New Restaurants in October 2015

Kitchenette! Urban Farmhouse! Ginger Juice! Whisk! Belle & James!!

November 5, 2015; 10:31 AM • by Stephanie Ganz

Photo via Kitchenette

KITCHENETTE

Ted & Kirsten Perkinson have been part of the fabric of #RVAdine before hashtags even existed–they were the opening team at 821 Bakery & Cafe and the masterminds behind Mainly Pasta, a now-defunct caterer that did…well, you can imagine what they specialized in. In recent years, they’ve been stalwarts of the South of the James farmers market, selling fully-loaded bagels, frittatas and muffins to the Saturday morning masses. But the Perkinsons and business partner Cynthia Webb had a new vision for Richmond–a casual spot to pick up breakfast in the mornings and ready-to-go meals in the afternoon and evenings. The team recently opened Kitchenette at 1405 Prince Arthur Road. There you’ll find the same bagels, comfort food, and friendly vibes that have made Kitchenette one of the most popular stops at the market and for Wednesday lunchgoers at the Martin Agency, where Kitchenette’s mobile unit sets up weekly.

URBAN FARMHOUSE MARKET & CAFE

Soon, I suspect we’ll all be saying that things are “popping up like Urban Farmhouses,” as it seems that the chain of cafes opens a new location every other month. The VCU location, which opened at the beginning of October, is the fifth Urban Farmhouse with other locations in Shockoe Bottom, Church Hill, Scott’s Addition, and Midlothian. VCU students can now enjoy Urban Farmhouses coffees and sandwiches Monday – Friday from 6:30 AM – 9:00 PM, Saturdays, 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM and Sundays from 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM at 800 W. Broad Street.

GINGER JUICE

If Erin Powell, the owner of Ginger Juice, which opened at the end of October in The Village shopping center, ever sleeps, I can’t imagine when it would be. The juice shop operator is still employed full-time at Snagajob. She’s a single mother to a four-year-old. And she just launched a brick & mortar outpost for her popular line of cold-press juice. I suppose she’s just constantly energized by the vitamins and nutrients she manages to absorb from her line-up of juices and the occasional Goatocado quinoa bowl. And that makes me strongly consider embarking on a juice cleanse myself.

WHISK

Nina Simone looks lovelier than ever, watching over the intersection of 21st and E. Main Street in Shockoe Slip. Originally painted by Ed Trask, the Simone mural got a facelift last month when Trask returned to paint Whisk’s logo on the former Globehopper building. Owner Morgan Botwinick opened Whisk on October 21st to a line of customers that stretched beyond those brand new doors. Clearly the slip was starving for French-inspired pastries, Lamplighter coffee, and espresso drinks; Botwinick’s sweet and savory croissants, macarons, and now sandwiches have been hitting the spot ever since.

BELLE & JAMES

They roved and they popped up, and now they’re finally home. Belle & James, owned by Kunal Shah, opened in the upcoming double-Hilton at 700 E. Main Street just before Halloween. The restaurant serves a mix of French and American fare, plus wine, beer, and craft cocktails. There are plans for both a first-floor juice bar called Sip and a rooftop bar, Kabana, in the coming months; but for now, stop by Belle & James for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday.

November 5, 2015 10:31 AM · in East End Daily, Fan of the Fan, and more 0