Openings, events and other information on these pages may be canceled or postponed to a later date. Please check with the individual location or business for more details.
Central and Southern Virginia
- The Edna Lewis Menu Trail is running in Orange County now through Memorial Day 2023. Participating local restaurants will have their version of a recipe from Orange County native Edna Lewis’ featured cookbook on their restaurant menu in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Edna Lewis’s first cookbook – The Edna Lewis Cookbook.
- The Virginia Foothills Distillery, owned and operated by Craig Hartman – owner of BBQ Exchange and Champion Ice House, will open in summer 2023 and will be the first distillery in Orange County.
- Albemarle County will welcome two new wineries in 2023, Southwest Mountains Vineyards and Paradise Springs Winery. This will be Paradise Springs’ third location and its second location in Virginia. This will push the number of wineries in the Charlottesville area to nearly 45.
- Scratch Pasta will open a new retail and artisan food shop in a renovated warehouse building in Lynchburg. The shop will also house a bakery, The Flour District, which will specialize in artisan pastries.
Northern Virginia
- Astro Beer Hall will be expanding and opening its second location, a 14,000 square-foot concept in Shirlington. Targeted for opening in early 2023, this location will include local beer along with Astro’s famous fried chicken and donuts, as well as over-the-top sandwiches and more. Astro Beer Hall Shirlington will feature seating for up to 500 guests inside and 80 guests on the large outdoor patio.
- Capital One Center will see the opening of Santi, a new, 7,000-sq-ft concept from Michelin-starred Chef Pepe Moncayo that will focus on Spanish culinary tradition. This won’t be the only high-profile restaurant to choose from at Capital One Center; Wren, a Japanese-fusion small plates concept located inside The Watermark Hotel, was recently deemed one of The Washington Post’s 25 Best New Restaurants in the Region.
- Northern Virginia’s first roaming outdoor lifestyle experience, Shipgarten, is now open in Tysons, VA. Shipgarten features four separate food and drink experiences, each out of its own 40-foot shipping container; surrounding the containers are a quintessential biergarten area, family corner, dog park, entertainment venue, and games area. Food and drink concepts include an authentic German biergarten, a sushi and poke fusion bar, a traditional Persian fast-casual restaurant, and an over-the-top waffle and taco bar.
- In central Fairfax, VA, Honor Brewing Co. has announced a collaboration with the Cordero Brothers to open Honor Brewing Kitchen, a brewpub serving up delicious American cuisine, Honor brews among other local breweries, and a selection of wine and spirits.
- Carbonara: Old School Italian & Wine Bar will open in July 2023 as part of the Cordero Hospitality family. Carbonara will offer a substantial menu featuring old-world Italian cuisine, focusing on the southern region of Italy, with all food made in-house and fresh homemade pasta prepared daily.
- Settle Down Easy Brewing Co. will open its second location in Oakton in 2023. It differs from the brewery’s flagship location by offering a more intimate experience, focusing on Belgian drafts, a rotating selection from other Fairfax County breweries.
Coastal Virginia – Chesapeake Bay, Hampton Roads, Eastern Shore
- The Mathews Seafood Shack opened recently offering a unique seafood market and restaurant with a full bar and outdoor seating. This is Mathews County’s only seafood restaurant serving a full array of locally and fresh sourced seafood.
- Hackers at Hilltop is a new restaurant concept in Virginia Beach that opens this fall featuring eight golf simulator rooms, private event space, a cigar lounge and outdoor dining area.
- Pups and Pints is Virginia Beach’s first Dog Park & Tap House. Bring your four-legged pal for a game of fetch in the outdoor picnic area of the city’s newest craft brewery featuring approximately 2 acres for your dog(s) to run free, taps with your favorite local brews, craft cocktails, and a kitchen full of pup-inspired bites.
- Harbor Trail Brewing Company recently opened in Portsmouth. A family-owned craft brewery and taproom, their brewery includes an indoor tasting room and a spacious covered patio.
- Beale’s Brewery Yorktown Taproom is slated to open in winter 2023 on Route 17. The draft list will feature a variety of Beale’s most popular brews as well as small-batch, Yorktown-only releases. Plans also include a kitchen (think local seafood and American eats), outdoor patio seating, two full-service bars, and a private dining room for parties and events.
Shenandoah Valley and Virginia Mountains
- Opening soon in Harrisonburg is the Aristocat Café, a modern Cat Café offering a welcoming space that serves premium tea and espresso, alongside community sourced and house made snacks. Patrons can visit the spacious cat room where adoptable cats from our rescue partner lounge about, beans out, looking for their forever home. This British-inspired tearoom is working in partnership with the Humane Society of Shenandoah County.
- Sweet Addie’s Waffle Shop is a family owned, Gourmet Liege Waffle shop in downtown Staunton that opened fall 2022. They offer a variety of dessert style waffles with house specialties and build your own options.
- Basic City Beer Co. in Waynesboro will be adding a substantial indoor music venue, adjacent to the taproom, called The Foundry.
- Liberty Trust Hotel’s new food and beverage concept: The Vault, opened in October 2022 and is run by Chef Andy Shlosser – head of the former and highly popular Metro! restaurant in Roanoke. Featuring an eclectic menu of small plates with authentic recipes from around the world, specialty cocktails and 32 wines on tap in a luxurious, grand marble & gold-accented lobby of The Liberty Trust Hotel.
Southwest Virginia – Blue Ridge Highlands, Heart of Appalachia
- Summers Roof and Cellar opened to the public in Abingdon’s historic downtown. The newly renovated space houses one restaurant with two welcoming spaces, including a remarkable rooftop venue.
- Big Cherry Brewing is Big Stone Gap’s first brewery. Brewing amazing local beer from the pristine waters off the Big Cherry Lake. Featuring one of the longest handmade bars in Virginia, and amazing outdoor recreation area and fire pit, five Big Screen TV’s, a 120-inch projector, and a lounge area that makes you feel like royalty.
- Sugar + Flour, a coffee shop, bakery, and boutique event space, opened in Pearisburg this past year.
