A Washington-area restaurant group is bringing a Southern kitchen to western Henrico. Thompson Restaurants plans to open a Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen at Westpark Shopping Center, 9645 W. Broad Street, in the summer of 2027, according to reporting by Richmond BizSense’s Mike Platania. The brand has more than 20 locations, mostly in the D.C. and Northern Virginia area, and this location would bring it to western Henrico.
What Is Being Built
Milk & Honey will take a 3,100-square-foot end space, plus a 500-square-foot covered patio, in a new 8,400-square-foot strip building going up in front of the Publix-anchored center. Per BizSense, the shell is expected to be delivered in November 2026, which sets up a summer 2027 opening. Westpark is owned by InvenTrust Properties. The other tenants named for the new building are Quickway Hibachi, a Japanese fast-casual concept taking 2,300 square feet, and roughly 3,000 square feet across two suites is still available. Nordstrom Rack, at 30,000 square feet, is also part of the center’s tenant mix.
What Will Be on the Menu
BizSense describes a Southern-classics menu: gumbo, fried catfish, shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles at around $25, plus salads and sandwiches in the $15 to $20 range, a full bar, and brunch, lunch and dinner service. That price band puts it in the sit-down casual tier, closer to a weekend brunch spot than a quick lunch stop.
What It Signals for the Corridor
Here is the part the source story does not cover. West Broad Street through western Henrico has been one of the region’s steadiest retail markets, and this project is a common pattern: a grocery-anchored center adds a small pad building in its parking lot to capture demand it already has. That is different from a new shopping center chasing future rooftops. It suggests the tenants and landlord see enough existing traffic from nearby neighborhoods, including Short Pump and West Broad Village, to fill new restaurant space without waiting on more housing. We saw the same pattern when Sheetz replaced a Walgreens on the same corridor, as BizSense also reported.
For buyers, the practical takeaway is straightforward. Dining and grocery within a short drive is one of the things people ask about first when they look in Henrico County, and this corridor keeps adding to it. The tradeoff is traffic on West Broad, which readers who commute or head to the airport will recognize; our roundup of neighborhoods with a short drive to the airport covers how that plays out. If new construction is on your list, we keep a page of new construction homes in the Richmond area with many of the newer communities in this part of the county.
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What Happens Next
Nothing opens soon. The shell has to be delivered first, then Thompson Restaurants has to complete its own build-out. Henrico County’s permitting information is on the county’s website, and BizSense typically reports when permits are filed. We will update this story when there is a firm date. If you are thinking about buying or selling nearby, our Buy With Us page explains how we work with buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the new Milk & Honey going in Henrico?
At Westpark Shopping Center, 9645 W. Broad Street in western Henrico, in a new 8,400-square-foot building being built in front of the Publix-anchored center.
When will Milk & Honey open?
Summer 2027, pending delivery of the building shell, which is expected in November 2026.
Who is behind Milk & Honey?
Thompson Restaurants, a Washington, D.C.-based group with more than a dozen concepts. Milk & Honey has more than 20 locations, mostly in the D.C. and Northern Virginia area.
How big will the restaurant be?
About 3,100 square feet inside plus a 500-square-foot covered outdoor patio.
What kind of food will it serve?
Southern classics such as gumbo, fried catfish, shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles, plus salads and sandwiches, with a full bar and brunch, lunch and dinner service.
What are the entrees expected to cost?
BizSense reports chicken and waffles at about $25 and salads and sandwiches in the $15 to $20 range.
Who else is moving into the new building?
Quickway Hibachi, a 2,300-square-foot fast-casual concept, has been announced, and roughly 3,000 square feet across two suites remains available.
Written by the Mission Realty Team – meet the team. Real Broker LLC, 3701 Cox Rd, Richmond, VA 23233. (804) 601-4960.
