If you haven’t been paying attention, then this will come as a surprise to you to learn that Richmond, VA has become a foodie haven in the last ten years. With an incredible food (and booze) scene, Richmond, aka RVA, has a great variety of restaurants that should be on your food bucket list to try.
We’ve compiled a list of our favorites and the best restaurants in Richmond below are consistent, yummy, and worth every morsel.
Not in the mood to go out to eat tonight? Click here to have Grubhub deliver directly from the best restaurants in town to your doorstep.
While in Richmond don’t miss out on activities that will help immerse yourself with the city (hurry while they’re hot!):
- Richmond: Church Hill Food Tour
- Richmond: Trendy Carytown Food Tour
- Richmond: Arts District Walking Food Tour
- Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Richmond
Want to grab a drink after all this delicious food?
Check out our guide of The 7 Must-Try Richmond Breweries!
Visiting other destinations in Virginia? Check out our other delicious guides:
- 10 Fun Things To Do In Williamsburg VA
- 7 Best Must Try Stafford Restaurants
- 10 Awesome Things To Do In Fredericksburg VA
- 7 Must-Try Richmond Breweries
- 20 Fun Things To Do In Richmond VA
- 6 Best Mexican Restaurants In Fredericksburg, VA
- 11 Must-Try Pizza Places In Fredericksburg
- 5 Must-Try Fredericksburg Chinese Restaurants
- The 8 Best Downtown Fredericksburg Restaurants
- 7 Must-Try Chesapeake Restaurants
14 Best Restaurants In Richmond, VA
ZZQ
3201 W Moore St. // (804) 528-5648
A relatively new barbeque restaurant in Richmond, this might be the BEST barbeque joint, not just in Richmond, but perhaps the country.
Receiving several accolades from publications like Food & Wine, Lonely Planet, and Food Network’s Diners, Drive-in, and Dives (just to name a few), ZZQ has found a way to blend Texas craft BBQ with delicious southern flavors that will make any mouth water.
The secret is clearly out on the place and if you don’t order online, be prepared to wait thirty minutes to an hour to order your juicy brisket sandwich with a side of jalapeno mac & cheese or collard greens, which are slow-cooked with red onion, garlic, house bacon, hot sauce, and blackstrap molasses.
The good news is no matter what you order, every bite will be delicious.
23rd and Main Kitchen & Taproom
2302 E Main St. // (804) 788-7077
Located on Main Street in the downtown area (on the corner of 23rd and Main), 23rd and Main has an extensive menu and is quite possibly our favorite from the restaurants in Richmond.
From their famous Parmesan Honey Truffle fries to their hand-crafted burgers and fire-roasted pizzas, their diverse menu will please just about any palate.
Top choices for meals include the Freebird Chicken Sandwich, Brisket Tacos, and their scrumptious Porky Fig Pizza. For comfort food, this is a must-try restaurant in Richmond.
La Grotta
529 E Broad St. // (804) 644-2466
Don’t let their location fool you; this is arguably one of the best fine-dining Italian restaurants in Richmond.
Located in the Hilton Hotel in the downtown area, La Grotta is truly a premier dining experience.
The owner and chef is a native Italian and has been sharing his love of food since the 1980s. In 1994, he and his wife moved to Richmond and have been providing a tantalizing experience for your taste buds ever since.
Can’t decide on one dish and wine for the night? Order the wine dinner, which comes complete with an appetizer, entree, and dessert, all expertly paired with some fine Italian wine.
If you are looking for classic Italian food in Richmond, La Grotta is the place for you.
Joe’s Inn
205 N Shields Ave. // (804) 355-2282
Located in the heart of the Fan neighborhood, Joe’s Inn has been an RVA institution for diner food among restaurants in Richmond for a very long time!
For those not from Richmond, there are 2 “sides” to Joe’s, a bar and a dining room, both with the exact same menu.
With all-day breakfast and an extensive menu, Joe’s Inn is family-friendly and will have something for everyone on the menu. The portions at Joe’s are enormous, and will not leave you feeling hungry.
They are open every day during the week as well (Monday-Thursday 8 AM-12 AM, Friday 8 AM-2 AM). Also, they might have one of the best happy hours for craft beer in the city which is every day from 3-6 PM. Get to the bar side early or prepare to stand and drink.
Fine drinks and food come together at this classic Richmond restaurant.
The Mill on MacArthur
4023 MacArthur Ave. // (804) 716–1196
Located in the historic Bellevue district of Northside, The Mill at McArthur might be Richmond’s worst-kept secret for good food.
A family-friendly restaurant specializing in home-style dishes and locally-farmed produce, the Mill at McArthur has some amazing offerings.
In the quaint and cozy restaurant, be prepared to wait for a table, as they only have fifteen in their dining room. It’s worth it, we promise!
Try their Ultimate Grilled Cheese, which is pulled short rib with melted Havarti cheese, caramelized onions, and arugula on grilled sourdough. One of Chris’s favorite meals in Richmond!
Complete the meal with some delicious sweet potato fries or the to-die-for creamy mac & cheese.
Stella’s
1012 Lafayette St. // (804) 358-2011
If you ask a Richmonder what their favorite restaurants in Richmond is, we’d be willing to bet that Stella’s is in their top five.
Offering modern Greek dishes, Stella’s has reached the number one spot for one of the best Greek restaurants in Richmond. Chef Stella is a native of Greece and has embedded the heavenly Mediterranean flair into every bite.
The ambiance is modern and minimalistic, which only adds to the big and bold flavors of every dish. It’s essential to get the Saganaki, which is a flaming cheese appetizer.
As with every one of the restaurants in Richmond on this list, make a reservation if you don’t want to wait hours to eat.
There is a large communal table if you are willing to eat with friends you haven’t met yet!
L’Opossum
626 China St #626 // (804) 918-6028
Do you have 2 months to wait for a reservation? If yes, then you should try L’Opossum.
With the longest waitlist of any of the restaurants in Richmond, L’Opossum offers a playfully cosmopolitan take on French cuisine and craft co*cktails in a strangely eclectic, art-filled place.
A dining experience for the food curious, all dishes here burst with flavor and the wait staff is trained to help you pick the best wine or co*cktail pair for your meal.
The menu changes based on the availability of fresh ingredients and the unexpected dishes are not only delicious but beautifully presented.
Ready to eat here? As mentioned before, their pre-COVID waitlist was over two months, so make a reservation ASAP and be ready to take your taste buds on a luscious sensory journey.
Reservations can be made by clicking here.
Hot Chick
7th N 17th St. // (804) 596-9988
A nod to all things fried and southern, Hot Chick is the place for breaded and fried, juicy chicken.
Tucked into the 17th Street Market downtown, Hot Chick has probably the best-fried chicken sandwiches from all the restaurants in Richmond.
For your starters, choose from items like Bacon Fat Fries and Pimento Cheese balls, only to be followed by a signature fried chicken sandwich ranging from sweet to spicy that will have you clucking for more!
Feeling super hungry? For $20, order their Bad Mutha Clucka, two Nashville hot chicken breasts, a slab of bacon, ranch slaw, spicy ranch, smoky honey mustard, pickles, and muenster cheese. Don’t “chicken” out of trying one of the best places to eat in Richmond.
Little Nickel
4702 Forest Hill Ave. // (804) 230-8743
For a unique cuisine option, Little Nickel serves up dishes that fuse Filipino, Hawaiian, and Mediterranean flair alongside funky tropical co*cktails.
Hawaiian nachos, lamb shank tacos, and crab spaghetti are just some of the distinctive types of savory plates you can order and pair with their co*cktails.
Don’t forget to leave room for dessert. Their Pineapple Upside Down Cake is one for the books with a salted caramel rum flavor! For a taste of the islands, try this Richmond restaurant.
The Roosevelt
623 N 25th St. // (804) 658-1935
Nestled into Richmond’s oldest neighborhood of Church Hill, The Roosevelt has an untraditional approach to true southern cuisine. They’ve received national recognition for their food and craft co*cktail scene from publications like Thrillist, Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and Esquire.
From Fried Green Tomatoes and Honeynut Squash and Ricotta to Southern Carbonara and Pan Seared Scallops, you’ll enjoy a flavor journey through uniquely crafted southern dishes and a killer craft co*cktail.
They open daily at 5 PM and we highly encourage you to make a reservation.
Sabai
2727 W Broad St. // (804) 367-4992
In our opinion, Sabai is Richmond’s best for authentic Thai food. We know that’s a bold statement so let’s back it up by letting you know we’ve been to Thailand and this is the closest we’ve had to authentic Thai food since being back stateside.
Located near the Scott’s Addition neighborhood, Sabai is a perfect lunch or dinner spot when brewery hopping.
While their menu isn’t extensive, each dish is so perfectly prepared that you don’t need much more than what’s on the list.
Our favorite go-to’s are the Koa Pad Sapparot, which is pineapple fried rice that is out of the world juicy, and Koa Soi Gai, a dish specific to northern Thailand.
A curry style with bone-in chicken leg & sliced chicken with egg noodles served with pickled mustard greens, red onions, & chili oil. Their version is as good as any that we tried in the restaurants in Chiang Mai!
Don’t forget to grab a co*cktail! They are also known for their unique craft co*cktails that pair nicely with each dish.
Even with all the great restaurants in Richmond, you might want to “Thai” yourself up with this one.
Rappahannock Oyster Co.
320 E Grace St. // (804) 545-0565
Rappahannock Oyster Co. is the restaurant to go to for local and fresh oysters in RVA.
Focused on farm-to-table, you’ll relish a menu unmatched in originality that emphasizes their oyster farm.
While they have other restaurants, their Richmond restaurant location offers a fresh approach to fine dining while pairing their own oysters with delectable side dishes and alcohol.
Peter Chang
Multiple Locations
While not uniquely Richmond, Peter Chang has a cult-like following for his amazing Chinese food throughout Virginia. Peter Chang is a master chef and is regarded as the top Chinese chef in America.
With two locations in Richmond (Short Pump and Scott’s Addition), you’ll enjoy a good variety of authentic Chinese food with reasonable prices.
Local favorite dishes include the crispy pork belly and duck in a stone pot. For great Asian food in Richmond, Chang’s is the place.
Lunch. | Supper! / BRUNCH…
1213 Summit Ave. // (804) 353-0111
Located directly next to one another in Scott’s Addition, Lunch. and Supper! are two completely separate restaurants (but related). During the week, they have slight variations in their menus and hours so it’s important to know the difference.
Depending on your brunch date, you can enjoy one of the best brunches offered around the restaurants in Richmond from either spot, since the same menu is offered at both locations.
Supper! is much larger and has outdoor seating while Lunch. is quaint and more intimate. Don’t forget to order yourself (or your brunch date) a Fizzy Izzy (mango vodka, pineapple juice, and Prosecco)!
In 2019, the group that started Lunch. and Supper! opened a new restaurant nearby in the Fan neighborhood. Any guesses on what they called it? BRUNCH… of course. Open daily from 7 AM to 4 PM, you can enjoy brunch favorites all throughout the week.
Overall Best Restaurants in Richmond
If we are being honest, there are probably another ten or twenty restaurants in Richmond that should be on this list, because the food landscape in Richmond is delectable.
From authentic Thai cuisine to local seafood to All-American menus, RVA has quietly become a top east coast destination for food.
Because of all the yummy places, it’s hard for a restaurant to stand out and you have to be the best of the best to make it on this list.Happy eating!
If you’re looking for great things to do in Richmond, check this Local’s Guide out!
Samantha And Chris
We are Samantha and Chris and we run Boozing Abroad, a boozy travel blog that focuses on supporting local booze businesses when we travel. Our motto, “Drink locally. Travel globally.” What we have found on our travels is that we learn so much more about the culture of where we are, not to mention the interesting people we meet, when we have a drink in our hands at the local hangout spot.
