Restaurants

The city has hundreds of restaurants, of which I have room to mention only a few. You won't go wrong following the "Critics' Picks" in Richmond's free alternative newspaper, Style Weekly (www.styleweekly.com), available in boxes throughout town.

Shockoe Slip -- East Cary Street between 12th and 15th streets is Richmond's premier dining mecca, with a bevy of good-to-excellent restaurants. On-street parking is always at a premium in this busy area, but you can resort to the municipal garage on East Cary Street at 14th Street.

In addition to the eateries listed here, you can get fresh sushi at Ninanohena, 1309 E. Cary St. (tel. 804/225-8801); excellent Italian at La Grotta Restaurant, 1218 E. Cary St. (tel. 804/644-2466); Chinese at the venerable Peking Pavilion, 1302 E. Cary St. (tel. 804/649-8888); Chesapeake Bay seafood at the Hard Shell, 1411 E. Cary St. (tel. 804/643-2333); upscale American at Sam Miller's Warehouse, 1210 E. Cary St. (tel. 804/643-1301); and Spanish tapas and paella at Europa, 1409 E. Cary St.

Steak lovers with extra cash can grill it at a branch of Morton's of Chicago at 111 Virginia St. (tel. 804/648-1662), a block south of East Cary Street (tel. 804/643-0911).

Consistently popular with young professionals as a watering hole, Siné Irish Pub & Restaurant, 1327 E. Cary St. (tel. 804/649-7767), is anything but a typical Irish pub, offering a wide selection of seafood, steaks, and chicken in addition to the usual corned beef and cabbage. In warm weather you can dine and drink on the deck out back.

My top spot for morning coffee, tea, and breakfast is Shockoe Espresso & Roastery, 105 Shockoe Slip (tel. 804/648-3734), which is actually on the cul-de-sac at the end of 13th Street south of East Cary Street.

Downtown -- Although much of West Broad Street is still down on its heels, the area around the Empire Theatre, between North Adams and North Jefferson streets, has seen a renaissance with the opening of art galleries and restaurants. In addition to Comfort you can dine at the more refined Bistro Twenty Seven, 27 W. Broad St. (tel. 804/780-0086), and at Popkin Tavern, 123 W. Broad St. (tel. 804/343-1909), a hip, high-energy sports bar.

The Fan -- You pay a premium in the Shockoes for ambience and location. You get equally as good but less expensive fare by driving out to The Fan, where the two neighborhood restaurants listed here have been feeding the locals for years. You'll get a good look at The Fan's gentrified row houses, too, as you drive around hunting for a parking space.

Carytown -- While tourists and other visitors head for Shockoe Slip, the locals are more likely to go in search of a good meal in Carytown. Indeed, you'll find a great variety of cuisine along the 7 blocks of West Cary Street between Boulevard and Nasemond Street.

Picnic Fare -- In Carytown, Coppola's Delicatessen, 2900 W. Cary St., at South Colonial Avenue (tel. 804/359-NYNY), evokes New York's Little Italy with an aromatic clutter of cheeses, sausages, olives, pickles, and things marinated. Behind-the-counter temptations include pasta salads, antipasti, cannoli, specialty sandwiches, and pasta dinners. Prices are low; this is a down-to-earth deli, not a pretentious gourmet emporium, though the fare is as good as any the latter might offer. Hours are Monday through Wednesday from 10am to 8pm, Thursday through Saturday from 10am to 9pm, Sunday from 11am to 4pm. There's a branch a block north of Shockoe Slip at Main and 12th streets (tel. 804/225-0454), which is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 4pm.

A Sobering Experience -- Richmond's favorite spot for cooked breakfasts and after-the-bars-close sobering-up meals is the 3rd Street Diner, 218 E. Main St., at 3rd Street (tel. 804/788-4750), which stays open 24 hours Friday and Saturday. It's a noisy diner with less-than-lightning-fast service, but nothing on the menu costs more than $10.