Tuesday, June 4, 2013

What to Do and Eat in Richmond, Virginia

I recently moved from Richmond after living there for 2 years. I was typing out a guide of Richmond restaurants and sights for my parents' upcoming visit and decided to share with the world.

Downtown/Shockhoe Bottom
Canal Walk
Confederate White House
Edgar Allen Poe museum
Holocaust museum
Pipe Walk - hidden but cool. walk on an old pipe along the river. slightly adventurous
John's Church - where Patrick Henry said give me liberty of give me death. reenactments on sundays, holidays, $

Food
Tarrant's - cool interior, good food, not super fancy
Alamo - extremely casual outdoor bbq, ghetto but good
Country Style Doughnuts - fabulous doughnuts. can be on the way to airport if you're on surface roads. definitely in the ghetto
Bottom's Up Pizza - the real Richmond experience! eat outside beneath 2 freeways
Comfort - tre chic Southern food in a deceptively casual restaurant

VCU area (between downtown and the Fan)
Belle Isle - where Chris Berridge was POW
Hollywood Cemetery - magnificent, Jeff Davis + 2 US presidents' graves
Jefferson Hotel - 4 star hotel, nice lobbies, historical displays, restaurants. the Brandcenter was it's old carriage house

Food
821 cafe - pretty good place for lunch by brand center
mojo's - by vcu, has a definite student vibe. also the best wings i've ever had. 1/2 off mondays
Jefferson Hotel - it's four stars, baby

The Fan (Uptown)
Maymont Park - an absolute must. Japanese and Italian gardens, mansion tours
Carytown - the nicest neighborhood to shop and eat downtown
Byrd Theater - incredible, majestic 100 year old theater has second-run movies, preluded by organ performances on Saturday night
VMFA - Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Monument Avenue - a must. cobble stone streets, confederate statues and old churches
University of Richmond - boasts itself Ivy League of the South. the end of the fan district

Food
Acacia Midtown - here's your fancy restaurant. a favorite of the cast of Lincoln
Buzz 'n' Neds - counter-style, best bbq you'll ever have
Kuba Kuba - the Cuban restaurant we went to
Water Grill - good filet, good price
Cook Out - the Southern version of In n Out. large menu, good shakes, try the cheer wine float
Crossroads Cafe - funky ice cream flavors like lavender, basil and rose

Short Pump
This is where the nice, outdoor mall is. Also Trader Joes, Whole Foods, etc.
ComedySportz is almost out there

Mechanicsville
Cold Harbor Civil War site

Midlothian
Rita's Italian Ice is the best

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