Pressroom

Media Information from the Virginia Tourism Corporation

What’s New – Where to Eat & Drink in Virginia 2021

Due to COVID-19, openings, events and other information on this page may be canceled or postponed to a later date. Please check with the individual location or business for more details.

Central Virginia

  • New restaurants in Richmond that opened at the end of 2020:
    • Ukrop’s Food Hall, featuring Ukrops’ longtime favorites such as fried chicken, pizzas, and freshly baked goods.
    • InstaBowl – a new, healthy to-go restaurant from Chef Mike Ledesma
    • The Veil Brewing opened its second location in the Richmond region in the Forest Hill neighborhood, offering cans/bottles to-go, draft beer, wine, cider and a full kitchen from Y Tu Mama.
    • Blanchard’s Coffee opened a new location in the Forest Hill neighborhood.
    • Canteen – a ‘summer camp’ themed eatery and live music café in Ashland.
  • Hidden Wit Brewing Company, a farm brewery in Chesterfield County is set to open mid-2021.
  • Triple Crossing Brewing’s third Richmond region location, in Midlothian, is set to open in late 2021.
  • Dairy Market, in the historic Monticello Dairy Building in downtown Charlottesville, will have up to 18 merchant stalls and 11,500 square feet of retail space.
  • The Ridley opened its doors on January 1, 2021 in Charlottesville hotel The Draftsman. This black-owned restaurant will focus on upscale-casual cuisine specializing in fresh seafood and will offer a sophisticated take on southern-style food.
  • The Wool Factory, which opened in 2020, is expected to open its restaurant, Broadcloth, in 2021.
  • Blue Toad Hard Cider in Nelson County is opening a new Cider Hall and Pressed Apple Restaurant on site in 2021.

Northern Virginia

  • Opening in Alexandria in early 2021 is Ada’s on the River, named after the early-18th century English mathematician Ada Lovelace and built around the concept of the wood-burning oven as a gathering place for friends and family.
  • In spring 2021, Alexandria will get a taste of the Mediterranean with Barca Wine Bar + Pier. Barca Pier will be a seasonal outdoor eatery inspired by Barcelona’s beach bars and made from carved-out shipping containers. The menu at Barca Pier will offer small plates of mostly Mediterranean food, as well as Greek, Italian and Moroccan flavors. Barca Wine Bar, which will be open throughout the year, will boast an intimate, sophisticated setting and vast selection of unique and domestic wines from around the world.
  • Alexandria Restaurant Partners’ upcoming concepts join some 25 recently opened and soon-to-debut restaurants. The pan-Asian dining continues with new spots like Hinata Sushi Bar & Grill, Sisters Thai and Sushi Jin Next Door, and several spots are located in the blossoming Old Town North neighborhood. Alexandria has also seen an influx of cafés, such as French-infused Café du Soleil and Via Volcán, which sources coffee beans from the owners’ Panamanian farm.
  • Fairfax County has several new breweries in the area:
    • G34.3 Brewing in Lorton opened in 2020 and brews a variety of beers that challenge your perception of what a beer style is. The name G34.3 refers to the largest cloud of ethanol in the universe – enough to supply 300,000 pints of beer to every person on Earth, every year, for the next billion years.
    • Honor Brewing in Chantilly finally has a taproom location, with additional locations coming soon. Their beer is a tribute to the men and women who have served this country and they frequently partner with Veteran organizations to honor those lost in war.
    • Bunnyman Brewing in Burke will open in April 2021. This brewery owned by retiring Fairfax County firefighter will be located near the infamous road associated with the Bunnyman urban legend.
    • Aslin Beer Co. will also open a much-anticipated new taproom in Herndon that features terrace seating and a rooftop bar.
  • Woodlawn Press Winery is a new family-owned micro-winery in the southern part of Fairfax County that makes and bottles its own varietals and fruit wines. They offer a variety of custom blends, pre-packaged Tasting Flights, and additional treats like vinegar, olive oils, chocolates, and honey in their shop. They also host classes and tastings and other events throughout the year.
  • ShipGarten will be Northern Virginia’s first roaming outdoor lifestyle experience located in Tysons, features four separate food and drink experiences, each being served up out of a 40-foot shipping container surrounded by a quintessential biergarten, family area, fenced-in dog park, and entertainment venue.
  • Herndon Biergarten, opening in late 2021, will feature a 2,000-sq-ft bier hall, 60+ drafts on tap, an 11,000-sq-ft outdoor patio and a rooftop deck – plus an extensive whiskey tasting menu.
  • New restaurants that have opened in Arlington in 2020:
  • The Winery & Brewery at Sunshine Ridge Farm in Gainesville will open February 2021. This picturesque 40 acre farm winery & brewery sits on the banks of Lake Manassas and offers guests a variety of craft Virginia wine, beer and eventually mead.
  • La Prensa opened in Loudoun County’s eastern corridor in December 2020. La Prensa is Spanish for “Tortilla Press” and will feature a simple, ingredient-focused menu specializing in gourmet tacos and tapas (or small plates). Additionally, the restaurant will feature an exclusive bar program to complement each meal, with a wide range of beers, wines and freshly prepared cocktails.

Coastal Virginia – Chesapeake Bay, Hampton Roads, Eastern Shore

  • 1865 Brewing Company, the first Black-owned brewery in Hampton Roads, will open January 2021. 1865 Brewing Co. is a micro-brewery with beers that will have clean crisp flavors that are not overly bitter and will be a broad range of styles to include recipes with coffee and CBD.  The brewery will also feature a line of non-alcoholic drinks with a focus on “wellness” that incorporates probiotics and herbal supplements. It will also offer a full-service espresso bar and an assortment of pastries from a local Top Dessert Chef.
  • Phoebus is an area in Hampton noted for his charming architecture, adventurous culinary establishments, and antique bargains. Some of the recently opened restaurant options include:
    • Fox Tail Wine Bar, a cozy take on a traditional wine bar that will offer a variety of wines, charcuterie boards, and dinner service.
    • Charlotte’s: A Simply Panache Cafeteria is a cafeteria style restaurant that will feature delicious entrees, vegetables, soups, and salads.
    • The Baker’s Wife Bistro & Bar is expected to open in January of 2021 serving French and American Style Cuisine. Bringing a unique perspective on dining to Phoebus.
    • Scratch Bakery is planning to expand to another location, still in Phoebus. The owner, Lashonda Sanford, has recently been featured on Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship.
  • Old Rapp Taphouse will open in Warsaw in Fall 2021.

Shenandoah Valley

  • Rockbridge Vineyard & Brewery will expand their wine operation into a craft brewery.
  • Augusta Kitchen is a new American bowl restaurant focused on “Southern Fresh” ingredients, located in Fishersville. You can choose a bowl curated by the staff or build your own, with the choice of a protein, base, and a long list of spreads and toppings.
  • Sage Bird Ciderworks, the first Harrisonburg cidery, recently opened and uses locally sourced fruit and flavor to produce small-batch, hand-crafted hard using 100% Virginia apples.
  • Magpie Diner, which opened in Harrisonburg in late 2020, is a full-service breakfast and lunch restaurant serving a modern diner-inspired menu. Their coffee is brewed from beans roasted right next door at Chestnut Ridge Coffee. The in-house bakery turns out fresh breads and pastries daily.

Virginia Mountains

  • Hotel Roanoke completed a multi-million dollar renovation of the Pine Room Restaurant and opened the 1882 Bar in the lobby in late 2020.
  • Well Hung Vineyard is opening a new wine-focused restaurant in downtown Roanoke early 2021.
  • Frankie Rowland’s Restaurant in Historic Downtown Salem opened in December 2020 after a substantial renovation process to an old theatre. The restaurant features a large bar area and expertly prepared steaks.
  • Gina’s “Food with Flavor” opened December 2020 in Salem after moving from west Roanoke County and features good old-fashioned comfort food.

Southwest Virginia – Blue Ridge Highlands, Heart of Appalachia

  • Iron Tree Brewing Company is a new brewery located in Downtown Christiansburg set to open in February 2021.
  • The Maroon Door in Downtown Blacksburg is a locally owned and operated gastropub and brewery offering specialty burgers like the Asian Duck Burger, and other unique combinations, as well as salads and small plates.
  • Lincoln Road Coffee Lounge in Norton is undergoing renovations including a new pine ceiling and upgrades to its roastery. This coffee lounge features coffee, flavored creations, baked goods, and a relaxed environment.
  • The Orchard Barn Café will open in February 2021 in Russell County.
  • Long Way Brewery, which opened in Radford December 2020, is an old stone church rehabbed into a brewery with themed beers that pay tribute to colonial heroine Mary Draper Ingles. The lower level of the brewery houses the Radford/Fairlawn Daily Bread during the morning hours, providing meals at no cost for people in need.
  • Tazewell will be opening two new spots in Spring 2021 – S’mothered Bake Shop and The Grind Coffee Shop.

Southern Virginia

  • Buggs Island Brewery, located in Clarksville, will be moving to a new lakefront location in 2021, making it Mecklenburg County’s only lakefront brewery and restaurant.