Best Food & Drink Winners 2021 | Best of Virginia | Virginia Living (2024)

This open-air producer-only market is the ideal spot for farmers and artisans to sell locally grown and handmade items. Open rain or shine, South of the James has an impressively extensive vendor list. During the pandemic, the market was temporarily relocated to Bryan Park from its original location in Forest Hill.

Once Upon a Vine opened in May 2004 and has one of the largest selections of Virginia wine in the state, with more than 3,500 types to choose from. Also, a carrier of several craft beer brands, this specialty shop’s primary mission is to make customers happy with exceptional service.

Located in Richmond’s Museum District, Belmont Butchery offers artisanal hand-cut meats and provisions from its European-style storefront. While enrolled in an aerospace engineering college program in the 1980s, owner Tanya Cauthen realized food was far more interesting and set out to create Belmont. With an acclaimed charcuterie program, the most popular items include local dry-aged beef and house-made bacon.

Located just across the street from its restaurant counterpart on Lafayette Street in Richmond, Stella’s Grocery allows customers to bring Stella Dikos’ favorite ingredients and prepared specialties home to family and friends. Homemade modern Greek cuisine is also available to enjoy and take home from locations downtown and in Scott’s Addition.

After seeing fine chocolatiers on a trip to Europe, For the Love of Chocolate’s original owner wanted to bring that same luxurious experience to Richmond. This business is a haven for chocolate lovers, with gourmet and international items, Virginia-made options, rare retro candies, kosher and vegan treats, and much more.

Wegmans offers the freshest ingredients and most delicious meals from its chefs. The in-house bakery, butcher, and prepared food section will ensure you can create and enjoy the perfect meal. Patrons of this popular grocery store will find choice, quality, and value in every aisle with exceptional service there to assist them.

This third-generation, family-owned and -operated bakery opened in 1973. Famous for their old-fashioned hand-made yeast doughnuts, Paul’s most popular treat is the raspberry-filled flavor. Paul’s also offers cakes, cookies, pastries, pies, breads, and holiday-themed treats for every occasion.

The folks at Belle Isle Craft Spirits like to say that they are in the business of having a good time, offering canned co*cktails, moonshine, and more. Much like the beautiful Belle Isle itself, the business aims to be a bridge between opposite sides—a meeting point where good people come together and make great things happen.

Barboursville Winery was originally a landmark 18th-century estate de- signed by Thomas Jefferson for his friend, James Barbour, another Virginia statesman. In 1976, the estate was acquired by Gianni Zonin, already heir to a family wine enterprise in Veneto, Italy. Today, guests can experience world-class wine and the renaissance of European viticulture in the rolling hills of Virginia.

Since opening its Nellysford Cider Barn in June 2012, Bold Rock has become a regional favorite as well as the nation’s largest independently owned cider company with more than 100 awards. You can experience sweet ciders in-person at the tranquil Nellysford or Carter Mountain locations or purchase hard seltzers and canned co*cktails to take home from regional grocery stores.

Founded in 2011, Hardywood’s mission is to have a sharp focus on brewing quality, sourcing local, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. With 12 total variants, Hardywood is well known for its Gingerbread Stout. The owners are ex- cited to re-open their Richmond location on Ownby Lane to include a pizza kitchen and an outdoor patio with fire pits and a performance stage.

Can Can was opened in January 2005, when its original owner was inspired to bring a world-class French restaurant to the people of Richmond. Bar manager Caleb Donovan makes infused shrubs (drinking vinegar) in various flavors. He also concocts housemade gins and bitters, and stirs up handcrafted co*cktails from the restaurant’s specialty spirits.

Inspired by Baja, Mexico, and the Italian Amalfi Coast, the owners of Tazza Kitchen set out to create a casual, chic atmosphere that celebrated traditional, wood-fired cooking and a creative, ever-evolving co*cktail menu. Their most popular drink is their autumn special, the Thank You Ma’am, made from ingredients like Cirrus Vodka, hibiscus rose water, and grapefruit.

Lehja opened in 2010 with a menu that takes a modern approach to classic Indian fare. Popular dishes include the deconstructed butter chicken and duck Salli Boti. Lehja is the first Indian restaurant in Virginia to be given the Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator for its wine list, which offers more than 500 varieties.

ZZQ Texas Craft Barbecue was originally opened for catering and pop-ups 2013-2017 and officially opened a restaurant in 2018. Boasting the only authentic Texas-style barbecue in the Commonwealth, ZZQ uses all-wood cooking methods to create its popular sliced brisket, specialty meat sandwiches, spicy sides, and more.

Bottoms Up is a staple of Richmond’s historic Shockoe Bottom district and has specialized in gourmet pizzas for more than 30 years. Surviving floods, hurricanes, and now a pandemic, this family-owned business is here to stay and provide Richmond with quality, delicious pizzas, savory sauces, generous portions of pasta, and even a selection of juicy burgers.

In 1984, Peter and John Edmonds opened Gelati Celesti in Richmond. Each batch of ice cream is handmade and the flavors are churned in small batches using special Italian equipment. Gelati Celesti has 24 house flavors, rotates more than 85 flavors throughout the year, and also offers made-to-order ice cream pies and cakes for any occasion.

David Blanchard founded Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Co. in January 2005, and it wasn’t long before grocery store chains started selling his beans locally, transforming the company into a favorite wholesale coffee brand. In 2019, a new location on West Broad Street opened to the public. The mission? Good work in the service of great coffee.

Blue Mountain Brewery opened in 2007 as the first rural brewery model in Virginia. A beautiful destination for carefully crafted beer, Blue Mountain also offers excellent food and service. Popular brews include a noble-hop-laced Pre-Prohibition Lager, a cold-aged German ale, an orange-infused IPA, an aromatic DIPA, and a pale ale.

You don’t need to leave the state to get some authentically crafted, freshly baked New York bagels. Locally owned and operated since 1988, Bodo’s Bagels serves delicious and affordable sandwiches, salads, and bagels at three locations in Charlottesville, satisfying locals, visitors, and its college community alike.

Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen is a family-owned and operated doughnut truck known for its unique sourdough donuts made fresh while you wait with original or chocolate glaze frosting. You can stay up to date with the changing schedule posted on Facebook each week.

Opening his restaurant first as LUNCH in 2012 and then expanding to SUPPER! in 2014, owner Rick Lyons says that no matter what time you arrive, you will always have the best experience of the day. This restaurant celebrates home-style cooking with a modern twist. This year, LUNCH. will be transitioning into a market-style venue called LUNCH. Mart!

Held to the highest standard of excellence, Buckhead’s Chop House has been a Richmond tradition since 1994, featuring succulent Braveheart Beef and fresh seafood. The chef’s passion for culinary perfection is evident in every bite. As an added bonus, the bar proudly highlights one of the largest selections of single malt scotches and bourbons in the area.

This New Zealand-inspired gastropub is known for its award-winning gourmet burgers and signature co*cktails. Silver Fern Farms in New Zealand is the exclusive supplier of the res- restaurant’s pasture-raised, 100 percent grass-fed Black Angus beef, ensuring only the best quality, all-natural ingredients. A choice of 16 signature sauces can accompany Burger Bach’s sizzling fresh-cut fries.

Mexico Restaurant opened in 1990 and has since expanded to seven locations in the Richmond area. Mexico Restaurant serves fresh Mexican food of the highest quality in a casual atmosphere, perfect for a family dinner, birthday party, or night out. They take pride not only in food and service, but also in their involvement with the community.

Perhaps the least fussy restaurant in Richmond, Edo’s Squid is located up a slightly shabby stairway from another eatery, confusing more than one new diner over the years. The generous servings of authentic Italian dishes range from handmade pasta to the seafood implied by the name; the calamari is a fan favorite. Plating is simple but both the cuisine and service are exceptional.

An award-winning chef, Peter Chang is considered one of the greatest in Chinese cuisine today. Chang takes authentic Szechuan cooking to a whole new level at his restaurants, offering a broad menu that showcases his mastery of peppers and spices, and has garnered a massive following of loyal customers.

Organic, all-natural, local, and sustainable ingredients are the cornerstone of The Daily Kitchen & Bar experience. A staple eatery for vegans and vegetarians, The Daily strives to serve everyone food that is health-conscious, environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and most importantly, nourishingly delicious. Frequently used ingredients include kale, quinoa, sweet potatoes, berries, heart-healthy cold-water fish, and other superfoods.

Established in 1983, Stella’s honors rustic and modern Greek cuisine. The charming and romantic space is a tribute to Stella herself, who crafted her famed Greek recipes for all who walk through her doors from early morning to afternoon. You’ll have a hard time choosing what to order from the authentic and thoughtfully crafted menu.

There is simply nothing like the treats at Shyndigz on Cary. Richmond’s only late-night dessert cafe, Shyndigz offers whole to-go cakes and pies to order, as well as walk-in slices and treats with gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options, as well. Fan favorites include the Salted Chocolate Caramel Cake and the Key Lime Pie.