Weekly Food News
Weekly Food News: New spots in Midlothian, local favorites make national lists, a fire fundraiser, and more
Three new restaurants are headed to the Midlothian/Powhatan general areas, a local popup is headed for a permanent spot in Scott’s Addition, the community is rallying to support those displaced by a fire at Don’t Look Back, and more.
All the news that’s fit to eat
Owners of Toast popping out second location – A whole host of new restaurants are coming to the Midlothian area, as the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Karri Peifer reports. Toast, a locally-owned restaurant in the Village Shopping Center, is opening a second location in Powhatan off Winterfield Road. Owners Josh and Jessica Bufford hope to get their second location up and running by September. Read more from Peifer here.
One chain, one new local place headed for Midlothian – A breakfast and lunch spot based in Florida is also opening a location in Midlothian. First Watch will open on Huguenot Road. The chain specializes in your typical breakfast fare and sandwiches, salads, and such for the lunch crowd. Expect the new restaurant to open in early 2018. The Shaved Duck, described as a restaurant serving “new American” fare, is also planned for the area and will be located in the Westchester Commons development. Expect duck, shrimp and grits, and other southern fare when it opens its doors. Learn more about both spots from the RTD here.
Joe’s Inn, Mama J’s make national lists – A Fan institution, Joe’s Inn, has been open for 65 years and shows no signs of slowing down. The beloved establishment has made industry publication FSR Magazine’s list of the top 100 legends and landmarks. The annual list ranks establishments across the nation. Southern favorite Mama J’s also made a national-ranking list, named to Thrillist’s picks of the “50 essential restaurants everyone should visit,” saying:
Mama J’s flaky, fried catfish, mac & cheese, and peach cobbler will either you remind you of your grandma’s Sunday cooking, or make you wish you had a grandma who cooked on Sundays. Either way, you’ll be thankful for the flavors at this Downtown Richmond soul food spot. Portions are as enormous as the place is tiny, both of which inspire 40-minute-long lines just to get in the door, every day of the week, at almost any time. It’s very casual, very loud, absurdly friendly, and 100% lives up to expectations.
Don’t Look Back hosting three days of music to help employees – Over the July 4th weekend, a fire damaged the popular Carytown taco joint Don’t Look Back. It’s going to take about six months to reopen the restaurant, and that means a lot of employees are out of work. To help those impacted, folks have banded together for three days of live music to be known as Don’t Look Back Fest starting Thursday, August 3rd. Tickets are only $6 in advance or $8 at the door, and donations are welcome, of course. Learn more about the lineup here.
Longoven shacks up in Scott’s Addition – Popular popup dinner series Longoven has found a permanant home, Richmond BizSense reports. The three-year-old series will open a spot on W. Clay Street in Scott’s Addition and is aiming for a February 2018 opening. The move will sunset the restaurant’s popups as owners shift to a traditional restaurant concept at the new location. Learn more about what to expect here.
This week’s restaurant reviews:
