While Alewife’s soft-shell crab with cheese grits was a banger, stay tuned for what the Church Hill restaurant has in store for an upcoming dinner series celebrating another seasonal delight — tomatoes. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Summer Tour
For many, summer truly begins when they can bite into that first tomato sandwich of the season slathered with Duke’s mayo, and Village Garden in Hanover County is definitely on Team ’Mater. Celebrating 10 years of raising heirloom varieties, the farm has teamed up with Barboursville Vineyards to host a series of 10 dinners at restaurants around the region from Midlothian Chef’s Kitchen to Lillie Pearl where tomatoes will be the star. (Richmond magazine)
Funk With Flair
Offering kombucha selections that, owner Jason Smith says jokingly, don’t require yoga pants to enjoy, Richmond-based Bitchin’ Boucha keeps things funky with a lineup of flavors of the fermented beverage that includes black cherry-ginger and pineapple-coconut. For bottles near you, peep the coolers at local outlets such as Little House Green Grocery and Southbound Market. (Richmond magazine)
Feeding Community
In South Side Richmond, Fonticello Food Forest in Carter Jones Park is home to native plants, fruit trees and an environment that encourages a rethink about how we consume food. Writer Stephanie Ganz explores the origin of the weekly Free Farmstand and food redistribution program from local musicians who also work in partnership with Food Not Bombs and RVA Community Fridges. (Richmond magazine)
Wrapped With Love
Burrito purveyors Sous Casa, led by the former chef for musical acts such as Phish, recently reached a milestone: Following the buy-a-burrito, give-a-burrito business model since its inception, the business recently celebrated 10,000 burritos donated. Keep your eyes peeled during the Monument Avenue 10K June 3-6 for runners from the company dressed as giant burritos to help raise awareness of food insecurity. (News release)
ICYMI
Moving from its former location at Harrison and Main streets in the Fan, The Pit and the Peel has landed in new, fresher digs down the block, home to a rooftop bar and a more food-driven menu. (Richmond magazine)
I am always in support of snackable, hand-held food vessels, and writer Genevelyn Steele has my back. Head this way for a tour de empanadas across the region, including stops at Canastas Chicken and Colombian eatery Cafe & Sabor. (Richmond magazine)
Perch and Instabowl chef-owner Mike Ledesma lets us in on a kitchen secret for whipping up pickled cucumbers in a flash. (Richmond magazine)
In our new spotlight feature, we check in with Ms. Bee’s Juice Bar owner Brandi Brown about a few of her favorite things, from her go-to smoothie to top spots to brunch. (Richmond magazine)
Transport your friends to Margaritaville via recipes from Casa Del Barco, Sonora and Charlottesville’s Little Star. (Richmond magazine)
Ready-made meal service Truly Scrumptious — now rebranded as Leek & Thistle — will officially open the doors of its permanent home on June 4 at 11 a.m. in the former Nota Bene space. Make room in your fridge for the grab-and-go and frozen meals and perhaps a bottle or two for the weekend. (Richmond magazine)
A Gloucester native and New York transplant has landed in Richmond with a vino-centric vision. Megan Hopkins plans to open Celladora Wines, a wine shop, bar and cafe at 111 N. Lombardy St., by midsummer. (Richmond BizSense)
RVA Love
If you thought the chances of having something in common with hotel heiress and socialite Nicky Hilton were slim, think again. While shouting out her go-to spots in Bellport, New York, Hilton recently said, “I discovered Nightingale ice cream sandwiches, which are now my newest guilty pleasure.” P.S.: Nightingale just released its seasonal banana split sammie — only available in June. (New York Post)
Joining smoky capitals and barbecue institutions across the country, ZZQ has landed on Thrillist's roster of 41 American Barbecue Joints You Need to Try Right Now. Thrillist notes that the Scott’s Addition smokehouse is “the real deal” and adds that it offers some of the best brisket outside Texas. Look for ZZQ to reopen its dining room on June 18. (Thrillist)
Black-owned, Richmond-based boutique online wine retailer RichWine is gaining national attention for its biodynamic, natural and organic offerings. Led by Kristen Gardner and Lance Lemon, the duo’s venture focuses on showcasing the more intriguing, lesser-sipped sides of wine. (Travel Noire)
Upcoming Events
We strongly encourage everyone to make safe and smart decisions and adhere to municipal and business guidelines related to the pandemic.
- Tim’s Pizza Pop-up, Hatch Cafe (June 4): A Friday-night pizza party with Detroit-style pies from basil pesto to classic cheese
- Safe Space Market, Lakeside Farmers Market (June 4): A market dedicated to highlighting the region’s underrepresented and marginalized makers and purveyors
- Farm to Table Music Festival, Hanover Vegetable Farm (June 4): Each Friday catch local tunes, food trucks, purveyors and more during the weekly outdoor gathering.
- Fulton Hill Fish Fry, Ms. Girlee’s Kitchen (June 5): The East End eatery hosts a five-hour fish fry complete with live music.
- Lettuce Play Some Music, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery (June 5): Head to the Goochland farm brewery for tunes from the jam band Lettuce and others, along with a commemorative release.
- Virtual Cooking Demo, Greater Richmond SCAN (June 5): Whip out that apron for an online demo featuring chefs Paul Kostandin and Hai Truong of Red Salt Chophouse & Sushi.
- Fat Kid Sandwiches Philly Cheesesteak Pop-up, Hatch Cafe (June 5): The ghost kitchen concept drops a menu featuring classic sammies and cheesesteaks.
- Anniversary Weekend, Strangeways Brewing (June 5-6): Raise a pint to eight years of Strangeways with a weekend of special releases.
- Summer Artisan Market, Main Line Brewery (June 6): The bimonthly market returns with a lineup of food trucks and local makers.
- Wine & Cheese: A Real Gouda Time, Lucy’s (June 7): Women in Wine along with cheesemonger Sara Adduci of Belmont Butchery present an evening of discussion surrounding the dynamic duo.
- Food Truck Rally, The Diamond (June 10): A lunch-only version of the weekly gathering of area food trucks
In Other Food News …
- Chef, restaurateur and cookbook legend Alice Waters recently released a new book, “We Are What We Eat." If you simply enjoy the celebrated food activist, or you're a bookworm who can appreciate another's adoration for flipping pages, head this way to discover what novels inspire Waters and what takes up space on her bookshelves. (The New York Times)
