Top Restaurants in Richmond, Virginia
Where Richmond actually eats.
Forty restaurants across Central Virginia, sorted by area, each one confirmed open and worth the drive. No paid placement, no filler, refreshed twice a year.
We pick for the table, not for pay.
Winners and finalists from Richmond Magazine’s 2026 Best and Worst readers’ poll, plus the highest-rated and most-reviewed restaurants on Google, TripAdvisor, and Yelp in each area, each confirmed open in September 2026.
These are the forty places we send clients, relocating buyers, and our own families, sorted by the part of Central Virginia you are in. Every card links to the restaurant’s own website and to its Google reviews, so you can check tonight’s hours and this month’s feedback before you drive.
City of Richmond
6 spots. Weighing City of Richmond as a place to live? The Richmond communities guide covers schools, commutes, and what homes actually sell for.
L’Opossum
Named Best Restaurant and Best Fine Dining in Richmond Magazine’s 2026 Best and Worst readers’ poll, with a hard-to-get reservation.
Joe’s Inn
Fan District institution that won Most Wallet-Friendly Spot and Best Family-Friendly Restaurant in Richmond Magazine’s 2026 poll.
Stella’s
Rustic and modern Greek restaurant voted Best Mediterranean and runner-up Best Restaurant in Richmond Magazine’s 2026 readers’ poll.
Blue Atlas Restaurant and Market
River-view restaurant and market that took Best Date Night, Best Hidden Gem and Best Vegetarian honors in the 2026 Richmond Magazine poll.
Cochiloco
Family-owned taqueria voted Best Tacos in Richmond Magazine’s 2026 poll and cited among the top 15 by the Eat It, Virginia podcast.
The Roosevelt
Long-running neighborhood restaurant in a historic Church Hill building, still listed among Richmond’s top 15 by Eat It, Virginia in June 2026.
Henrico
6 spots. Weighing Henrico as a place to live? The Henrico County guide covers schools, commutes, and what homes actually sell for.
Lehja
Short Pump Town Center restaurant voted Best Indian in Richmond Magazine’s 2026 poll and a finalist for date night and vegetarian dining.
Buckhead’s Chop House
Operating since 1994, Buckhead’s won Best Steakhouse and placed third for Best Fine Dining in Richmond Magazine’s 2026 readers’ poll.
Mekong
Unassuming West Broad Street Vietnamese restaurant known for its craft beer list, voted Best Vietnamese in Richmond Magazine’s 2026 poll.
Hobnob
Seasonal comfort food and scratch-made desserts on Hermitage Road, tied for Best Hidden Gem in Richmond Magazine’s 2026 poll.
Farm and Oak
Progressive Southern restaurant at Twin Oaks with patio dining and weekend brunch, from the Lindsey Food Group.
Backwoodz BBQ
Food truck turned brick-and-mortar smokehouse near Richmond International Airport, Sandston’s top-reviewed restaurant at 4.7 stars in 2026.
Glen Allen
5 spots. Weighing Glen Allen as a place to live? The Glen Allen guide covers schools, commutes, and what homes actually sell for.
Hondos Prime
Longtime Innsbrook chophouse with prime steaks and seafood, the top Glen Allen pick on OpenTable with thousands of diner reviews.
Mama Cucina
One of the area’s oldest Italian restaurants, serving handmade pasta, veal and seafood in the Innsbrook Shoppes since the 1990s.
Sedona Taphouse
Locally founded taphouse with a large craft beer list and scratch kitchen, serving the Wyndham Forest and Twin Hickory neighborhoods.
Q Barbeque
Richmond-based smokehouse with competition-style pork, brisket and ribs, a casual family stop on Virginia Center Parkway.
Peter Chang
Chef Peter Chang’s original Richmond-area restaurant, known for Sichuan dishes like dry-fried eggplant and scallion bubble pancakes.
Ashland
5 spots. Weighing Ashland as a place to live? The Hanover County guide covers schools, commutes, and what homes actually sell for.
Iron Horse Restaurant
Downtown Ashland’s best-known dinner spot, with a seasonal menu and a dining room facing the railroad tracks on Railroad Avenue.
Caboose Market & Cafe
Seasonal farm-to-table cafe attached to a wine and beer market, ranked the top Ashland restaurant on TripAdvisor.
Homemades by Suzanne
Longtime lunch counter and caterer across from the tracks, known for chicken salad, crab cakes and homemade desserts, open Tuesday through Saturday.
Industrial Taphouse
Casual taphouse with burgers, sandwiches and a rotating Virginia craft beer list, among the most reviewed restaurants in Ashland on Yelp.
Jake’s Place Restaurant & Market
Family-run barbecue and Southern restaurant known for ribs and crab cakes, whose owners opened a second Richmond location in 2025.
Midlothian
5 spots. Weighing Midlothian as a place to live? The Midlothian guide covers schools, commutes, and what homes actually sell for.
The Boathouse at Sunday Park
Waterfront restaurant on Swift Creek Reservoir in Brandermill, with a large deck and the most reviewed dining room in Midlothian.
Oceano Coastal Restaurant
Upscale seafood restaurant drawing on Galicia and the Amalfi Coast, a date-night option in the Sycamore Square shopping village.
Wild Ginger
Long-running Asian fusion restaurant and sushi bar at Winterfield Crossing, consistently rated among the top Midlothian restaurants on TripAdvisor and Yelp.
NAPA Kitchen and Wine
Napa Valley inspired restaurant with a self-serve wine wall and brunch, holder of a 2026 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
Brick House Diner
Locally owned diner on Midlothian Turnpike serving breakfast all day, with more than 450 Yelp reviews and a 4.5 average rating.
Chesterfield
5 spots. Weighing Chesterfield as a place to live? The Chesterfield County guide covers schools, commutes, and what homes actually sell for.
Bell Greek Authentic Grill
Family-recipe Greek grill in the Watertower Shopping Center that tops TripAdvisor rankings for Chester with a 4.8 rating from over 120 reviews.
Howlett’s Restaurant & Tavern
Chester Village Green tavern known for steaks, seafood and fried deviled eggs, with a full bar and more than 270 TripAdvisor reviews.
The Granite Grill
Neighborhood grill from the Tazza Kitchen team serving steaks, seafood and burgers in Stony Point Shopping Center, open seven days with a weekday happy hour.
Latitude Seafood Co.
Local seafood group’s Hull Street location at Duckridge Landing near Swift Creek Reservoir, serving oysters, fresh fish and cocktails since 2024.
Hidden Wit Brewing Company
Moseley brewery with a full scratch kitchen led by a former Red Salt sous chef, serving burgers, schnitzel and steak alongside house beers.
Powhatan
4 spots. Weighing Powhatan as a place to live? The Powhatan County guide covers schools, commutes, and what homes actually sell for.
Fine Creek Brewing Company
Rural brewery on scenic grounds with covered decks, a monthly menu of pizzas, sandwiches and boards, plus Virginia wine and cider.
The Table at Three Crosses
Restaurant attached to Three Crosses Distilling serving a rotating scratch-made menu of sandwiches, salads and nachos Thursday through Sunday, dog friendly.
County Seat Restaurant
Three-generation family restaurant in the historic courthouse village serving homemade Southern cooking, buffets, breakfast and a full bar for over 30 years.
El Cerro Azul
Long-running Mexican restaurant on Anderson Highway rated 4.5 on TripAdvisor from over 100 reviews, serving lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday.
New Kent
4 spots. Weighing New Kent as a place to live? The New Kent County guide covers schools, commutes, and what homes actually sell for.
Cooper’s Tavern & Taproom
Family-friendly tavern near Bottoms Bridge with a large craft beer list, the MacDoogle burger, fish and chips, live music and patio seating.
Old School Cider House
Restaurant and cider taproom in a restored 1920s schoolhouse that opened in September 2025, pairing Virginia ciders with flatbreads, sandwiches and live music.
Lakeside Restaurant
Casual waterfront restaurant on Chickahominy Lake known for crispy fried fish, crab cake sandwiches and a dog-friendly patio, open Wednesday through Sunday.
Strantz Pub
Pub inside the Royal New Kent golf clubhouse serving burgers, flatbreads and wings with course views, open to the public near I-64 Exit 214.
Love the food? You will want to live nearby.
Every area on this page has a neighborhood guide with schools, commute times, and what homes actually sell for. Tell us the one you are eyeing and we will send the current numbers.
Restaurant details, awards, and ratings are from Richmond Magazine’s 2026 Best and Worst readers’ poll and from Google, TripAdvisor, and Yelp as of September 2026, and are subject to change. Confirm hours and availability with each restaurant before you go. Mission Realty does not accept payment for placement on this list. Run by the Mission Realty Team, brokered by REAL, 3701 Cox Rd, Richmond, VA 23233, (804) 601-4960. Updated September 21, 2026.