Ask Lauren: The breakfast, lunch, and dinner edition
This week we’re doing things a little differently and bringing you a very special breakfast, lunch, and dinner edition of Ask Lauren.
You ask the questions, we give you the answers–but this time you get three answers for the price of one!
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Where can I take my two (mostly) darling children to eat in the city? I’m tired of “family-friendly” national chains.
We get this question all the time! With more families making the decision to live within the city limits, there’s a growing number of people who need quality but appropriate family dining options. The following spots are all battle-tested and kid-approved by yours truly’s offspring:
- Breakfast: City Diner. It’s Richmond’s great melting pot; expect to see neighborhood folk, Shaka Smart, or maybe even Senator Kaine! Two eggs, bacon / sausage, with your choice of toast or biscuit will run you around $5.50. They’ve also got a massive chocolate chip pancake.
- Lunch: Joe’s Inn. Joe’s Inn is about as classic Richmond as it gets, has a million billion menu items that’ll please even the pickiest of little eaters, and, as a bonus, you can eat breakfast at non-breakfast times!
- Dinner: The Continental Westhampton. It’s got patio options, veggie options, drink options, housemade chips covered in cheese and bacon options. Pro tip: canned beer is $3 on Sundays (with some truly legit and local brews).
I just started dating this girl, and boy does she loves a patio. I need to impress her, and I need some more patio options quick!
What is it with some people and eating out of doors? Does food, somehow, taste better when removed from the shackles of shelter? I don’t really get it, but I accept that this is a Thing and might just be encoded into certain people’s DNA. Here are some suggestions, and best of luck with your romantic endeavors!
- Breakfast: Can Can Brasserie. You’ve got a true patio and a patio-like option at Can Can. First, the true patio is an adorable little number directly adjacent to the restaurant. Second, grab a seat inside but next to the MASSIVE windows that are usually open. While not outside, it’s the next best thing.
- Lunch: En Su Boca. It’s new, it’s tacos, and it’s got a cool street-art adorned patio. Grab some tacos (or the Mexican street corn which looks fantastic) before catching a movie at Movieland or heading over to the Redskins training camp.
- Happy Hour: Legend. What would a list of patios be without mention of Legend? Their patio is, in fact, the stuff of…legends. No where else in the city can you order beer by the pitcher with such a beautiful view of the city skyline and the mighty James River.
- Dinner: The Daily Kitchen & Bar. It’s the new spot to see and be seen! So head down there, grab a seat on their beautifully redone patio, and get to people watching. Double plus for vegetarians as the menu is absolutely loaded with meat-free options.
I love the ocean, and I want to eat all of its delicious treasures!!!
Cool, us too!
- Breakfast: Mezzanine. Do you like shrimp? Do you like grits? Do you like the creamy, salty, delicious combination of the two? Do you consider it one of life’s most perfect foods? DO YOU? Well, Mezzanine makes a pretty good bowl of the stuff for Sunday brunch (plus they have a Bloody Mary bar).
- Lunch: Merroir. Second, make a day of it, and hop in your car and go east, my friend! An hour down the road is beautiful Topping, Virginia, and placed perfectly on the edge of the Rappahannock River is Merroir! That’s right, the very same Merroir that’s owned by the fine proprietors of RVA’s Rappahannock (the restaurant, not the river). Drink booze! Eat oysters and other wonderful seafood. Gaze lovingly at Virginia’s beauteous countryside.
- Dinner: Merroir. Heck, you’re already out there, just crack open another brew and stay for dinner!
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Ross Catrow
Founder and publisher of RVANews.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
Just curious, why is the column called “Ask Lauren” when Ross Catrow is the author? Is Lauren his pen name? His alter-eating ego? His invisible friend who accompanies him on reviews?