Ed 94: Food Hall Preview, Richmond Brunch Weekend, and more
This edition of the Weekly Insider is proudly brought to you by Mod & Soul.
Image Credit: @barsolitarva
Hey there!
This week we are diving into food news, including another sushi spot coming to Scott’s Addition, cider in Shockoe, and a sneak peek at the forthcoming food hall! Plus, it’s the most wonderful time of the year — Richmond Brunch Weekend! Grab your gang and make a reservation. The Flamingo Brunch at Bar Solita (pictured above) is a solid option. As always, we’ve got a giveaway and this one is so Instagrammable, plus a mouthwatering member perk and a fully loaded calendar. Onward…
THE LATEST:
Image Credit: @bryantsciderrva
Image Source: @astoldoverbrunch
Image Source: @kahlostaqueria2
SOCIAL NEWS
Bryant’s Small Batch Cider received a $25,000 grant last week from Governor Ralph Northam! Mayor Levar Stoney was also present to celebrate. According to a press release on the governor’s website, ”The company will invest more than $250,000 to revitalize a historic commercial building and plans to plant several apple trees on site. The cidery will operate as a licensed Virginia farm winery, committing to source 100 percent of its apples from the Commonwealth, or nearly 25,000 bushels over three years. The project will create eight new jobs.” We love the idea of planting more trees in Shockoe Bottom, and we are also big fans of their cider, so this is exciting news! As you may recall, Bryant’s Cider closed their Jackson Ward location and will open a new production facility and tasting room in Shockoe Bottom. They are slated to host a soft opening on Saturday, March 14! Check it out at 2114 E Main St.
March is commonly known as the month to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, which is true, but here in Richmond, it is also Richmond Brunch Weekend, and we think that’s even better to celebrate. Why? Because it’s a great time AND for a great cause. In its four years, Richmond Brunch Weekend has raised over $90,000 for cancer research at VCU Massey Cancer Center. On Saturday and Sunday, March 21 and 22, we do it all again! Simply grab every single person you know and show up at one of the participating restaurants listed here and support cancer research and a local restaurant. All participating restaurants have agreed to give 15% of proceeds during Richmond Brunch Weekend back to VCU Massey Cancer Center. Post a photo of your brunch on both Saturday and Sunday with the hashtags #RVABrunchWeekend #RVADoubleBrunch and tag @RichmondBrunch on either Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook to be entered to win gift card prizes! (Make sure your post is public so they can see it.) Have fun!
If you are procrastinating at work (or just in general), then spend another five minutes completing this virtual scavenger hunt challenge created by the team at Richmond Mag. Test your knowledge of Richmond establishments by reading through clues about 20 local restaurants. I scored 16 out of 20! Give it your best shot and make a note of places you haven’t visited - it’s a solid list of restaurants!
Church Hill residents, rejoice! The long-anticipated Kahlos Taqueria & Bar will finally open in a few weeks according to Mike Platania over at Richmond BizSense! Kahlos has been in the works at 718 N 23rd St for roughly two years. Located just up the street from Union Market, it will be a wonderful addition to the community offering indoor seating, patio dining, tacos, margaritas, beer, and more. We’ll keep you posted on official opening date and details.
A second sushi join is opening in Scott’s Addition! Last month we learned Fighting Fish, a Jackson Ward-based sushi restaurant, secured a spot on Arthur Ashe Boulevard, and plans to open a second location. And then on Monday, Karri Peifer at Richmond Times-Dispatch, shared the former Aloi restaurant space will become Lucky AF from the team at EAT Restaurant Partners. They also own and manage Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen & Bar, Boulevard Burger & Brew, Foo Dog, Hot Chick, Fatty Smokes: A Barbecue Joint, and seven others around Richmond. Lucky AF will serve sushi and hopes to be a fun late-night spot, according to the article. Look for this to open in early June.
The construction team behind the forthcoming food hall, The Belleville, in Scott’s Addition, shared two (albeit, blurry) renderings of the space. It appears to be ultra-modern with clean lines, a basic color palette, and simple materials, including wood, metal, and glass. You can peep the renderings here. Fultz & Singh Architects is the local architect designing the project and UrbanCore Construction is completing the construction.
NATIONAL
Innsbrook After-Hours was nominated for Outdoor Venue of the Year by The Academy of Country Music! Innsbrook made the announcement on their Facebook: “Larry Creeger, Executive Producer of the concert series, had this to say about the distinction, ‘We are excited and humbled to be nominated by the Academy of Country Music. It is a great way to start our 35th season. Our team has worked tirelessly to provide fans in Central Virginia with incredible music experiences year after year, and it is rewarding to see all of their hard work recognized in this way.’” Innsbrook is nominated alongside Red Rocks Amphiteatre just outside Denver, CO, Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, and The Wharf at Orange Beach in Orange Beach, AL, to name a few.
HAPPENINGS
If you haven’t made St. Paddy’s plans yet, check out this guide for the biggest happenings around town!
Image Credit: @wsteph21
Weekly Giveaway
LIFT Coffee Shop & Cafe
$15 gift card
Did you know you can check out an installation of Colette Miller’s Global Angel Wings Project right here in Richmond? Sneak out the back door of LIFT (OK, so you don’t have to sneak out, but if you’re just popping in to grab a cup of coffee or sandwich, you can totally miss this) and head to their patio to see the mural. Colette’s goal was to remind humanity that we are the angels of this Earth. It’s a beautiful message, and it’s very Instagrammable. Did I mention how amazing the coffee and sandwiches are at LIFT? No? Well, they are. Visit them in the Carver neighborhood at 218 W Broad St.
TO ENTER: Where was the first pair of angel wings painted for this project? Click the link to answer! A winner will be randomly selected to receive a $15 gift card.
Last week: Congratulations to Rachel H. for being our giveaway winner of the week! Have a great experience at Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen & Bar!
Member Perks
River City Food Tours
One of our favorite ways to explore a new city is to take a highly-rated food tour. There is nothing like seeing a city on foot, you learn about the history of the area, and of course, you get to experience some of their very best food. But have you ever considered taking a food tour in your own city? We took the Arts District tour with River City Food Tours last Fall, and not only did we learn even more about RVA, but we met some really great people and tasted dishes we hadn't tried before (even if we had been to the restaurant already). 10/10 would recommend, and if you've got visitors coming to town, then it is definitely the move!
Members get 10% Off All Food Walking Tours. Use code: RVAxMEMBER
SAVE THE DATE
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Hey new members!
We'd like to welcome 14 new members: Allison A., Collette W., Collins D., Caitlin W., Daniel H., Kathleen C., Michael F., Sonya F., Maria O., Allie K., Stephanie A., Sam B., Erica P., and Caleb H., we're so glad you're here!
It takes a village so let us know if you have any questions, thoughts, feedback, tips, or recs! Thanks for reading edition 94 of the Weekly Insider.
Have a great week,
Sam & Sean
new + trending from RVAx
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