Whittling down a list of the best new restaurants in the city was not an easy task. We looked at restaurants that have opened in the past 12 months and debated over which ones we felt were standouts.
We’re fortunate to have so many great restaurants in Richmond and Style’s food writers were more than happy to narrow down their favorites and pick out notable dishes that diners should check out. We encourage folks to go outside their comfort zones and try some of these newer restaurants that have all of us buzzing.
They say there’s no such thing as a perfect happy hour, but Revel might be the exception to the rule – and, as a bonus, it has outstanding dinner. The small plates of venison, pork and veal meatballs or tartar of filet mignon are luscious and filling. Unctuous duck fat frites have a side car of garlic aioli that could stand on its own. Grilled bistro steak comes out of the kitchen temperature balanced on a shredded potato. In a city where fish and chips are not ubiquitous, Revel’s take is revelatory with lightly fried, flaky cod and the aforementioned fries. –R.M.
Not to miss: Velvet veal, pork and venison meatballs.
6223 Lakeside Ave.
Red lights. Red menu. Loud curated tunes. Fanboy is the listening club many in Richmond didn’t know they were missing. Here you can combine great food such as the sweeter mushroom “cheesesteak,” borderline overflowing with tender maitakes, caramelized onions and gooey, three-cheese fondue, or the hearty, well-appropriated wagyu hotdog with its daintily placed, funky kimchi, with fun cocktails with foam (oh, get over it, you know you love foam).
Not to miss: The Tikka Masala dip, a riff on the classic Indian-British dish. Also, the Only Fans martini, an amusing take on a British cocktail complete with Prosecco foam. –R.M.
2713 West Broad St.
Originally from Honduras, Maria Martin felt there just wasn’t enough of her home food in Virginia and we agree. The second location of her endearing part-taco joint, part-neighborhood bar takes over a tiny Robinson Street restaurant space with history and some recent rotation of tenancy. Martin’s fresh and classy spot is the real deal with staying power. House-made tortillas, bright salsas, roasted meats and brilliant vegetarian dishes make up a charismatic menu speeding out of a postage stamp-sized kitchen.
Not to miss: The vegan asada, devoid of meat, yet rich and meaty. Also the Dirty Pornstar cocktail: a heady mixture of vodka, passion fruit, vanilla, prosecco and serrano peppers. –R.M.
304 N Robinson St.
Anything Bo Catoe and Lee Gregory touch is culinary gold. Under their deft hands, this new seafood joint gives a gastro-gleam to the corner of Three Chopt Road and Patterson Avenue. Catoe and Gregory are determined to use seafood that’s local, traceable and fresh. The brief banger of a menu has delights like pastrami salmon dip, a provocative peppery fish mixture served with prickly, pickled celery and crunchy sesame crackers and Scottish salmon with skin so crisp it’s almost unfair.
Not to miss: Happy hour, where all, yes we said all, the bottles of wine are half price. –R.M.
6919 Patterson Ave.
Bright and airy, Sincero’s new home in Jackson Ward is an excellent backdrop to its zesty, often piquant, Mexi-merican cuisine. A recent visit includes a behemoth brunch patty melt with “burgie sauce,” a fun cousin of Thousand Island dressing, and loads of caramelized onions on soft Texas toast. Empanadas should be an every-visit order, the latest rendition is a beef picadillo, stewy and savory in a fragile dough over sexy, pepita romesco sauce.
Not to miss: The charred broccoli — it has roasted grapes, y’all. –R.M.
404 N 2nd St.
Never has a workday lunch sounded so appealing.
Richmond restaurant vets Ginny Sowers and Justin Cropper quietly opened their charming breakfast and lunch café in November 2023, serving a rotating selection of soups, salads and hearty sandwiches.
Breakfast offerings include sandwiches, egg-centric plates and bagels, with standard morning time sides like potatoes, bacon, sausage and grits. There’s a full Afterglow coffee and espresso menu to fuel you and a smattering of sweet treats to savor for later.
Or sooner.
Not to miss: The roasted tomato and marinated fig sandwich with taleggio and pesto mayo on sourdough will certainly ruin you for all other midday sammies. Add a side of potato salad and a cup of the soup du jour—a recent red pepper bisque with chickpeas, sesame and sumac was delightfully tart and savory—and you’ll float in a full, blissful haze back to your desk. – M.S.F.
2 N. 6th St.
Richmond restauranter Mike Lindsay opened Farm and Oak this past year as a part of his sprawling portfolio of eateries. Although there are some familiar dishes on the menu, such as his crispy and moist fried chicken, the obe ata-braised lamb shank is a standout. Obe ata, a Nigerian red pepper sauce, is a spicy counterpart to the richness of the lamb, and the addition of collard green jollof rice skillfully weaves the intersection of African and Black American food traditions in one dish.
Not to miss: A can’t-miss cocktail is the Unsung Hero Mule, a play on a Moscow Mule, referencing the Uncle Nearest whiskey in the drink. –D.F.
3601 Cox Road A, Henrico
Richmond has no shortage of bars and lounges, but Emerald Lounge in Church Hill is a standout. The self-proclaimed “jewel on the hill” has the feel of a neighborhood bar in Miami or South Beach. Rum drinks are their specialty with a sizable collection including Jamaican overproof rum, gold Barbados rum, and gold Puerto Rican rum, although we’d also recommend standard cocktails if rum isn’t your thing; the gimlet is top-notch.
Not to be missed: The small plates, which were a pleasant surprise. Pro tip: the shrimp ceviche and the marinated chicken and pearl olive skewers are standouts. –D.F.
2416 Jefferson Ave., C1
Penny’s Wine Shop is a bit of a misnomer. While it is technically a bottle shop with natural, organic, and biodynamic wines from around the world, Penny’s is much more. With ever changing small plates led by chef Chris Stough, the intimate space is equal parts perfect for a first date, a low-key girls’ night out, or taking out-of-town visitors.
Not to miss: If you’re lucky enough to be there on an evening when they’re serving the short rib ragu with pasta from Oro, shrimp in nduja butter and lemon, and the octopus with chimichurri conservas, you’ve hit the jackpot. And if you still have room for dessert, make sure to order some Stoplight Gelato, which was located in the same spot. –D.F.
405 Brook Rd.
Serving as the artful antithesis to a quick lunch, Richmond’s new tearoom at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts invites takers of tea to linger over pastries, breads and savory bites in the beautiful Pauley Center parlor. The tea is the star of the show – each pot is brewed to order and poured for you.
Certain menu items rotate seasonally, inspired by locally available ingredients as well as the museum’s current exhibits. Chefs Cody Dickey and Chainey Kuykendall say they’re excited about this spring’s Kyoto-inspired menu, which will include a sweet rice cream puff with diplomat cream and crab salad on soft roll with green yuzu koshu, a nod to the upcoming Samurai Armor exhibit. Floris is open for tea Sunday through Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and tea service is $45 per person, with beer and wine available a la carte – but know that reservations are highly encouraged.
Not to miss: In terms of tea, try the two signature blends or the Sunshine Blend from local company Roots Tea, along with the chestnut cream puff and Japanese purple sweet potato bread. –M.S.H.
215 N Sheppard St.
