The Trendspotter: December 2021
We’re back again with your monthly dose of must-know news, The Trendspotter! This content series features monthly roundups of the newest and hottest businesses (namely, restaurants and bars!) around RVA.
‘Tis the season to be jolly — and to share the top can’t-miss, just-opened spots you need to check out in Richmond in December.
— by Alicia Valenski
Minglewood Bake Shop
What it is: Richmond's first 100% vegan bakery, now open in Carytown.
Why we love it: Trust us, you wouldn’t even know that these tasty treats are entirely plant-based — everything on the menu here is melt-in-your-mouth good! In addition to your usual assortment of cookies, cupcakes, and scones, Minglewood offers specialty coffees and savory pastries (including some gluten-free options, for all our GF friends out there).
Where to find it: 3337 W Cary St (Carytown)
Riverbend Roastery
What it is: Operating under new ownership, this specialty coffeehouse is now led by Alexa Schuett, whom you may recognize as the owner of another Church Hill staple, Liberty Public House.
Why we love it: Alexa and her wife purchased Riverbend Roastery and redesigned the space to offer a brighter, cleaner aesthetic along with an updated coffee selection built on fair trade, organic, Rain Forest Alliance-certified beans. They also added a list of sandwiches, each of which is available on a choice of English muffin, bagel, ciabatta, or multigrain bread depending if you're in the mood for breakfast or lunch — aka, a true “all day” menu. If you’re looking for a new co-working spot, this just might be it!
Where to find it: 2623 E Broad St (Church Hill)
Lolita’s
What it is: A new Mexican restaurant in Carytown, brought to you by the same sister duo behind Little Mexico, Rosio and Karina Garcia.
Why we love it: Lolita’s offers innovative takes on traditional Mexican flavors, and both the interior design and the service were impeccable! We loved sipping on the "Santa Muerte" (tequila, passionfruit, agave, pineapple, yellow chartreuse, serrano chile, and lime juice served in a skull glass) and chowing down on the Lolita's Tacos (we tried the Baja Shrimp and the Cabo Fish tacos, both on hand-pressed corn tortillas, and they did not disappoint!) during our visit.
Where to find it: 2929 W Cary St (Carytown)
Suzy Sno
What it is: A New Orleans-style "sno-ball" shop serving up frozen treats in Jackson Ward, brought to you by Ruby Scoops founder Rabia Kamara — the same small biz owner who won the grand prize on the Ben & Jerry’s “Clash of the Cones” on Food Network this year!
Why we love it: If you’ve never had a sno-ball, then the fine-yet-fluffy texture of this icy dessert will be tough to describe, but trust us when we say it’s a very different experience from the snow cones of your youth. Snow cones feature big chunks of ice, which syrup runs right through to land in a puddle at the base of your cup. But sno-balls take on a more snow-like texture, allowing them to absorb all the added syrups to soak up every bit of flavor.
Suzy Sno offers 60 homemade syrups to choose from, along with traditional sno-ball toppings like condensed milk and candies. Unless you choose to add a topping with milk in it, everything on the menu is vegan and gluten-free.
Where to find it: 317 N 2nd St (Jackson Ward)
Sloop John B
What it is: An “island-style taco bar with a little polish” in the West End.
Why we love it: The intentionality behind this Island-inspired concept was specifically built around one idea: that of a "sloop," or a fore-and-aft rigged boat with one mast and a single jib. Building from that foundation upward, everything in the restaurant feels like something you'd see (or drink, or eat) just after stepping off of a boat onto a dock somewhere warm and sunny — from the actual sloop hanging from the ceiling to a real bamboo bar feature to a menu of tropical drinks and tacos on housemade corn tortillas and beyond.
Where to find it: 1420 N Parham Rd Suite M226 (West End)
Riverside Tavern
What it is: A classic neighborhood bar serving elevated American fare favorites.
Why we love it: A no-frills, welcoming atmosphere, plenty of local and domestic beers on draft, and friendly servers who know all the regulars by name — that’s the newly opened Riverside Tavern in a nutshell. It’s the neighborhood bar that Forest Hill residents know they can stop by a few times a week for after-work drinks or a good meal.
Where to find it: 5057 Forest Hill Ave (Forest Hill)
Sharing new trends each month!
Check back the first week of each month for a new edition of The Trendspotter to find out which businesses you need to know about (and check out!) in RVA.
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