Two Charlottesville restaurants are opening Richmond versions this spring. Continental Divide, a popular cantina known for a mash-up of Latin and American flavors and margaritas, is about to announce it is moving into the former Mint Gastropub at 2501 W. Main St.

Christian’s Pizza, another Charlottesville favorite, comes to the Village Shopping Center this spring. Another well-known Charlottesville restaurant is expected to join the eastward movement but has not finalized a Richmond deal.

In a move announced today, chef Malcolm Mitchell, a former competitor on the Food Network, takes his Mint Gastropub concept to the CanalWalk, partnering with the F.W. Sullivan’s group to relocate the restaurant. He’ll take over the private party space, which seats about 60, beside Sully’s on the Canal at 1001 Haxall Point.

“This is an interesting partnership,” Sullivan’s co-owner Jake Crocker says of the combined restaurants. “I just told my staff today. Malcolm and I have been hanging out ever since he came to town. We talk food until the wee hours, so it was kind of inevitable that we’d work together. We’ll have two strong concepts side by side, two separate businesses sharing resources.”

Mint is expected to close in the Fan in mid-March and reopen at the end of March in the downtown location. The branding, menu and approach will remain in place. Crocker says they’ll divide the kitchen, and customers will use separate entrances for the two businesses. While Sully’s will focus on lunch, happy hour and group business and larger parties, Mint will offer dinner and bar hours in a smaller, more upscale setting. The partners hope to extend the Mint Gastropub brand to a future location in the Fan at a later date.