Food & Drink

Father-Son Duo Resurrects Heirloom Watermelons

Summer means nostalgic backyard get-togethers—the warm temps, the breeze, and the sweetness of a thick watermelon slice dripping juice that makes your hands sticky. In anticipation of the next watermelon-forward event, you might wander chilly grocery aisles, looking for the plumpest, ripest, most perfect watermelon. We’re here to suggest that you think again. There’s a […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Authentic Greek Olive Oil Comes to Richmond Coffee Shop

In Greek culture, the olive tree is a sacred symbol representing peace, prosperity, and love. For centuries, olive trees were included in marriage dowries, in which they were often split equally between the newlyweds and the bride’s family to keep the two connected for future generations. In Palaiopanagia, a small village south of Sparta at […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Top Italian dining in Virginia Horse Country

Beyond the tangle of the Northern Virginia suburbs, outside the sweeping horse farms of Middleburg, tucked away in the tiny hamlet of The Plains, is a rambling country restaurant whose interior features the sort of hewn heart pine you just can’t find anymore. Inside, Lydia gestures at a small pot of purple, pink, and white […]

by Craig Stoltz

Mise en Place Rules

Chefs reveal the keys to a successful kitchen. -By Janelle Alberts Georges-Auguste Escoffier, considered the father of modern cuisine, scored a chef’s job at the London Savoy in 1890 and promptly introduced a rigid organizational habit that nobody in his kitchen liked. Called mise en place, it’s since become a wildly popular phenomenon, ranking somewhere […]

by Staff

Top 10 Must-Visit Spring Festivals for 2025

Highland County – MAPLE FESTIVAL March 8–9 & 15–16: Virginia’s “sweetest event of the year” brings maple syrup to the scenic streets of Monterey, McDowell, Bluegrass, and other Highland County towns. Enjoy maple sugar camp tours, pancake meals, and maple donuts. HighlandCounty.org Charlottesville – THE VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK March 20–23: Virginia authors converge […]

by Hope Cartwright

Starch & Strain: The Secret to Smoother Cocktails

Mixologists are introducing rice to your favorite classic drinks, but not as a tasting ingredient. Rather, rice-washed cocktails are mixed with dry, raw rice, which is later strained out, to smoothen and purify blended flavors. The starch mellows the methanol and propanol in the booze, exposing liquors’ more complex flavors. Rice-washing works best with brash-tasting […]

by Hope Cartwright

Elevate Your Cocktails with Next-Level Garnishes

Garnishes can be so much more than aesthetic afterthought. “Garnish with” this or that is the standard end step in a cocktail recipe. Though last, garnishes certainly shouldn’t be considered the least, providing both added adornment and taste. Olives bob at the bottom of a dry martini, and a leafy celery stalk juts out of […]

by Hope Cartwright

Fat-Washed Cocktails: The Secret to Richer, Smoother Sips

By Janelle Alberts It’s been almost 20 years since a bacon-infused Benton’s Old-Fashioned launched a new technique among bartenders called fat-washing. Despite the unappetizing name, fat-washing has so gained in popularity over the years because it continues to deliver a legitimately elevated cocktail. Fat-washing is a fairly simple process of freezing your spirit with fats […]

by Staff

A Vegan, Gluten-Free, Creamy Asparagus and Pea Soup Recipe

By Stacy Watkins San-J, the international soy sauce brand located right in the Commonwealth in Henrico, offers a range of dietary restriction-friendly sauces and recipes. This soup is vegan and features San-J’s original Tamari Soy Sauce, which is naturally gluten-free thanks to the brand’s traditional Tamari brewing methods. 1 pound asparagus 3 tablespoons olive oil […]

by Staff

10 Speakeasies Across Virginia & How to Find Them

Tucked in hidden alleyways and behind disguised doors lie some of the state’s best-kept secrets … and cocktails. Speakeasies promising vintage vibes and low-light charm dot the map far and wide, but where to find them? Here are 10 to get you started on a journey to delicious drinks and illicit adventures of 1920s allure. […]

by Hope Cartwright

Richmond Bartender on When to Order Well vs. Top-Shelf

Ordering a drink is a simple thing, just two or three words: “Moscow Mule,” “Old Fashioned,” “G&T.” Until the bartender asks for your brand preference. Belvedere or Svedka? Hendrick’s or Gordon’s? So many options of varying prestige and prices that so few of us understand. Andy Im, bartender at Rappahannock in Richmond, says that when […]

by Hope Cartwright

Sojourn Fermentory Brings Czech Craft Brewing to Virginia

The Czech Republic’s brewing scene is famous—for its rich, malty pilsners, unique bar setup of water baths and low counters, and sheer quantity of brews poured, with the highest per-capita beer consumption in the world. The experience of grabbing a beer in Prague is a bucket-list item for craft beer nerds everywhere. For those in […]

by Hope Cartwright

Tipping Point: Surviving the New Age of Gratuity Guilt

There’s a little song and dance we’re all used to when paying at a restaurant, takeout spot, boutique food shop, or even a farmers market. It starts with the person behind the iPad who’s completing your sale saying something like, It’s gonna ask you a few questions. The ensuing quiz is all about if and […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Lotte Market Redefines Grocery Shopping

The shelves at Lotte Market in Richmond are a far cry from the woefully small half-aisle worth of “International Foods” you may be used to in your neighborhood Target or Walmart. A rainbow of vibrant packaging greets me at the entrance. Before me is a sweeping expanse of juice boxes in melon, mango, and banana […]

by Hope Cartwright

Smyrna Boldly Celebrates Aegean Cuisine

We must begin with the meze trio. Usually, I aim to find a menu’s hidden gems, but on an evening with friends at Smyrna in Charlottesville, the path extends clearly before me, and the first step is Chef Tarik Sengul’s holy trinity—impossibly soft, luscious hummus; a smoky charred eggplant smothered in garlic confit; and tangy […]

by Stephanie Ganz

The History of a Valentine’s Day Favorite

By Janelle Alberts You know you’ve hit adulthood when you level up from trading candy conversation hearts on Valentine’s Day to gifting elegant boxes of chocolate truffles. A funny thing about chocolate truffles though—how they got their start was possibly an accident. Also, the story likely includes a screaming pastry chef. In short, the origin […]

by Staff

New Docuseries Celebrates Edna Lewis, the Trailblazing Southern Chef

A new docuseries aims to celebrate the life and legacy of chef, cookbook author, and Virginia native, Edna Lewis. Hosted by Deb Freeman, writer and podcast host of Setting the Table, and produced by Field Studio, the series visits guests around the country over eight episodes to explore the impact of this trailblazing chef. In […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Exploring Richmond’s Church Hill: Bakeries, History, and More

“It has character.” A phrase that is often used to describe places, and one that many Richmonders would choose for the neighborhood of Church Hill. But what is character? Fine dining spots, rustic-chic décor, cobblestone streets, or something deeper and less tangible? Strolling along the brick sidewalks of Church Hill, the meaning of a place […]

by Hope Cartwright

Rediscovering the Magic of Foraging

The act of venturing out into the woods, picking a wild berry, and eating it may not feel innate to many of us. A morning foraging for squash and sage at our local farmers market sounds adventurous enough. It’s all many of us have time for. But Chef Jeremiah Langhorne, who grew up in Charlottesville, […]

by Heather Bien

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July 19, 2025

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Art Works

July 19, 2025

MaNiiTo II’NiNiiWak- (Creative Power People) Creative Sovereignty: The Power of Indigenous Artists Exhibit

Workhouse Arts Center

New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

Around the world, as both a beverage and a pastime, tea is steeped in history and ritual. From the casual to the ceremonial, tea is a throughline for many cultures, and now, it’s enjoying a renewed interest from beverage pros who are drawn to tea’s unique flavor characteristics, health benefits, and cultural connections. Recently, two […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Virginia’s Top 10 Summer Festivals and Events 2025

STAUNTON – Festival of Concerts June 26–Aug. 2: The stunning strums and resounding chords of classical music echo through Staunton’s mountain landscape as Heifetz International Music Institute students from around the world take the stage, with new concerts every day. HeifetzInstitute.org GLOUCESTER – Food Truck Frenzy July 13: Virginia’s most mouthwatering food trucks descend on […]

by Hope Cartwright

Top Summer Mountain Events in Virginia

Making the most of summer’s fleeting sweetness reaches new heights in a mountaintop setting. From the Blue Ridge to the Alleghenies, sun-soaked adventures unfold among soaring trees and peaks. Discover what Virginia’s ridges offer at mountain venues this summer. Chairlift Sunset Sessions, Roseland July 12 & Aug. 16 Take in sunset views of misty blue […]

by Hope Cartwright

Food & Drink

Father-Son Duo Resurrects Heirloom Watermelons

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New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

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Food & Drink

Father-Son Duo Resurrects Heirloom Watermelons

Current Issue

Events

July Open House Weekend

June – July @ Art Works!

MaNiiTo II’NiNiiWak- (Creative Power People) Creative Sovereignty: The Power of Indigenous Artists Exhibit

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New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

Virginia’s Top 10 Summer Festivals and Events 2025

Top Summer Mountain Events in Virginia

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