar and a wide array of sushi.