Pie in our eyes: Seven ways to get your fill

Dessert trends come and go, but a good slice of pie stands the test of time—especially when it’s filled with seasonal fruit and served à la mode. Here’s a deep dish worth of local choices of America’s most classic dessert. The individual peach pies at Albemarle Baking Company might be small, but the double-crusted delights […]

Small Bites: This week's restaurant news

Citizen beef Andy McClure’s Citizen Burger Bar opened last Friday just in time for Father’s Day. But while the restaurant’s central theme of burgers, beer, and ballgames is a manly one, the sleek feel of the place (exposed brick, tweed, and leather banquettes, and a cocktail area in the bay window along the Mall) and […]

All Zinc-ed up: The five-year-old restaurant finds its groove

We lingered long after we should have. Tables had been cleared, the swoosh of the dishwasher had replaced the sound of sizzling proteins, and the bar was quiet, apart from the occasional clink of ice in a shift drink. Still, after a meal like the one we’d had at Zinc, we felt an unspoken urge […]

Herb-a-licious: Your guide to herby dishes around town

Once relegated to a scattering around the rim of the plate, herbs have come a long way—especially in this season when fresh ones flourish. Find them on area restaurant menus—from cocktails to desserts—and get herby with it. Prime your palate with Tempo’s strawberry basil martini made with freshly muddled strawberries and basil leaves, a squeeze […]

A closer look at the revamped Governor’s Cup and its prized dozen

After 30 years, the annual Governor’s Cup competition, which pits Virginia wine against Virginia wine, got an overhaul, making it what the Virginia Wineries Association calls “one of the most stringent competitions in the U.S.” Improvements were made on every front—from the quality of the entries to the quality of the judges—and in February at […]

The joys of eating: Chefs’ dirty little secrets

Chefs and bakers may have an elevated palate, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a weakness for junk food and drinks—especially after a long night when gourmet is the last thing on their minds. Here are some of our finests’ dirty little secrets. Ian Boden of Blue Light Grill: Corn chips with pump nacho […]

Oh, sweet pea: An homage to the vegetable and legume

There’s not much cuter than a row of tiny peas in their pods and these springy spheres taste as sweet as they look. Plus, as both a vegetable and a legume, peas contain a host of vitamins and minerals and are high in protein and fiber, yet more easily digested than their bean-ier cousins. Here […]