Hot and Ready richmondmagazine.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from richmondmagazine.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Brave New World
Even in the best of times, opening a restaurant is a risky endeavor. Opening a restaurant during a pandemic is essentially uncharted territory. While Richmond has lost a number of independent restaurants due to pandemic pressures, including gems that helped shape the dining scene, the region has also witnessed an influx of new dining establishments. We look at some of these recent additions, from a chef-driven pizzeria in Scottâs Addition to a Black-owned juice bar in the Fan and an urban oasis in Fulton Hill. Although face masks, takeout boxes and COVID protocols were not a part of the ownersâ original visions, they have embraced concepts they hope can thrive in the current climate, exhibiting the tenacity restaurateurs are known for.
Richmond restaurant roundup for 2020: Pandemic pivots and new eateries
BizSense file)
While the pandemic was the defining event of the year for Richmond’s restaurant industry, resulting in the closing of dozens of local spots, plenty of local operators also continued with expansion plans.
Here’s a recap of local food news from a year that many in the industry would rather forget:
Pandemic pivot
The pandemic pivot became a go-to for almost every restaurant in town this year. The government-mandated shutdown combined with patrons’ lingering fears left proprietors scrambling to find new revenue streams, shifting into a to-go-focused model and finding ways to squeeze enough tables and seats into their spaces while still maintaining social distancing.