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Eat Local! The RVA Mag Guide to Supporting Restaurants During COVID-19

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The current situation may be tough on local business, but many restaurants in Richmond are opening up options for delivery and pickup orders to help get past the worst weeks of this pandemic. Here’s how you can help, while scoring delicious eats in the process!

While people are purchasing mass quantities of toilet paper, baby wipes, and frozen chicken, it can be tempting to lock yourself in your house and make meals with what you already have. But when you’re craving your favorite local dishes, restaurants in Richmond have a safe way to bring them to you: with pick-up and delivery, it’s still possible to enjoy the city’s best dining without the worry. Now more than ever, it’s time to support our local businesses however we can. 

We’ve gathered a list of Richmond restaurants that are open for business with new takeout and delivery options during the COVID-19 pandemic. Listings will be updated as more information becomes available. In addition to using these safe avenues to support local business, many locals are also purchasing gift cards to help restaurants through the closures. It’s a great way to show your support now — and still be able to go out to eat when life calms down. Many included have shortened their operating hours, so be sure to order within their updated time frames for pick-up and delivery. 

Check out your favorites here, and if you’re a local restaurant owner, reach out to us at [email protected] to have your spot added below. 

Last Updated 12 PM Tuesday, March 31.

DELIVERY & CARRYOUT OPTIONS AVAILABLE
These establishments — listed in alphabetical order for easy searching — are continuing with, or even adding, carryout and delivery options. Specific details listed with each business.

8 1/2
Church Hill location open (one customer permitted inside at a time). delivery through Quickness. Fan location closed indefinitely.

821 Cafe
To-go orders and delivery available. Open Wednesday- Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday-Sunday 9am-2pm. Menus for ordering options available here.

Ardent Craft Ales 
Curbside pickup and delivery available. 

Assante’s Pizza
Open regular hours (11am-3am) for takeout and delivery.

Barcode
Open regular hours. Takeout available, delivery through Grubhub.

Barrel Thief Wine Shop 
Pickup and delivery both available. 

Beauvine
Everyday 11am – 1am Takeout, Curbside, Delivery. Offering bottle beer, wine, and more. Call 804 -592-5592 to order.

Belmont Pizza 
Pickup and delivery both available. 

Big Herm’s Kitchen
Open Mon-Fri 11am-6pm for takeout and delivery. Order by phone or through Chop Chop, QuicknessRVA, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and EatStreet. Catering orders available. People wishing to support the restaurant can also purchase gift certificates and merch including hoodies, skullcaps, and pajama day shirts.

Bingo Beer Co
Pickup and delivery both available. 12-8pm daily, offering three delivery zones (check them out here) within 12 miles of their location in Scott’s Addition. Order on their website or directly through the link here.

Bryant’s Cider
Open for takeout Fridays 6-8pm, and Saturday-Sunday 3-5pm. Curbside pickup available. Delivery available through website beginning April 1.

Burger Bach Carytown
Open Sunday-Thursday 12-8pm, Friday-Saturday 12-10pm. Delivery from the restaurant directly.

Burger Bach Midlothan, Short Pump, Charlottesville, Durham
12-8pm every day. Curbside carryout, online ordering, and delivery. DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats ordering available.

Buskey Cider 
Open Monday-Friday 3pm-7pm and Saturday-Sunday 12pm-7pm for to-go pickup and free delivery within 15 miles of cidery.

Buz & Ned’s 
Open 11:30am-2:30pm and again 4:30-8pm. Curbside pickup available at West Broad location, pickup from express window at Boulevard location. Delivery available from Grubhub and Postmates.

Cafe Zata
Takeout available, delivery options thru UberEats and Eat Street.

The Camel
Taking orders over the phone for takeout or curbside pickup. Delivery through GrubHub, UberEats, DoorDash and EatStreet. Full menu, growler fill ups, and packaged beer to-go available. New hours are from 3 – 10pm.

Casa Del Barco 
Reopening downtown location Friday, March 27 for takeout and delivery. Open 12pm-9pm.

Cobra Cabana 
Pickup and delivery both available. 

Conch Republic Rocketts
Open for takeout from 11:30am-8:30pm, and for delivery from 11:30am-7:30pm. Employee delivery is available if you call the restaurant directly at (804)226-6242, or you can order through Uber Eats.

The Daily 
Open for carryout and delivery. Offering delivery through ChopChopRVA, from both Short Pump and Carytown locations. Hours generally 12-8pm but check Facebook for updates.

Diamond Billiards
Offering curbside delivery of our full menu Tuesday-Saturday from 11:00am-7:00pm. (804) 794-8787

En Su Boca
Open every day noon-midnight for takeout and delivery. Curbside pickup available. Offering bottle beer, wine, and House margarita mix. Call (804)359-0768 to order.

Garnett’s Cafe 
Takeout and delivery only. Order online at website.

The Grapevine
Open regular hours. Takeout and delivery available.

Growlers To Go 
Boulevard location open afternoons, Thursday through Sunday. Short Pump location open afternoons, Tuesday through Sunday. Limited taps available. Offering curbside pickup. Delivery available 3-8pm every day; order through website.

GWARBar
Open for takeout and delivery 11am-10pm. Beer and wine available for pickup.

Helen’s 
Open for takeout and delivery Tuesday-Saturday 5-9pm. Limited menu available, updated weekly. Call (804)358-4370 to order.

Home Sweet Home
Pickup and delivery both available. Call 804-355-9000 to order pickup, and delivery orders can be placed through Uber Eats, GrubHub, DoorDash, and Chop Chop RVA.

Home Team Grill
Fan location: Takeout and delivery available through DoorDash and Grubhub. 12-7pm daily hours.
Twin Hickory location: Takeout with Curbside and delivery through Doordash. 11:30am-8pm daily hours.

India K’Raja
Takeout and delivery available.

Isley Brewing Company 
To-go orders, delivery within 10 miles of brewery. 

Izzy’s Kitchen
Open for pickup from 11am-3pm and 5-7:30pm. Curbside pickup available. Delivery available through Chop Chop RVA.

Julep’s New Southern Cuisine
Opening for takeout and delivery with updated menu starting Tuesday, March 24. Hours will be 11am-5pm Monday-Saturday. Delivery available within 10 mile radius.

La Bamba Mexican Restaurant
To-go orders available including beer. Use parking lot and call to notify staff of your arrival. Delivery available through EatStreet.

Latitude Seafood Co.
Both locations open for carryout and delivery. Stony Point location open from 12-8pm, Westchester Commons from 4-8pm. Delivery available directly or through ChowNow, Grubhub, and Doordash.

Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery 
Open Monday-Friday 2-7pm, Saturday-Sunday 12-7pm. Drive-thru curbside pickup, delivery, and shipping throughout Virginia and some other states (check website for info on shipping out of state).

Luther Burger
Open for takeout and delivery. Curbside pickup available. Hours and menu subject to change, check Facebook for current info.

Maldini’s
Open regular hours; 11am-10pm Sunday-Thursday, 11am-11pm Friday-Saturday. Curbside takeout, family-style dining options available as well as regular menu. Delivery in-house or through Uber Eats, Doordash, and Slice.

Mama J’s Kitchen
Carryout and delivery available; call or order through website in advance for carryout. Delivery available through Doordash and Postmates.

Mellow Mushroom 
All local locations open 11am-8pm for takeout and curbside pickup. Delivery orders available online only.

Mojo’s 
Pickup and delivery both available. Employee support fund at GoFundMe.

Nama
Open for carryout and delivery Tuesday-Sunday 4-9pm. Two deals available that donate 15 percent of proceeds to Richmond Animal League.

Piccola Italy
Takeout available strictly from takeout window on Harrison St. side of building. Delivery continues with usual hours and ordering process. Call 804-355-3111 to place all orders until further notice.

PikNik 
Open 3-9pm daily for takeout and delivery. To order, call (804)729-4693.

Postbellum
Open 4pm-9pm Wednesday-Sunday for takeout. Curbside service available. Limited menu available for delivery through Uber Eats and Doordash.

Rappahannock RVA 
Open 12-8pm daily for takeout and delivery. Call (804)545-0565 or order online through Grubhub.

Root Stock Provisions
Open for takeout Thursday-Sunday 8am-2pm. Delivery available through Uber Eats.

Roots Natural Kitchen
Open normal hours, for takeout only. Delivery available through third party delivery apps (Uber Eats, Doordash, Postmates).

SB’s Lakeside Love Shack
Delivery and takeout available.

Sedona Taphouse
Curbside pickup and delivery available. Bottled and canned beer, and wine served at 50% off to residents and businesses within a 5-mile radius of Glen Allen and Midlothian locations. $5 delivery fee. Family Meal Deal with two flat iron steaks, with two sides each and a bottle of wine for under $40. Monday-Thursday and Sunday 11am-8:30pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-10pm.

Soul Taco
Both locations, Jackson Ward and Shockoe Slip, open for takeout. Orders can be placed through their website, or by calling in. Delivery available through Quickness, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates, and Grubhub. Cocktails and meal kits available; check their Instagram or Facebook for current info on types of kits and times available.

Station 2
Open 11am-midnight for takeout and delivery. Parking lot pickup available, delivery available through Uber Eats.

Sticky Rice
Open daily for takeout and delivery 11am-9pm. Curbside pickup available. Delivery available through Quickness.

Strangeways Brewing 
To-go beer orders only. Open 2-7 Monday through Friday, 12-7 Saturday, 2-6 Sunday. Curbside pickup available at both Dabney Rd and Scott’s Addition locations. Dabney Rd location also doing delivery Monday-Saturday. Order before 5pm for deliveries between 5 and 7pm that evening.

Sugar Shack Donuts 
Lombardy St and Parham Rd locations open for takeout and delivery 7am-2pm. Delivery via Grubhub and Uber Eats.

Switch
Wine, beer, and merch only. Open Tuesday-Sunday 1-9pm for takeout. Delivery from 4-9pm.

Toast
Carryout and delivery available. Curbside pickup available by request. Delivery handled through Uber Eats and Grubhub.

Triple Crossing Beer 
Offering to-go and delivery options for beers. 

Union Market 
Dining room and bar temporarily closed, but full menu available to-go. Can be ordered online from UberEats (delivery fees have been waived for independent restaurants), or call in for pick up or for delivery through Quickness RVA. If you’re in the delivery zone for Quickness RVA, they can also deliver items from the market, including essentials, snacks, beer and wine. The market side of the business will remain open for shopping needs. 

The Veil 
Open for takeout 1-7pm Monday-Friday and 12-6pm Saturday-Sunday. Delivery available ($40 minimum) by emailing [email protected] Orders placed by 12 noon will receive same day delivery by 6pm; orders after 12 noon will be delivered the next day.

Weezie’s Kitchen
Open for takeout and delivery. Brunch menu available daily, all day. Hours are 12am-10pm daily. Delivery available through Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Doordash.

CARRY-OUT RESTAURANTS
These places are operating mainly on a takeaway basis, some with limited hours and/or menus. If you are making a to-go order, check on order-ahead options — they’re a good time-saver when available. This list is long, so again, they’re in alphabetical order for easy scrollability.

Alewife 
To-go only. 

The Answer Brewpub 
12-5pm Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday. A list of items available for purchase is available on The Answer’s Instagram. 

Baked RVA
This food truck is on the corner of 10th and Leigh streets in front of Barnes & Noble Monday through Friday from 7am-11pm, offering takeout pastries and baked goods.

Barrio Taqueria & Tequila
Limited menu with pick-up only via online ordering. Delivery coming soon. They were closed all last week, so check Facebook for updates on whether they’ve reopened.

Belmont Butchery 
Pickup available. Limit 3 customers inside butchery at a time.

Black Hand Coffee Company 
Open for takeout. Brookland Park location from 7am-1pm, Patterson Ave location 8am-2pm. Offering mobile order pick-up on the Cloosiv app. The instructions for this are on their Instagram: “Simply download the Cloosiv app, enter your info, allow your location to be shared with the app and you’re good to go.” 

Blue Bee Cider 
Curbside pickup available. 

Brenner Pass 
Curbside pickup available. 

Can Can Brasserie 
To-go only options available. 

Center of the Universe Brewing
To-go sales only with adjusted taproom hours. Curbside pickup available, park alongside the front curb and proceed to the front door. Patrons will stay outside, and COTU team will deliver orders to the front. All tips received will benefit the front staff during closures. 10% off all case purchases and a buy $50 worth of COTU gift cards and get $10 free promotion. Growlers can be filled (only with the purchase of a new growler). Kegs are available, ordering via email at [email protected] for availability and pricing. Gift cards are available here.

Curbside Cafe
Full menu available for takeout 11am-10pm.

Diamond Billiards
Full menu available for curbside pickup Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm.

Dot’s Back Inn 
Open for takeout 11am-8pm daily. Limited menu available for curbside pickup.

Dutch and Company 
To-go orders available at website. Back door dogs available every Saturday.

Early Bird Biscuit Co
Takeout available at both locations.

Fallout
Open for takeout with curbside pickup, 6pm-midnight daily. No membership required. Call (804)343-3688 to order.

Final Gravity Brewing Co. 
To-go options available. 

Fine Creek Brewing Company 
To-go beers available for pickup. 

Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery 
Curbside pickup available. 

Gelati Celesti
Takeout is available with limited flavors posted on their website. Call order hotline at (804)200-0600 from 11am-8pm to place orders.

Hardywood 
Offering to-go orders of beers 2-7pm Tuesday through Friday, and 11am-4pm Saturday and Sunday. Place orders here.

Intermission Beer Company 
Curbside pickup available. 

Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Bar 
Open 11am-10pm for takeout and delivery only. Curbside pickup available. Order through website.

Joe’s Inn 
Takeout available for curbside pickup only. Call (804)355-2282 to order.

Laura Lee’s 
Open for takeout 12-8pm. Order online through website.

The Local Eatery And Pub
Open for takeout and curbside pickup 12-7pm seven days a week. Limited menu viewable on facebook page.

Lunch & Supper 
Open 11am-8pm daily for curbside takeout.

New York Deli 
Open 11am-7pm for takeout. Offering online ordering through the Toast Takeout app, or call 804-358-DELI. For extra support, check out the “New York Deli employee relief fund” on GoFundMe with 100% going directly to the staff, set up by Trent Hazelwood.

North End Juice Co
Open for carryout only. Food industry folks who’ve lost income are offered a 20 percent discount and a free wellness shot.

O’Tooles 
Takeout only at both locations, Forest Hill and Midlothian. 

Oak And Apple
Open for takeout Thursday-Sunday 5-10pm. Curbside pickup available.

Perch RVA
Open 12-8pm. Take-out meals available with wine; order via Toast or by phone at (804)669-3344. Menus will be posted daily. 

Peter Chang
Takeout only. 

Proper Pie 
Takeout only. Limit of 5 customers in store at a time. 

River City Roll 
Open for takeout with curbside pickup 12-7pm daily.

The Roosevelt 
Open for takeout — order online from noon to 8pm at Upserve. Check Facebook for current menu and hours.

Rostov’s Coffee & Tea
Pick-up services from front and back doors, customers can call ahead to order (preferred payment via credit card over the phone when ordering). Walk-up ordering available. Pounds of coffee and bags of tea for sale, no brewed beverages during this time. “Joe-to-Go” available (8 cups of brewed coffee) if ordered when calling ahead, and cold brew concentrate pick-ups are available as well. All pens, credit card terminals, door handles, flat surfaces and more are sterilized regularly.

Sabai 
5pm-10:30pm. Offering take-out services only, curb-side pick-up is also available if preferred. 

Secco Wine Bar 
Online ordering and curbside delivery. “Secco Supper To-Go” includes two appetizers, two share plates, one dessert and one bottle of wine, tax and gratuity for $78.48. Menu and wine list available on Facebook. Offering pickup on cheese/charcuterie boards and will add more a la carte and retail wine options for pickup. 

Sidewalk Cafe
Offering curbside pickup of to-go orders from 11am – 6pm.

Southbound 
Takeout only. 

Social 52 
Takeout only. 

Starr Hill Richmond Beer Hall & Rooftop 
To-go beers available from the brewery. 

Stoplight Gelato and Cafe
Takeout only. 

Supper
Takeout orders available. Menus here.

Tazza Kitchen 
Curbside takeout and drive-through pick-ups. 

The Treat Shop 
Curbside takeout available Monday-Saturday 9am – 7pm. All menu items except donuts will be available.

Väsen Brewing Company 
To-go only beer orders; crowler fills available. 

Wooden Spoon Cafe
Open for curbside pickup Monday-Friday 11am-6pm, and during Saturday brunch hours 11am-2pm.

WPA Bakery 
Takeout orders only. 

DIRECT DELIVERY 
These places are doing delivery only, either through particular apps or directly by the staff. We’ll give specifics in the listings (once again, alphabetical to aid in your search), as well as info on hour reductions.

Adarra 
Wine delivery available. Deliveries made Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons. Email [email protected] to order.

Everyday Gourmet
This local catering company that also offers a weekly meal delivery service called WellFed. During social distancing, they’ll be doing contactless delivery through all of Richmond and their local communities including (but not limited to) Midlothian, Glen Allen, Mechanicsville, Ashland, Chesterfield, Goochland, Manakin Sabot. Low delivery fees (capped at $10 at the furthest distance). Delivering Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Offers bulk, family-sized selections, a breakfast menu, and freezer-friendly meals, along with special meals for the various diets of people in the area.

King Of Pops
King Of Pops are doing deliveries; an employee will bring pops to your door. Order by noon for same day delivery. Orders can be placed at kingofpopsstore.com

CLOSED
The following restaurants have closed their doors — most temporarily, a few permanently. This means total loss of income for these establishments — and all of their employees. Keep in mind that if/when these places return, they are going to need your help in a big way. We will list reopen dates when available.

23rd and Main 
Closed until further notice. 

3 Monkeys 
Closed indefinitely. 

3rd Street Diner 
Closed until further notice.

Bandito’s 
Closed temporarily. 

Bamboo 
Closed until further notice.

Boogaloos 
Closed until further notice.

Brunch 
Closed until further notice.

Capital One Cafe 
All locations closed temporarily. ATMs in vestibules are still open, ATMs located within cafe are closed.

Cary St. Cafe 
Closed until further notice. 

Citizen
Permanently closed.

Citizen Burger Bar 
Not to be confused with Citizen, above. Closed temporarily.

Crossroads RVA 
Closed indefinitely. Donate to Staff Relief Fund at GoFundMe.

Dogtown Brewing 
Closed indefinitely. 

Don’t Look Back 
Both locations temporarily closed.  Support the staff by joining the Don’t Look Back Club, which donates all profits directly to the staff during closures. Perks from DLB Club last an entire year after re-opening, with discounts and special items for all members.

F.W. Sullivan’s 
Closed for the foreseeable future. 

Fuzzy Cactus 
Closed for the foreseeable future. Events and shows cancelled through April.

Galaxy Diner
Closed for the foreseeable future.

Ipanema Cafe 
Closed temporarily — “on hiatus” in their words. 

The Jasper 
Closed for the foreseeable future. 

Kabana 
Closed temporarily. 

Lady N’awlins 
Closed temporarily. 

Little Nickel 
Closed temporarily. 

L’Opossum 
Closed indefinitely. Support fund for employees available on GoFundMe.

Lulu’s 
Closed until further notice.  

Mekong Restaurant 
Closed temporarily. 

Millie’s Diner 
Closed until further notice. 

Penny Lane Pub 
Closed for “at least two weeks.” Check back at the beginning of April for updates.

Perly’s 
Closed temporarily. 

Pop’s Market on Grace 
Closed temporarily. 

Tio Pablo 
Closed until further notice. 

ZZQ 
Closed indefinitely.

Do you need to update any of these listings, or add one from your restaurant? Email us: [email protected] We will update listings as soon as possible.

Ipanema Is Here To Stay

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Under new ownership by Seth Campbell, Richmond’s long-beloved Ipanema Cafe will remain a staple of Grace St. and maintain its culture.

You may already know that Ipanema recently acquired Seth Campbell as its new owner, but you probably didn’t know that Campbell’s dedication to the full-service vegetarian/vegan café entitles a daily 70-minute drive just to get there. He’s been spending a lot of time on the road lately.

The New Jersey native graduated from the University of Virginia in the spring of 2019, and still currently resides in Charlottesville with his dogs, Tio, Bear, and Loki. He’s looking forward to moving to Richmond this summer.

Campbell has built his experience within the industry since he was 19, as a college student juggling different positions as a bouncer, food-runner, barback, and eventually a bartender.

Beyond Rodeo Burger and Roasted Cauliflower at Ipanema Cafe, via @ipanemaveg on Instagram

“I love a good challenge, and I love the responsibility that comes with it,” said Campbell. 

His education and experience, blended together with his competitive drive, make him eager to further diversify the crowd of existing customers. “Ipanema means so much to Richmond because it’s a mainstay, and a staple of Grace St.,” said Campbell. With more than 20 years in business, Campbell is adamant about maintaining the culture of Ipanema as the café’s regulars know it.

What kind of culture does Ipanema embody? Campbell would tell you that it’s first and foremost a loving place, because its friends and customers feel like family. When you walk down the few front steps into the café, it immediately gives you a homey feeling. It’s a cozy place, whether you’re inside a booth or out on the patio. 

Cream of Carrot Soup at Ipanema Cafe, via @ipanemaveg on Instagram

He emphasizes that it’s a fun place to be, especially on Wednesdays for the locally-loved karaoke night. Best of all, Campbell describes Ipanema as a place that has formed a community around being accepting of everyone that walks through its doors.

No matter how much Grace St. has changed over the years, Campbell is motivated to grow Ipanema in the tradition it has established, even with crowds that aren’t solely vegan or vegetarian. And while he doesn’t fall on either side of the vegan- or meat-lover groups, he does love Ipanema’s Beyond Burger and sweet potato fries, paired with their harissa mayo.

To grab a plate of your own, the café is open for lunch and dinner, and newcomers can find them at 917 W. Grace St. Find Ipanema here on Instagram and Facebook.

Top Photo via Ipanema Cafe on Instagram

Unicorns & Steampunk: Bryant’s Cider Crafts Their Own Path

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Ahead of their move to Shockoe Bottom, Jerry Thornton of Bryant’s Cider talks new recipes and future plans for the family-owned cidery.

“We’re the new beer,” says cidermaker Jerry Thornton, owner of Bryant’s Cider. It’s a bold statement, but it fits the vibe of their Jackson Ward tasting room. On its graffiti-covered walls, “Change the rules” is spray-painted in all caps below an image of a black cat and skull.

There may be some truth to Thornton’s words in regard to popular dietary trends. Bryant’s Cider produces small batches of uniquely-flavored hard ciders that are sugar-free, low-carb, keto-friendly, and made with whole, organic ingredients that are local whenever possible. Everything currently on tap at the Jackson Ward tasting room is also vegan and gluten-free.

PHOTO: Bryant’s Cider

With chalkboard paint atop tables that customers are encouraged to decorate, along with board games, card games, and adult coloring books, Bryant’s has a quirky (but edgy) vibe that marketing director Vanessa Gleiser maintains in their social media presence.

But days at the quaint Adams Street tasting room are numbered. Bryant’s just announced their purchase of 2114 E Main St. in Shockoe Bottom, where they’ll be relocating their Richmond tasting room to a mixed-use building that will also serve as a production facility. They hope to make the move in January 2020.

Right now, all of Bryant’s production happens in their other tasting room location, at Edgewood Farm in Nelson County, VA. The 386-acre property has been passed down through Thornton’s family since as early as 1850. His grandmother was born and raised there, and Thornton spent some time growing up there as well. After taking care of his grandmother for several years until her passing in 2014, Thornton took over the farm, because no one else in the family wanted to deal with it.

“For about four years, I didn’t know what to do with it,” says Thornton. At the time, he was working downtown at BB&T, in budgeting and forecasting analytics — “douchey stuff,” as he describes it. So while affording the farm wasn’t an issue, having the time to care for it was. Thornton is a single dad who raises his five-year-old daughter half of the time, so it wasn’t possible for him to work 80 hours a week, between the office and the farm, while also parenting a young child.

PHOTO: Bryant’s Cider

Nelson County is in an apple-dense region, so Thornton started growing cider apples at the orchard on his farm and quit the corporate-suit life to experiment with making cider. He got Bryant’s off the ground out of pocket, with not a single investor. “I still think I’m crazy,” says Thornton. As his family likes to remind him, he had a good job making good money with a guaranteed comfortable retirement, and he threw it away to make alcohol.

But he did so for honest and relatable reasons. “I’d just like to be human,” he said. “My objective isn’t to get rich. I just want to take care of my kid and my farm and not… hate life.”

Thornton went to cider school in upstate New York, but considers himself mostly self-taught. He likens cider making to cooking — you learn by experimenting, by trial and error. And what’s on tap at Bryant’s is certainly experimental: some batches on regular rotation are the chai-spiced Chaider, the cucumber- and habanero-infused Coolbanero, and the cold brew coffee-infused Red Eye.

Thornton is always playing with new flavors and testing them out in small batches. Right now, you can try the seasonably-appropriate Punkking, a pumpkin-spiced cider, and Still Swingin, which is infused with bourbon and peach. There’s an Old Fashioned-inspired batch in the works, and their next autumnal special planned is the Bryant’s Dirty Chai, a pairing of the Red Eye and the Chaider.

Their best-selling cider in retail is Bryant’s Unicorn Fuel, which has garnered somewhat of a cult following among customers. “I feel like more people know the name ‘Unicorn Fuel’ than ‘Bryant’s,’” says Thornton, which doesn’t necessarily bother him, but he cites the current location of the Richmond tasting room as to why they haven’t become a household name yet. “Jackson Ward is a great neighborhood, but no one knows we’re here,” says Thornton. “I could put a fucking unicorn suit on and stand on the corner, and maybe that would get a couple people in, but I don’t want to do that.”

PHOTO: Bryant’s Cider

The hope the move to Shockoe Bottom will expand their customer base since they’ll be in an area with higher foot traffic, right off the beaten path, and surrounded by popular bars and restaurants. “It’s an up-and-coming neighborhood, and really dense in terms of housing — just loft after loft,” says Thornton. “Whenever I’m down there, I see all these people walking their dogs and just hanging out. It’s the right type of people for us.” (Yes, both tasting rooms are dog-friendly!)

Bryant’s will also be preserving their safe distance from Scott’s Addition, where the only other craft cideries in the River City are located: Blue Bee, Buskey, and Courthouse Creek. Generally, the crowds in Shockoe, Church Hill and the East End don’t want to travel all the way to Scott’s Addition for a hard cider, so Bryant’s is hoping to corner that market geographically.

They considered moving to The Fan, but the historic quality of the building in Shockoe Bottom helped seal the deal. Built in the 1850s, Bryant’s liked that it’s about the same age as Edgewood Farm. “It’s super old and super cool. It fits our vibe,” says Thornton. “I didn’t want some generic, super-modern place because that’s boring.”

Thornton wants to do a steampunk theme at the new tasting room, which should gel nicely with the vibe of Shockoe Bottom, with the Canal Walk and Great Shiplock Park just a block or so away. He’s nervous about the move, but excited that he was able to buy instead of rent, because he has complete creative freedom in how to use the space. “There’s no landlord. If I want to break things, I can break things,” says Thornton. “Which I do, frequently.” He already has an idea for a light fixture: he wants to build a spider web chandelier across the entire ceiling using iron piping and Edison bulbs.

PHOTO: Bryant’s Cider

Byrant’s long-term goal is to split production between the farm and Shockoe Bottom. First, they’ll work to get more distribution and build the brand so Thornton can operate on a regular production schedule. Currently, Bryant’s has 85 active accounts in the Richmond area. “It’s getting there,” says Thornton. “We’re on rotation at a lot of places, but it takes time to build up.”

While Bryant’s is a young, independent business, they’re also an intimately small one. Thornton makes all of the cider himself and works on sales when he can. The only other full-time employees are the respective managers of the two tasting rooms, Afton Massie at the farm and Vanessa Gleiser in Richmond (who also directs marketing operations).

If you’re curious about where you can buy Bryant’s, they update their retail locations weekly. But what they really want is for you to visit the tasting room, and try some ciders that you wouldn’t normally order from a bar or buy in a six pack.

“We do weird stuff,” says Thornton. “You gotta come down and try it.”

Top Photo via Bryant’s Cider

One Month After Bourdain’s Death, We Still Won’t Talk About Mental Health

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I could just barely reach our countertop when my father started teaching me how to cook. Chef celebrity culture quickly became a thing in the late 90s, and my father used it to his advantage to teach me how to cook what we saw on our television. We started working on proper knife skills after we read Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential for the first time in 2000.

Bourdain was forever brutally honest about his struggles with addiction, and never sugar coated his experiences. As a chef who worked with immigrants, he was vocal about their rights, and openly acknowledged that the Latinx community was the physical backbone of the service and hospitality industries. Kitchen Confidential not only made him a household name, but helped tear down what he coined “kitchen bro culture” and reformed kitchen procedures in restaurants.

In his later years he became an extremely vocal ally to the #MeToo movement by refusing to just stand idly by colleagues, such as Mario Batali, who were called out on their despicable behavior. He demanded other men be better allies to women, while simultaneously dissecting his own role and how he himself could be a better ally to women.

He was a man who grew up with privilege and was aware of it, but understood that he could and should use it to others’ advantage. He made it his mission to find the everyman and eat where he ate, while getting to know him better and ask about his life and how he saw the world. He was one of the few people who made it a point to intentionally go to Muslim communities with the purpose of tearing down stereotypes Americans kept. He knew that fear of the unknown was the most dangerous of all.

Bourdain lived to start conversations.

It’s darkly appropriate that as a final goodbye, Bourdain also started one last conversation. Will America ever take mental health seriously? I want to be positive and say maybe one day, but I’m also the pessimist in the room who vehemently and loudly argues otherwise, with a scowl etched across her face.

Like Bourdain, celebrated fashion designer Kate Spade passed the same week and the social media outreach contained the usual platitudes.

“Well, you know you can all talk to me! Just reach out!”

“Make sure you call a hotline!”

“If you only said something!”

It all regurgitates the same very dangerous and unhelpful trend of victim blaming that our culture has become disgustingly comfortable with. The blame is always shifted onto the victim instead of anywhere (not anyone) else. For years and years, it was focused on the rhetoric that demonized these people as selfish instead of clearly in need of help.

Mental health is a complicated, enigmatic concept. We’re told from the start that it’s okay to be vulnerable, to reach out for help or reassurance, but as soon as you do, you’re put down for being “weak” or “needy”.

Human beings need help sometimes. A lot of the time.

We struggle to accept that sometimes, horrible things happen. We’re quicker to cherry pick things that we think we can argue are more in our realm of control, like addictions or depression and anxiety. Any viral Facebook meme will tell you that the key to curing depression is a walk in the park and a baby corgi. Unfortunately it isn’t that simple nor easily wrapped up.

If someone tells you they have cancer, they are quicker to be supported and have people actively reach out to check on their well-being. If someone tells you they have depression, the reach out is a lot more sporadic, if at all, and sometimes met with a, “Well, I’m here if you need something.” We tend to look at things like depression as things we can control, so when people who supposedly “have it all” end their life, it is usually met with anger or confusion, whereas if they had cancer, it would have been nothing but sadness.

Bourdain was also proof that despite what we choose to believe, depression and addiction are not prejudiced. Mental illness doesn’t care if you are rich or poor, male or female, or where you are, it just grabs you. It just holds on like a demon on your back sinking its claws into your flesh. It just holds on.

The phrase that gets listlessly thrown around is, “We need to do better.” We need to stop saying it and just do it, because at this point, the phrase means nothing. We have to stop saying things and actively be better for our friends, family, and peers. And we have to do so much more than just obligatory check ins.

We live in a society where we refuse to allow people to be vulnerable. The gut reaction and answer when someone asks, “Hey, you doing okay?” is,“Yeah, I’m fine.” We’re not fine, though.

The only way to really support each other is by forming actual, meaningful relationships with the people around you. If we form these true connections with each other, we’ll find that we get actual, honest, bloody answers. The next time someone asks how we’re doing, we might actually respond with the phrase we so desperately want to use: “You know, not that great. Can we talk about it?”

It’s not enough anymore to be half-assed allies to each other in order to gain metaphorical gold stars and brownie points with each other. We’re losing each other and we have to make it stop. We have to shut down the stigma around mental illness, and we have to start doing it now.

In 2016, over 45,000 suicides occurred in the United States, was double the number of homicides that year. The number is significantly more staggering in rural states, such as North Dakota, where the number rose to 57 percent. Nevada, however, had record a decline of 1 percent.

Suicide is now the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I think this gets back to what do we need to be teaching people — how to manage breakups, job stresses,” said Christine Moutier, medical director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in an interview with The Washington Post. “What are we doing as a nation to help people to manage these things? Because anybody can experience those stresses. Anybody.”

Moutier maintained that suicide can be addressed, if we can end the stigma around mental health. “If you think of [suicide] as other leading causes of death, like AIDS and cancer, with the public health approach, mortality rates decline,” Moutier said. “We know that same approach can work with suicide.”

With all that said, we may be at least on the right track. This past Sunday, New York and Virginia were the first two states to require mental health education in schools. Virginia’s law will require that mental health education be included in the ninth and tenth grade physical education and health curricula.

Virginia Senator Creigh Deeds is who we have to thank for sponsoring Virginia’s bill. He was inspired by listening to a presentation by Albemarle County high schoolers in 2017, and the death of his son, Gus Deeds. Gus died by suicide in 2013 after he was released by a hospital because there were no open psychiatric beds anywhere in the western part of the state.

“I was impressed by [the high schoolers’] thoughtfulness, because a lot of these young people had seen bullying. They had seen depression. They had seen classmates that had died by suicide,” Deeds said in an interview with CNN. “It’s part of tearing down the stigma and providing some equality with those that struggle with mental health.”

Deeds’ legislation is a good start, but it won’t be enough on its own. Talking about suicide and mental illness is difficult, but we can’t get past the stigma if we don’t. I don’t have all of the answers and I don’t know anyone who does, but what I do know is that we need to start doing better for ourselves, and for each other.