I had just taken a one-mile late-afternoon walk along the old canal in Richmond, Virginia, now transformed from an abandoned industrial hub to a quiet pedestrian walkway where you can still see glimpses of the manmade canal’s heyday when it spurred the city’s economic growth. Up the stairs to street level, I began to search for a dinner spot, in the mood for comfort food. I quickly found it in the sole survivor of a mostly demolished freight depot that shut down in the 1980s at Southern Railway Taphouse. Read about it >
Tag Archives: restaurant
Comfort Food Without the Wrong Kind of Spirits
I was trying to determine if my hotel in Richmond, Virginia—the Commonwealth—was haunted or not. Drawers that opened by themselves, toilet bowls that never flushed the same way twice, lights turned on after I switched them off earlier in the day, an air conditioner that continued to click on and off after I unplugged it from the wall. The Commonwealth doesn’t bill itself as haunted, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the 110-year-old hotel in this terrifically historic city has a few supernatural things lurking about. Fortunately, none of them showed up during my dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Rueger’s, so you can enjoy your meal where the only spirits come in a glass. Read about it >
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Northern Italian in the Southern United States
Sometimes you just happen upon a restaurant that beckons you. Here in Richmond, Virginia, I was admiring the four-story Art Deco building that used to be the flagship location of Miller & Rhoads Department Store when I noticed that much of the ground floor was now given over to La Grotta, an inviting Northern Italian restaurant that left no choice as to where I would be having dinner. Read about it >
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German Goodness at the Only Schnitzel Bar in Richmond, Virginia
It may not feel exactly like a café or bar you would find in Germany, but it does capture a certain stimmung, a convivial mood that I often found when visiting Germany itself. I didn’t expect that in Richmond, Virginia, but Café Rustika pleasantly surprised me. Serving up German comfort food with smiles and raves for the chef’s creations, the staff here make you feel like you would, if you lived in town, come back again and again. Read about it >
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How to Satisfy Your Hankerin’ for Southern Food in Richmond
On my first night in Richmond, Virginia, I felt the need to go full-on Southern for dinner. Tobacco Company Restaurant certainly had the name that indicated it might fit the bill. And it delivered in a big way, with iconic Southern food, a very lively vibe, and a terrific backstory. Read about it >
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What’s the Deal With Waffles?
Forget those frozen waffles in your freezer. Instead, reimagine them as a filling breakfast bounty, elevating your expectations to a higher level. Then make them Southern. Done? Now you have the Capitol Waffle Shop in downtown Richmond, Virginia, where “waffles are just pancakes with abs.” Read about it >
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Italy in Portugal
One of the largest squares in Portugal, Praça do Comércio in Lisbon seems to unconsciously draw people to its 329,000 square feet of space. Perhaps it’s for the cool breezes coming off the adjacent Tagus River, or for the shaded arcades of the yellow government buildings, or for one of the world’s most beautiful arches. Certainly, it’s partially for the restaurants with abundant outdoor seating framing three side of the plaza. One of them, Troppo Squisito, gives you an Italian option when you’re looking to break out from the Portuguese specialties you’ve been enjoying for a week. Read about it >
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Italian Heart, Portuguese Soul
The name of Ris8tto, the restaurant across the street from my hotel in Porto, Portugal, Infante Sagres, intrigued me. I liked the “8” that replaced the middle “o,” playing on the Italian otto, for eight, and its similar sound to the final syllable of risotto. And, of course, I like risotto. So it seemed like a good choice for dinner. The handful of outdoor tables were filling up quickly, so it also seemed like lots of other people had the same thought. We were all correct. Read about it >
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Classic Portuguese Culinary Creations at Sebastião
Nobody was sitting at the tables at Sebastião yet. Good sign or bad? Granted, it was early for dinner in Lisbon, about 6:30, but I had built up an appetite from scrambling around the hilltop São Jorge Castle a couple of miles away, hiking up and down uneven stone staircases for sweeping views of the Portuguese capital and the Tagus River. The menu was appealing, so I decided to test the waters. The result: A risk well worth it. Read about it >
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A Hidden Gem Right Out in the Open
Don’t go to Sintra, Portugal, on the weekend—too crowded. Don’t go on Monday—too crowded. So I opted for Thursday. And? Too crowded. While the massive number of tourists at the key sites and restaurants in the heart of the city may sap your energy, you can find respite and a wonderful meal at the surprisingly uncrowded Fatto da Cláudio Coelho, just a five-minute walk from the throngs on a well-trod road. Read about it >
Stephen Travels 