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Where the Restaurateurs Dine

As someone who writes about restaurants for a living I’m often asked about them, at parties, in restaurants, in an aisle at the supermarket.

Ironically, though, I’m rarely asked about the dining scene or for restaurant recommendations. Instead I’m asked one question, again and again:

"What’s your favorite restaurant?"

It’s a question I find surprisingly difficult to answer. What’s my favorite restaurant? For what? Lunch, dinner, Happy Hour, takeout, soup, pasta, special occasions, Mexican? There’s a lot of weight to that question and inevitably a lot of judgment over my response.

Still, it’s a reasonable enough question and I always enjoy throwing it back at the questioner once I answer.

So when I was thinking about a dining feature to kick off the launch of the new Richmond.com, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

I gathered the owners of a few of my favorite Richmond restaurants and asked them the question.

"What’s your favorite Richmond restaurant?"

Because, really, when you’re trying to decide where to grab a bite, wouldn't it be great to go to the places where the people who helped define Richmond dining are going? I sure think so.

Lisa Edwards, co-owner, Millie’s

"This is Millie’s 20th year anniversary and we still work really hard at it. We’re never complacent in our food or our attitude. It’s an honor to be beloved by so many people, but we do work hard at it."

Mekong – "I lean ethnic when I go out."

Malabar – "I’m really partial to Indian food. Malabar is in Short Pump, from the same people who owned India House."

"I also love Helen’s, Acacia and Comfort. It’s always such an easy one to fall back on."

Peter Harahan, owner, Avalon

"I like to go to Bamboo [Café]." (Which he also owns.) "I’m not a real foodie person."

"Mamma ‘Zu is a favorite for Italian food, but I also like O’Toole’s. I grew up with the O’toole boys.

"I’m kind of a diner person – Paradise Diner, River City. I like Mary Angela's for sandwiches and pizza, Mom’s Siam for Thai. Mezzanine is a great new place. Randy used to work here. Here in the Fan I like The White Dog, they do a great job."

"Kitchen 64 is great. Kuba Kuba is too. Of course Millie’s. And Café Rustica and The Black Sheep."

Andrew Hardie, owner, Chez Foushee

"I cook a lot at home so when we go out the goal is good food, but also somewhere we know will be fun. We want to go somewhere where we’ll run into other people."

Vietnam One – "Excellent chicken soup."

Mamma ‘Zu – "Of course, it’s on everyone’s list – good food, good time, we’ve been going there from the start."

Verbena – "Good appetizer and bar menu upstairs, it’s fun with other people."  

Andy Howell, owner and chef, Café Rustica

"[Richmond restaurants] need to step up the quality of the food and bring down the prices."

Six Burner – "I think [Chef] Lee [Gregory] makes some of the most interesting food in town."

821 Café – "’Cause it’s hip and cheap and keeps me in touch with the pierced crowd."

Bistro Twenty Seven – "They all know me."

"I also love to get pizza at Sette and to see [owner/chef] Kevin [Roberts] at The Black Sheep, but it’s always so full."

Dale and Aline Reitzer, chef and owners, Acacia Mid-Town

"OK. We have a list."

"Mamma ‘Zu, Mom’s Siam, Karen's Diner, Mekong, Six Burner, Can Can and The Black Sheep."

"No new restaurants because we really haven’t been out as a couple in a while. These are all places that we frequent as a family and thoroughly enjoy and have for years." 

Ed Vasaio, owner and chef, Mamma ‘Zu

"I see Mamma ‘Zu as an Italian diner. I’ve never made a claim at this was haute cuisine. This amount of foodies and blogs … it’s vulgar. The preoccupation with food is an eating disorder. I love to cook and I love to eat."

Full Kee – "I find them to be very friendly people. I don’t like food that’s been touched for too long."

Michelle Williams, owner and chef, Europa, The Hard Shell, deLux and The Hill Café

"I wish that Richmond diners would be more adventurous. I think people find their comfort zone in that Americana food. I feel like before the malls – before the influx of chains – people were more adventurous."

Edo's Squid – "I have to eat the baked fennel while I’m there. Baked fennel and fried oysters and I’m a happy girl … and the baked cabbage."

Mezzanine – "I love Mezzanine. I like the concept. The flavors are good and clean. He makes a quinoa cake that’s …"

Mekong – "The good is just consistently good."

Thai Diner Too – "Pad Thai and noodle soups. It’s my winter go-to spot."

Want more great dining recommendations and the inside scoop on where the best of the best are dining? Don't worry, there's more to come.