Best of Virginia Winners

Table of Contents

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General

Address:

Henrico

Phone Number:

804-360-8686

Link:

Anokha.us

Address:

Henrico

Phone Number:

804-364-1111

Link:

Lehja.com

In an unassuming building on Broad Street, Lemon serves food from all over India in a modern way. Local goat is even available in entrees like jhalfrazie, stir fried with a garlic and ginger glaze and served with bell peppers and onions. And if goat isn’t your thing, the same dish is available with lamb as well. Delivery is also available.

Address:

3215 W. Broad St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-204-1800

Link:

LemonCuisineOfIndia.com

Begun as a co-op in a garage in 2010, Ardent is now a part of Scott’s Addition’s thriving beverage district. The brewery’s most popular beer is the IPA X. Quarterly sour releases have been gaining in popularity as well as Richmond beer drinkers grow more accustomed to beer driven by acidity rather than the bitterness that defines hoppy styles like IPAs.

Address:

3200 W. Leigh St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-359-1605

Link:

ArdentCraftAles.com

Address:

Clarksville

Phone Number:

434-265-3343

Link:

BuggsIslandBrewing.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-420-2420

Link:

Hardywood.com

Since it was founded in 1976, Barboursville has become more than just a winery. The grounds include the 1804 inn, with its several historic suites and cottages, and the Palladio Restaurant, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and serving elegant dishes that draw inspiration from Northern Italy. New summer wine releases include the Goodlow Mountain Cabernet Franc.

Address:

1765 Winery Road, Barboursville

Phone Number:

540-832-3824

Link:

BBVWine.com

Address:

Orange

Phone Number:

540-656-6177

Link:

ChateauMerrillAnne.com

Address:

Phone Number:

434-244 3341

Link:

KeswickVineyards.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-612-9232

Link:

BarrelThiefWine.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-285-8011

Link:

JEmersonFineWine.com

With tastings every Friday and special events several times a year, Once Upon a Vine stays connected to its community. Founded in 2004, the staff is now on a first-name basis with most of their customers. The shop offers an extensive selection of Virginia wine and beer, as well as other locally made products, and even sells nostalgic candy so children have something to be excited about as well.

Address:

4009 MacArthur Ave., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-726-9463

Link:

OnceUponAVine.us

Address:

Gordonsville

Phone Number:

540-832-0227

Link:

BBQEx.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-346-4227

Link:

BuzAndNeds.com

ZZQ has been bringing central Texas barbecue to Richmond since 2013, gaining national acclaim and working its way through some truly epic lines of hungry barbecue lovers along the way. Beef brisket and jalapeño mac & cheese remain some of the most popular items, and this year barbacoa tacos will be added to the menu.

Address:

3201 W. Moore St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-528-5648

Link:

ZZQRVA.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

Link:

BelleIsleCraftSpirits.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-912-2621

Link:

ReservoirDistillery.com

The tasting room, opened this past November, gives off a cozy “living room” feeling, despite the building’s industrial outward appearance. This warmth also pervades the current offerings: two different expressions of the Four-Port Rum. Both are a blend of rums from Barbados, Jamaica, Nicaragua, and Panama, but one is aged in ruby port casks. Spirits are distilled on a vintage, Charentais-style alembic still, one of only a few of its kind operating in the United States.

Address:

1727 Rhoadmiller St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-355-8746

Link:

ViragoSpirits.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-422-8519

Link:

BelmontButchery.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-359-7525

Link:

EllwoodThompsons.com

Popular Greek restaurant Stella’s expanded its empire to include this gourmet market across the street, as well as at two more locations. Stella’s Grocery sells a full menu of prepared food, like the roast pork and rabe sandwich, with braised pork, broccoli rabe, provolone, and rosemary aioli, and chicken, pork, or lamb skewers. Gourmet snacks, condiments, and wine are for sale as well.

Address:

1007 Lafayette St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-358-0020

Link:

StellasGrocery.com

Making Sicilian-style pizza since 2010, Belmont is known for its reasonable prices and hearty pizzas, pasta, and sandwiches. Go for a classic cheese pie, or try something different like the potato pizza, which combines thinly sliced potatoes and garlic herb butter. Take out and delivery are available.

Address:

602 N. Belmont Ave., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-888-9861

Link:

BelmontPizzeria.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-644-4400

Link:

BottomsUpPizza.com

Address:

Lynchburg

Phone Number:

434-455-1515

Link:

WaterstonePizza.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-204-2387

Link:

BevsIceCream.com

Address:

Fredericksburg

Phone Number:

Link:

CarlsFrozenCustard.com

Italian equipment and a proprietary process means less air is whipped into the ice cream at this shop, making it more flavorful, thick, and creamy. There are 24 core flavors like Dark as Dark, made using Blanchard’s darkest roast coffee and birthday cake, which includes plenty of sprinkles as well as real cake mix for a nostalgic flavor. Handmade ice cream pies and cakes are also available.

Address:

8906 W. Broad St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-364-0038

Link:

GelatiIceCream.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-855-0800

Link:

BlackHandCoffeeCo.com

With three Richmond locations, Lamplighter focuses on quality coffee and education. The Summit Avenue location is also a roasting facility that supplies the shops as well as other restaurants. The shop also offers classes that are open to the public; coffee fans can learn what it takes to be a barista or how to make latte art.

Address:

116 S. Addison St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-728-2292

Link:

LamplighterCoffee.com

Address:

Phone Number:

540-672-5282

Link:

OrangeCountyCoffeeRoasters.net

Courtney Mailey opened the cidery in April 2013. She uses rare and heirloom Virginia apples, such as Hewe’s Crab and Harrison, and has created some innovative styles, like berry-infused and dry-hopped ciders. This summer, the cidery will release Petit Manchurian, a collaboration with Early Mountain Vineyards that is a hybrid grape/apple wine made with Petit Manseng grapes and Manchurian Crab apples.

Address:

1320 Summit Ave., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-231-0280

Link:

BlueBeeCider.com

Address:

Nellysford

Phone Number:

434-361-1030

Link:

BoldRock.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-355-0100

Link:

BuskeyCider.com

These trucks first started rolling through Richmond in 2010 and have been gaining fans of their fusion tacos ever since. Trucks have a regular lunch post in downtown Richmond Monday through Friday and at the South of the James Market in the spring, summer, and fall. Premium “takos” like the pork belly with sweet apple crème fraîche, cider gastrique, and crispy shallots can also be found at local breweries and festivals.

Address:

2557 Sheila Lane, Richmond

Phone Number:

804-928-2652

Link:

BokaTruck.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-464-8226

Link:

Goatocado.com

Address:

Midlothian

Phone Number:

804-339-2580

Link:

RiverCityWoodFire.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-367-3838

Link:

BoulevardBurgerAndBrew.com

This “New Zealand-inspired gastro pub” serves juicy burgers with quality ingredients. Both the beef and lamb are grass-fed and from New Zealand, and the joint serves Mid-Atlantic oysters shucked to order from the raw bar. The most popular burger is the Original. Balance yours with a side salad topped with light herb vinaigrette, and choose one of the many house-made dipping sauces for an order of fries.

Address:

3426 W. Cary St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-359-1305

Link:

BurgerBach.com

Address:

Chesterfield

Phone Number:

804-447-2664

Link:

LutherBurger.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-528-4065

Link:

BrunchRVA.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-643-5512

Link:

MilliesDiner.com

The Jefferson Hotel serves an indulgent brunch for hotel guests and Richmond locals that sells out well in advance. There’s a made-to-order omelet station, carving stations, and a seafood display, but what really gets people out of bed is the dessert display. Every Sunday, the pastry team creates a collection of pies, tarts, cobblers, cakes, and other miniature confections. It’s OK to have dessert for breakfast, right?

Address:

101 W. Franklin St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-649-4609

Link:

JeffersonHotel.com

This classic steakhouse is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Serving Braveheart beef, trimmed in house, in dishes like steak fromage, with gorgonzola and walnuts, and steak and crab with lump crab meat and béarnaise, this is the place to indulge. And speaking of indulgence, the wine list and selection of single malt Scotch and small-batch bourbon provide plenty of opportunities to splurge as well.

Address:

8510 Patterson Ave., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-750-2000

Link:

Buckheads.com

Address:

Glen Allen

Phone Number:

804-968-4323

Link:

HondosSteakHouse.com

Address:

Lynchburg

Phone Number:

434-455-1510

Link:

ShoemakersDining.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-359-1305

Link:

BurgerBach.com

Address:

Charlottesville

Phone Number:

434-995-5542

Link:

PublicFO.com

When Rappahannock Oyster Co. was founded in 2001, its goal was to help bring the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster industry back from near collapse. In 2012, the company expanded into the restaurant industry and opened Rappahannock, and its three farmed oyster varieties, with flavors that reflect the essence of the region with salty, briny, and subtly sweet flavors, are always on the menu.

Address:

320 E. Grace St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-545-0565

Link:

RappahannockRVA.com

Address:

Farmville

Phone Number:

434-658-1200

Link:

HotelWeyanoke.com

While this restaurant can get a little cramped (there’s no waiting area to speak of), the atmosphere is cozy and romantic. Dishes like pasta with clams in white wine sauce, hanger steak, and tiramisu—and of course, the squid—have earned Edo’s a loyal following. Reservations are recommended.

Address:

411 N. Harrison St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-864-5488

Link:

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-788-4205

Link:

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-358-7274

Link:

CanCanBrasserie.com

Address:

Lynchburg

Phone Number:

434-455-1510

Link:

ShoemakersDining.com

“Full pours and honest prices,” without smoke and mirrors, has been Jasper’s mission since it opened in 2018. The seasonal cocktail menu changes frequently, but the Quoit Club Punch is a permanent fixture, with its refreshing mix of rum, brandy, rainwater Madeira, and lemon. In the spring, the owners love throwing crawfish boils, and in the winter guests can enjoy holiday-themed cocktails.

Address:

3113 W. Cary St., Richmond

Phone Number:

[email protected]

Link:

JasperBarRVA.com

Address:

Charlottesville

Phone Number:

434-970-3371

Link:

Charlottesville.org

Richmond’s premier farmers’ market is in its 11th year, selling only locally grown and handmade items every Saturday. The rain-or-shine market is open year-round and features vendors like Steve Haas Mushrooms, selling foraged mushrooms, and Parker Family Farm, selling chicken, eggs, and turkey farmed using sustainable practices. And to really elevate your PB&J, Reginald’s Homemade sells small batch nut butters and Virginia-grown peanuts.

Address:

Forest Hill Park, Richmond

Phone Number:

804-814-2373

Link:

GrowRVA.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-288-2867

Link:

StStephensRVA.org

Address:

Henrico

Phone Number:

804-360-8518

Link:

New.ChocolatesByKelly.com

Weekends at this chocolate shop are always busy, but during the holidays, the aisles of “chocolate nirvana” get really jammed. The shop has carried chocolates from all over the world since 1993, but British chocolates are some of the most popular. Local producers like Taylor Made get shelf space as well, along with options for gluten-free, vegan, kosher, and peanut-free options.

Address:

3136 W. Cary St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-359-5645

Link:

Love-Choc.com

Address:

Charlottesville

Phone Number:

434-972-9100

Link:

GearhartsChocolates.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-359-6969

Link:

CoppolasDeli.com

These sandwiches are hearty and filling, but all about balance, with elements like crispy onions to contrast with the homemade meatloaf on the McKinley and peach jam to cut the richness of blue cheese spread and turkey on the Truman. Burgers and salads are available, as well as a cocktail menu. If you’re not too full, the Key lime pie and salted caramel chocolate tarts are made in house.

Address:

501 E. Grace St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-644-4777

Link:

SecretSandwichSociety.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-362-0504

Link:

Taste.online

This grocery store focused on organic, healthy products has been on a mission to feed the soul of its community since 1989, when Rick Hood and Eric Walters opened what was then called City Market. Ellwood Thompson’s now has a 20,000-square-foot store, 150 employees, and even its own dining and event space, The Beet. The coffee and juice bar is a popular attraction, and in 2019 the store plans to launch their own private label products.

Address:

4 N. Thompson St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-359-7525

Link:

EllwoodThompsons.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-285-6414

Link:

LibbieMarket.com

Address:

Henrico

Phone Number:

804-377-4100

Link:

Wegmans.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-354-9888

Link:

FatDragonRVA.com

An anonymous strip mall holds one of the country’s best places to drink craft beer. Mekong has been voted by CraftBeer.com as Craft Beer Bar of the Year several times, but its food doesn’t disappoint, either. Enjoy Vietnamese favorites like pho and marinated quail with a huge selection of craft beer from Virginia and all over the world.

Address:

6004 W. Broad St., Henrico

Phone Number:

804-288-8929

Link:

MekongIsForBeerLovers.com

Address:

Glen Allen

Phone Number:

804-364-1688

Link:

PeterChangRestaurant.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-355-2282

Link:

JoesInnRVA.com

Address:

Lynchburg

Phone Number:

434-847-9040

Link:

MarketAtMain.com

Former fine dining chef Ian Kelley opened Sugar Shack in 2013, and since then the chain has expanded well beyond Richmond. The shop still focuses on doughnuts made with the freshest possible ingredients—flavors like fresh strawberry and fresh peach ginger are always made with real fruit—and coffee sourced from farms using ethical practices.

Address:

1001 N. Lombardy St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-278-5900

Link:

SugarShackDonuts.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-918-6028

Link:

LOpossum.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-358-7424

Link:

ShagbarkRVA.com

Located in a renovated shoe factory, Shoemakers serves as a nod to the city’s history in the early 1900s as a center for shoe manufacturing. The prime New York strip is one of the most popular dishes and can be topped with béarnaise, peppercorn, or fromage sauce. One of the newest items is a scallop appetizer with almond pesto, lemon cream, and Peppadew peppers.

Address:

1312 Commerce St., Lynchburg

Phone Number:

434-455-15106

Link:

ShoemakersDining.com

Address:

Lynchburg

Phone Number:

434-239-9701

Link:

LaCarretaOnline.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-320-1069

Link:

Mexico-Restaurant.com

This casual Mexican restaurant’s motto is, “Listen to your gut: It’s speaking Spanish.” The lunch menu has a selection of bowls that are topped with cilantro and tortilla strips with an orange, pineapple, and cilantro vinaigrette on the side. Pepe’s is also known for its generous burritos (the Chesterfield, with carnitas, chorizo, and cheese sauce, is popular) and margaritas.

Address:

9550 Midlothian Turnpike N, Chesterfield

Phone Number:

804-272-0920

Link:

PepesVa.com

Since it opened in 2010, Pearl’s has outgrown its original location and moved to a new, 5,000-square-foot location on Patterson Avenue. Known for decadent cupcakes, the shop also makes other treats like sweet potato ham biscuits and bacon and Parmesan scones. Vegan and gluten-free cupcakes and baked goods are always available. Complete the experience with the shop’s own special blend of Lamplighter coffee.

Address:

5811 Patterson Ave., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-285-2253

Link:

PearlsBakeShoppe.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-788-7672

Link:

SubRosaBakery.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-282-4413

Link:

Facebook.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-285-2253

Link:

PearlsBakeShoppe.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-278-5900

Link:

SugarShackDonuts.com

This café is all about dessert, with a full menu of sweets to choose from. The most popular items are the salted chocolate caramel cake, with layers of chocolate cake, chocolate buttercream, house-made caramel sauce, and fleur de sel, and the fresh fruit cake, a vanilla cake iced with cream cheese icing and layered with fresh blackberries, strawberries and pineapple.

Address:

1903 W. Cary St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-938-3449

Link:

Shyndigz.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-784-4800

Link:

PorticoRichmond.com

When weather permits, diners love venturing outside Shoemakers, adjacent to the Craddock Terry Hotel, to the restaurant’s patio in the middle of Lynchburg’s new Bluffwalk, a pedestrian walkway with views of the James River and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Bluffwalk is between Jefferson and Commerce Streets; there are also public art displays and other shops and restaurants to enjoy.

Address:

1312 Commerce St., Lynchburg

Phone Number:

434-455-1510

Link:

ShoemakersDining.com

Address:

Midlothian

Phone Number:

804-744-2545

Link:

BoathouseVa.com

Rappahannock believes that you don’t have to sacrifice taste to source consciously; the seafood-focused restaurant’s motto is good food, grown well. It is one of six restaurants owned by the Rappahannock Oyster Co., and its seasonal menu includes sustainably sourced seafood dishes as well as meat and vegetarian options.

Address:

320 E. Grace St., Richmond

Phone Number:

804-545-0565

Link:

RappahannockRVA.com

Address:

Lynchburg

Phone Number:

434-455-1510

Link:

ShoemakersDining.com

Address:

Richmond

Phone Number:

804-643-2333

Link:

TheHardShell.com

Address:

Lynchburg

Phone Number:

434-455-1510

Link:

ShoemakersDining.com

Address:

Charlottesville

Phone Number:

434-296-5003

Link:

AlleyLight.com

A bar conceived of and designed by bartenders, Jasper was intended to be both functional and fun. This comfortable bar serves the kind of craft cocktails often reserved for spots with a password or hard-to-get reservations. The Draft Zombie is a tiki-lover’s dream and has a permanent spot in the rotation, but most of the menu changes seasonally.

Address:

3113 W. Cary St., Richmond

Phone Number:

Link:

JasperBarRVA.com

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Best of Virginia Winners

General

Current Issue

Events

Tuesday Night Trivia

Wine & Brine

Tuesday Night Trivia

Most Popular

The Haunting Virginia Photography of John Plashal

Burger Roundup

Christmas in Central Virginia

Best of Virginia Winners

General

Current Issue

Events

Tuesday Night Trivia

Wine & Brine

Tuesday Night Trivia

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

The Haunting Virginia Photography of John Plashal

Burger Roundup

Christmas in Central Virginia

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today