Discover Richmond Dining

Richmond is a city of stately elegance and emerging businesses. Befitting a home of three universities, new ideas rub shoulders with long-standing traditions and the effect is often spectacular. Richmond is a city with a multitude of choices, from the quick-and-easy to those of rare taste and refinement.

Richmond is fortunate to be located close enough to fresh seafood from the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland, produce from nearby farms (in fact there is worldwide demand for Hanover tomatoes grown less than 20 miles from the city), and is blessed with an abundance of authentic ethnic restaurants preparing an amazing palette from which to feast. Virginia wines are grown in nearby wineries and find their way to the best tables in town.

Carytown
One of the best-known and popular locations in Richmond is Carytown, an eclectic collection of small shops, great intimate restaurants, and a movie palace that has been in continuous operation since 1928.

Carytown is at the halfway point between the three major universities that call Richmond home, and there are a fair number of restaurants that cater to the younger college crowd. Large portions of good food and a variety of beverage options abound.

If you look carefully enough, you will find great pastries, desserts, and restaurants with classic style, deep menus, and prices that won’t break your bank. Park your car and stroll along the avenue, Carytown is like a much smaller version of New York’s Greenwich Village with plenty of shops to catch your eye and entice you to come inside.

You’ll find several great coffee shops dotting the street, so drop in and indulge yourself in a delicious cup to sip while you people watch or before you cruise through one of the most historic areas in the city.

Shockoe Bottom
If you head east toward the city proper, you’ll find yourself in Shockoe Bottom. In this heady and trendy area, many of the clubs and restaurants were converted out of former stores and warehouses.

Shockoe Bottom caters to a young, professional crowd who likes to swing to live music until the wee hours of the morning. It’s a great place to meet young movers and shakers and to dance to the sounds of everything from rock, rhythm and blues, country, and rap. The clubs are fairly close to one another and perfect to walk from one to another.

If you find yourself in Shockoe Bottom during the growing season, come by in the morning or early afternoon, and pick up some of the finest locally grown vegetables at the Farmers’ Market. Many of the restaurants in town get some of their produce from these local farmers, and the food in the region is delicious and abundant.

The River District
One of the areas that is rapidly emerging as a favorite destination is the River District, located in between Carytown and Shockoe Bottom. There are upscale shops, cobblestone streets, old brick and iron buildings that have been reworked but still retain their old-world charm, and of course great restaurants and bistros.

Here, you will be able to dine in larger, converted tobacco warehouses and stroll along one of the most beautiful streets in the city. This area has been featured in several movies, standing in for Civil War and Antebellum era buildings.

Have dinner in one of any number of classic restaurants, stop by one of the microbreweries or coffee shops, and take a walk along the historic James River. There are plenty of parking decks, so leave the car behind and just take a slow, leisurely walk.

What to wear
Most of the restaurants favor business casual attire, although a few expect a more formal dress. Most do not require reservations, but if you are dining at one of the more formal restaurants, then it would be a good idea to call ahead. Generally, there should not be any problem of accommodation during the week, but if you are making plans for the weekend, you might want to give them several days notice. 

When you visit Richmond, be prepared to leave your expectations behind. The former Capital of the Confederacy has a lot to offer the discriminating palate. No matter what you are hungry for, from traditional American cuisine to all the delicious varieties from around the world, whatever your mood, Richmond has the goods to deliver.