The Trendspotter: May 2021
Welcome to our second edition of the latest offering from The Richmond Experience, The Trendspotter! This new content series features monthly roundups of the newest and hottest spots around RVA.
Here are the new need-to-know restaurants, event series, and more that MUST be on your radar this May…
— by Alicia Valenski
Image Source: @sprezzacucina
Sprezza Cucina
What it is: A fresh concept bringing rustic southern Italian fare to The Broken Tulip with pop-ups on Saturdays, serving lunch from 12 - 3 pm and dinner from 3 - 6:30 pm each weekend.
Why we love it: They strike a delicate balance between perfected classic Italian recipes and innovative takes on traditional Pugliese fare — no two pop-up menus are ever the same, due in part to seasonal availability of produce and in part due the chefs’ inspiration week to week.
If you get a chance to try the spicy rigatoni with burrata (pictured above), PLEASE do so. You won’t regret it.
Where to find it: 3129 W Cary St (Carytown)
Image Source: @blacklodgerva
Black Lodge
What it is: An all-day cafe in Scott's Addition offering "damn fine" breakfast, lunch, and dinner (as well as coffee, cocktails, and natural wines) for takeout or delivery Tuesday through Saturday, 8 am - 8 pm
Why we love it: The team behind Brenner Pass (including renowned owner and chef Brittanny Anderson, a competitor on Season 18 of Top Chef on Bravo!) never fails to craft unique culinary experiences for their guests, and Black Lodge is no exception.
Whether you swing by for breakfast/lunch/coffee from 8 am - 3 pm or for dinner/wine/cocktails from 4 - 8 pm, you’re in for a mouthwatering menu — and we can tell you that the Fried Chicken Sammy, in particular, has gotten rave reviews!
Where to find it: 3200 Rockbridge St, Ste 101 (Scott’s Addition)
Image Source: @nativeplaterva
Native Plate
What it is: A just-opened downtown restaurant serving up dishes inspired by global street food with Asian and American influences. This concept comes from Lorna Bedford, who after six years working at her mother Sunisa Polishuk’s restaurants (Mom’s Siam, Mom’s Siam 2, Pik Nik, and YaYa’s Cookbook) decided to open her own venture.
Why we love it: A peek at Native Plate’s menu reveals a wide selection of items with influences from all around the world, ranging from bulgogi BBQ to kong fu chow to duck bao buns and beyond.
Their cocktail menu has also piqued our interest — we’ve got our eyes on "This Sh*t Is Bananas" ft. banana-infused Pusser's rum, coconut milk, pineapple, toasted coconut, demerara, lime, walnut bitters, nutmeg, and boozy brûlée banana and the "Dirty Duck" ft. duck fat-washed Hayman's Old Tom gin, sesame oil rinse, garlic olive brine, and house-made chive oil.
Where to find it: 1203 E Main St (Downtown)
Image Source: @fridaycheersrva
Friday Cheers
What it is: Richmond's longest-running summer concert series held on the riverfront at Brown's Island.
Why we love it: This year, Friday Cheers is celebrating all things local — including local bands, local food, and local beer! You can check out the music line-up here. A few shows are already sold out, so snag a pod for your group of 2, 4, or 8 here now!
Where to find it: Brown’s Island
Image Source: @esquina_rva
Esquina (@ The Coop)
What it is: You’ve likely heard of Perch, a restaurant from owner Mike Ledesma in Scott's Addition that blends Pacific-inspired flavors with Virginia spirit. Well, now Ledesma has also opened The Coop (get it, the perch and the coop?) in Carytown!
The Coop will be Richmond's home to several virtual restaurants, displaying an array of unique concepts and culinary talents from Ledesma and his visionary team of chefs.
Why we love it: The Coop is home to two concepts so far, InstaBowl and Esquina. InstaBowl is a chef-driven, fast-casual eatery in The Fan serving to-go and delivery fare that’s purpose-built for a smooth trip home. Esquina, on the other hand, features "New Mexican cuisine" from Richmond veteran chef Sergio Gomez boasting a blend of Oaxacan inspiration and Southern soul.
Where to find it: Both restaurants at The Coop (Esquina and InstaBowl) are virtual in nature and must be ordered online — but they are operated out of 2601 W Cary St (Carytown)
Image Source: @elyafood
ELYA Food
What it is: The folks behind this local biz pride themselves on offering local, organic, ready-to-eat meals that are available 24/7 in their contactless refrigerators. You can find delicious and nutritious items like Red Eye Oats (rolled oats with coffee, coconut milk, maple syrup, and cocoa nibs), The Broad Street Bully (a braised pork and veggie bowl), and more.
Why we love it: They’ve opened a second ElyaFridge location in Scott’s Addition, too! Located right beside The Circuit Arcade Bar, you can text (804) 581-1326 to get the real-time inventory of this new fridge. So, next time you’re in hungry in Scott’s Addition, you can rest assured that there’s a healthy grab-and-go meal waiting for you nearby.
Where to find it: There are multiple ELYA locations at this point (including one in Shockoe Bottom and one in Manchester), but the newest one is at 3121 W Leigh St (Scott’s Addition)
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.
Here’s what else is new…
