This weekend, I went to visit my brother and sister-in-law in Richmond, VA (RVA). Our weekend was full with just the right amount of activity. We also did some of my favorite things!
I love visiting farmers’ markets when I’m in other cities. (Or in my own city!) This was my first time at the South of the James Market and it did not disappoint. The market is an open-air market where farmers and artisans sell locally-grown and hand-made items and there were easily over 40-50 vendors present.
I purchased some cold brew coffee, locally-grown tomatoes and potatoes, and fresh watermelon + lime juice, all from different vendors. The watermelon + lime juice was so refreshing on such a hot day.
If you’re ever in Richmond, you should definitely check it out. The South of the James Market is open on Saturdays in May through October.
Next stop: Wegmans! Richmond recently got a Wegmans, and I. Love. Wegmans.
Their stores are thoughtfully laid out and I appreciate the variety of products you can find there, including organic produce and meat and lots of healthy food options.
Wegmans carries some organic meat that can be hard to find at other places and it’s relatively inexpensive. We picked up some ground lamb to make some mini lamb sliders later in the week.
I don’t make it to Wegmans very often since there isn’t one super close to my house, so when I’m there, I stock up on some of my pantry staples. Yesterday, I got some Chocolate Sea Salt RXBars, which I love to carry around with me just in case of a snack emergency! I’ll talk a bit more about RXBars in an upcoming post.
After a lazy afternoon, we headed to our dinner spot: Stella’s. Stella’s is fantastic. It’s located in the Malvern Gardens neighborhood in Richmond on Lafayette Street.
This was my second visit to this restaurant and it’s been outstanding both times. Last night, we had the Village salad, Keftedes, Melitzanosalata, Pastichiatho, and Braised Lamb Shank. Keftedes are beef + lamb meatballs served with extra-virgin olive oil. Melitzanosalata is a smashed eggplant spread made with garlic, onion, lemon, and extra-virgin olive oil. Pastichiatho is a pasta dish with clove & nutmeg-spiced meat sauce, topped off with grated Kasseri cheese. And the lamb shank was cooked in a brown-butter shank sauce and served over noodles.
Stella’s also has a grocery store across the street with some products imported from Greece, a prepared foods section, and some of Stella’s favorite goodies. It’s a really cute place you should visit if you’re in the neighborhood.
And finally, our last stop on Sunday morning was at Sub Rosa Bakery in the Church Hill neighborhood. I first visited Sub Rosa on a Richmond food tour last year. I was impressed by their dedication to their craft as they mill their own flour behind the bakery. Most of their breads are only made with four to five ingredients; a lot less than your average store-bought bread!
As I learned on the food tour last year, Richmond is developing quite the foodie scene. It’s also a lot less expensive than DC or Arlington, VA! So, if you find yourself in Richmond sometime soon, these are definitely places you won’t want to miss.