Rueger’s, located just off the lobby of The Commonwealth hotel, where I was staying, goes back a long way. More than a century, in fact. With its original marble floor and understated color décor, it almost looks like it belongs among the black-and-white archival photos of Richmond framed on one of the walls.

Named after German immigrant Louis Rueger, who founded the hotel in 1913 (after his original inn and eatery were destroyed in the great fire of Richmond in 1865 at the tail end of the Civil War), the restaurant today specializes in Southern comfort food. On a particularly and unexpectedly frigid early-November night, I didn’t want to venture very far from my room, so I simply went six floors down and took a seat at Rueger’s.

Everything here is white, a faded beige, and black—the bar seats and chairs, bar top, door frames and wainscoting, table legs, frames of those photos. The only pops of color come from the copper cappuccino machine behind the bar, whatever’s flashing on the television screens, and the greenery across the street in the park surrounding the Virginia State Capitol, visible through the large windows. It’s a classic setting, and a very pleasant one in which to enjoy a fine dinner.

Try This: Sip a sweet iced tea before savoring the perfectly balanced tomato basil soup. Then indulge in some of that Southern comfort food and a major dose of carbo-loading. For me, that meant the hand-cut grilled pork chops with pork gravy, accompanied by a couple of sides—macaroni and cheese, and mashed potatoes. A warm chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, and strawberry, even on a chilly night, is a great way to end your meal, especially when your trip back to your room for the night is only an elevator ride away.

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