Where to Sip and Savor in Richmond

It’s always best to ask a local. Designer Amanda Nisbet’s list of eight best restaurants in Richmond, Virginia—including one coffee shop and one cocktail bar—covers all the essentials
The mirrored and wooden bar of The Jasper
The Jasper, a perfect spot for an after-work drink and savory bar bites, makes designer Amanda Nisbet’s list for best bars and restaurants in Richmond, Virginia

Best Coffee and Cocktails in Richmond

Lamplighter Coffee Roasters is a local company with three locations. They roast their own beans, so grab a latte and pick up some aromatic blends for gifts.

The Jasper's craft cocktails feature large ice-cubes bearing the bar's J insignia
The Jasper

For serious cocktails, there’s no better spot than The Jasper—this is not a restau­rant but an excellent bar with inspired cocktails, and they do have bar bites like smoked fish dip and chicken liver pâté. It’s the perfect stop to grab a drink after work or for a nightcap. In colder months, I like the Lux Manhattan (made with Booker’s Bourbon), of course!

Find more cocktail recommendations at Richmond’s best hotels.

Best Restaurants in Richmond

Richmond has no shortage of wonderful places to eat. For lunch, when feeling noble, I head to North End Juice Co. for fresh-pressed juices and smoothies. They also serve heartier fare like wraps and poke bowls.

When I’m feeling less than noble, I make a beeline for The Fancy Biscuit. Good­ness knows I love a biscuit (I really am an innate Southerner), and it’s a dream of a place. You can select one of their signature biscuits like Number 52—country ham, Sriracha hollandaise sauce, pepper-jack cheese, and a poached egg—or BYOB (build your own biscuit). Heaven.

The casual dining establishment Taste is one of Nisbet's picks for best restaurants in Richmond, Virginia
Amanda Nisbet (right) and Caroline Ellett at Taste
gourmet treats gift basket from Taste, Richmond, VA
Add gift baskets of holiday treats from Taste to the list of best shopping in Richmond, too.

Taste is like family—there’s great salads, sandwiches, and gourmet treats to take home, and it’s always buzzing. You will most likely see someone you know, so put on lipstick!

The chef at L’ Opossum, David Shannon, was sous chef at the famed Inn at Little Washing­ton, and he opened a fabulous hot spot here. It’s impossible to get a reservation even a month in advance. We end up going at 5 o’clock sometimes just to get in. It’s a bawdy, somewhat gaudy atmosphere, but the food is sublime, and the custom cocktails are swoon-worthy.

Chef/Owner of Dutch & Company, one of the best restaurants in Richmond, Virginia
Caleb Shriver of Dutch & Company

Dutch & Company is such a find. Located in the Church Hill historic district of Richmond, it’s just the best food. Try the prix fixe three-course menu for only $30—it’s a great way to sample their fare.

An elegant scallop dish with cooked greens and sauce at the Heritage, a fine dining restaurant in Richmond, VA
Heritage

I head to Heritage when I’m seeking classic but updated and inspired dishes—think fried Virginia oysters, perfect roast chicken, and a burger with smoked tomato aioli—all in a comfort­able setting.

More of Amanda Nisbet’s Richmond

→ My Hometown at Christmas

Meet interior designer Amanda Nisbet, see her adopted city at its festive best, and find out where to stay when you visit Richmond

→ Best Shopping in Richmond

Home decor, flowers, and locally made goods and gifts

→ What to See in Richmond

Art galleries, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and Monument Avenue


Produced by Alice Welsh Doyle | Photography by Sarah Walor

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