Eating Out In Richmond's Hip Church Hill, Top 10 Restaurants

Alamo BBQ is a true meat lover’s paradise and offers a taste of Texas BBQ in the heart of Church Hill. This BBQ joint specialises in mouth-watering meats, including an award-winning beef brisket, plus several items influenced by the Southwest. A little place where customers order via a take-out window, this joint offers outdoor seating where diners can devour their choice of meats, ribs, sandwiches, sides, plus desserts. Try the fish, beef, or pork tacos on flour tortillas; the beef brisket sandwich with onion and jalapeños; or the spicy jalapeño macaroni and cheese.

Established in 2012 by Michael Calogerakis, Anthony’s on the Hill is a cosy neighbourhood establishment specialising in authentic Italian cuisine. A family-owned operation complete with a welcoming atmosphere, the culinary crew procures the freshest ingredients for its tasty fare, which includes house-made sauces and pizza dough. With an impressive dinner menu featuring appetisers, salads, entrées, and pizzas, everyone in your group will find something of interest here. Try the fried mozzarella, the Greek pizza, or the meatball pizza, a house specialty.

Opened in 2013, Dutch and Company is an intimate café serving regional American cuisine. With a focus on seasonal ingredients that are procured regionally, the culinary team creates delectable dinner menus full of bold flavours that are sure to please many gastronomes, especially those seeking seafood, poultry, or meat. Diners can start with the tomato appetiser, which is composed of pork belly lardons, cucumber, basil, smoked eggplant purée, and anchovy oil, followed by flounder with arborio rice, ham yolk, marinated calamari, summer beans, and pea tendrils. As for dessert, the stroopwafel, which is a cinnamon waffle with caramel and vanilla bean ice cream, is one enticing option. This place also houses a full bar with many liqueurs, beer, and wine selections.

Metzger Bar and Butchery features seasonal German-inspired cuisine. As the name suggests, this venue is part restaurant and part butchery, selling which sells a variety of meat and seafood. An intimate spot that serves dinner Tuesday through Sunday plus a weekend brunch, the joint offers diners a dinner menu with small and large plates, and prix fixe menu that is only available on Wednesday. Succulent highlights include pork schnitzel accompanied by duck fat potatoes and sauerkraut and rabbit with kale, sweet potato, speck, and pastry crust. For dessert, try the sweet potato pot de crème topped with marshmallow whipped cream and a malted rye cookie.

A staple on Richmond’s culinary scene since 1989, Millie’s Diner is a fun place that comes complete with jukeboxes at the tables and New American cuisine imbued with international flavours. A cosy and colourful interior awaits eager diners who come for lunch, dinner or weekend brunch, the latter of which is widely considered to be the best brunch in Richmond. One highlight featured on the brunch and lunch menus is the veggie mess, an open-faced omelette with veggies and cheese. Those who come for dinner can enjoy Thai spicy shrimp with asparagus, shiitakes, lime, red cabbage, cilantro, peanuts, and rice noodles. Millie’s also offers a tasting menu plus an extensive list of wines, beers, and cocktails.

Located down the street from where Patrick Henry uttered the famous phrase, ‘Give me freedom, or give me death,’ sits a pre-Civil War inn that houses Patrick Henry’s Pub and Grille. An English pub and restaurant that features a garden patio, this neighbourhood venue is a place where people can try tasty fare alongside a host of adult beverages. Dishes to note include the Patrick Henry Angus burger, which can be customised with an array of toppings; fish and chips; and a New York strip steak with a choice of sides, including mixed vegetables and roasted potatoes. The pub also hosts trivia night on Mondays.

Founded in 2012 by brother-sister duo Evrim and Evin Dogu, Sub Rosa Bakery is a lovely venue specialising in assorted baked goods. A wood fire bakery, this establishment also stone-mills its own flour from grains, including organics and heirloom varieties, procured from local sources. The team also sources organic produce and meats from Virginia sources when available. While the bakery’s specialty is bread and pastries, including sweet and savoury croissants, fruit tarts, and cookies, they also offer breakfast and lunch. An espresso bar is also available.

The Hill Café is a quaint place with a corner storefront that serves up tasty comfort food. Best described as a friendly neighbourhood café, visitors are presented with a large menu featuring everything from starters to soups and salads to entrées to blue plate specials. The menu also has several vegetarian options. Highlights to note are chicken-fried steak topped with white gravy and served with choice of sides, such as mashed potatoes and braised collard greens; and the vegetarian plate of roasted polenta cakes with asparagus and shiitake mushroom-butter sauce. They also host a Sunday brunch that will satisfy those diners seeking something sweet or savoury. Exterior | Courtesy of The Roosevelt

Established in 2011 by chef Lee Gregory, a James Beard nominee and Kendra Feather, The Roosevelt is a multi-award winning restaurant specialising in New Southern cuisine. Procuring the best ingredients available from local and regional purveyors for their dinners and Sunday brunch items, the culinary team creates beautifully prepared dishes that will appeal to a wide range of tastes. Delectable dishes include chicken with cheese grits, Surry sausage, pickled okra, and mustard cream; and spaetzle with autumn squash, cabbage, mushrooms, a fried egg, plus collard green pesto. Virginia wines, regional beers, and a host of handcrafted libations round out the offerings at The Roosevelt. Cake | Courtesy of WPA Bakery

A joint venture between Kendra Feather and David Rohrer, winner of the Best Pastry Chef/Baker from Richmond Magazine in 2014, WPA Bakery is a sweet lover’s paradise. Opened in 2012, this bakery provides tantalising desserts for nearby restaurants in addition to the general public. Some enticing options that visitors will find at the shop include cupcakes, cookies, pies, cheesecakes, muffins, and pastries. Try the pumpkin-butterscotch muffins, apple-spice donuts, or a paquet with spinach, feta, artichoke heart, and pesto when available. Open every day of the week, this is a must-try spot in Richmond.