One of the best brunches I've had in Richmond. The chicken and waffle is the epitome of everything I love in a sweet and savory dish. The dish is so simple but done right. The light and fluffy waffle was topped with crispy, maple syrup coated chicken. The big hot mess was equally as delicious. I loved the spicy kick from what I think is a chipotle sauce. The best part of the dish however was the perfectly poached egg in the middle. Seriously, what's more glorious than a runny yolk over fried potatoes. read more

Heritage - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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When entering a food journey at a new (to me) restaurant, I'm never more excited than to have an experienced server who knows the menu like the back of his hand. Our server was exactly this and guided us through an amazing meal shared with another couple. Such. A. Good. Meal. I'll save you a little bit of time...when you arrive order the pork belly. Before you order the drinks or before they fill your glass with water...just ask for that. The cocktail list was enticing and the drinks we all ordered were well made, naturally. The menu is divided into small, medium and large plates - with a medium being your traditional appetizer size. All reasonably priced. And the way to go about this is just share with friends. It's not all super sharable, but you can make do. And it's worth it to experience more of the menu. Aside from the pork belly, the bucatini pasta and meat balls (lamb?) were delicious. The risotto with snapper was also excellent. We had a few more items but those were the true highlights. You'll need a reservation at this place. It's casual, but you could be dressy and not feel awkward. This is the type of place you could go every week and not grow tied of it. So glad it's in RVA! read more

Here's the low down. Get a reservation and go ASAP. The goodness that we savored? Pimento croquettes (OMG), pork belly (having just been voted best in Richmond we now know why), charcuterie, hangar steak with green bean salad (licked the plate clean), and vanilla bean cheesecake. Pretty sure I can die happy...though now I have a tie for favorite RVA restaurant. (Ps. The only reason this does not have 5 stars is that our poor waiter was rather absent minded, though friendly. Perhaps he was new...) read more

Dear Heritage, How I used to adore thee. Your ambience is lovely, food delicious, waitstaff attentive and professional. Until Friday night. I stopped loving you. Went out with a friend for a dinner. Tried to impress him - as he's from out of town and I talked up Heritage like it was next to heaven. Start with the good: We started with a couple of appetizers. Both yummy. Pork belly and creamy gazpacho. His main course was a flank steak. Just ok. Dessert, the best part. Some kind of cheesecake but deconstructed. BAD: - The summer risotto with peas. Was gross. Bland. The fluorescent green goo looked intergalactic. I didn't eat it. - The waitstaff! They (our main waitress and I guess a busser) were rushing over to our table every what seemed like 5 minutes to see if there was "something they could take." I mean I've waited tables before, and understand the importance of turning them quickly, but damn, we felt extremely rushed. So much so that we decided to linger even longer just to be spiteful. And we only did that last part because I heard our waitress make some joke about us not leaving to another waiter and they were laughing. I watched them the whole time. If someone is going to coming to eat a meal over $100, then you should let them relax and eat for pete's sake. The last two times I was here, the waiter was fantastic. I've seen him around RVA before; tall with dreads. Very nice and professional. If the waitstaff was decent, I could forgive the gross risotto. So, for these reasons I will not return. Back to Stella's. read more

Cute, quaint, on trend Richmond restaurant which pays homage to Southern/VA fare. It somewhat reminded me of the food scene in Charleston. We made a ressie for 5 people at 7:15 and the reservation was pretty packed. Kind of funny considering most places in NYC would be dead at this hour. The service was prompt, fast, and restaurant is medium sized and good for groups and couples. We shared: - the pimento cheese croquettes - delicious cheese bites native to VA with some kind of aioli for dipping -pork fries which were ground up pork, bread and fried with a sweet dipping sauce. I would say this wasn't one my favorites but it was pretty good - it was kind of like a chicken tender? - the fried broccoli - probably the best app we had; deliciously textured, fried with aioli (they used this a lot0 -the pork belly- crazy good flavor, well seared. This is a favorite dish by my local friends - we all sort of agreed it was a bit too salty, though I didn't try any of the charcuterie but two from our party ordered it, but it looked really good and had good variety, mustards and jams. For dinner: - I had the corn pasta with crab meat. It was good.. could have used some more citrus, I feel. Also a wee salty? But overall, texture and flavors were so fresh and good and they gave a good helping of crab meat. I feel it could have also used more crunchy texture like breadcrumbs. -Most at the dinner table at the special that night which was the waygu beef with potatoes. Unfortunately, my friends said this wasn't well seasoned and didn't taste as fatty as waygu should. -The other one of one ordered the bucatini pasta which came with shrimp, broccoli and some kind of creamy sauce? He said it was really good. They have great service (they kindly swapped beers when one of us didn't dig it as a good restaurant should), and seem to have good craft cocktails. The prices are in the high $20-30s and apparently this whole block of restaurants have re invented this part of town (as is Richmond at large) The food overall was a bit salty. And it was a general consensus - my friend said they'd had better experiences in past and have also enjoyed brunch. read more

Heritage is a beautiful and sophisticated eatery serving up deep-flavors originating from in-and-around the Greater Richmond area. These flavors are skillfully elevated by artistically-talented Chef Joe Sparatta, in both execution and presentation, and complimented by the delicious mixology created by Mattias Hägglund. Apart from a view of the patrons at Home Team Grill during our dining experience, the meal, drinks, and service at Heritage were nothing short of warm, inviting, and comforting while still maintaining a level of formality for a Friday evening dinner date. After a short wait we were greeted by a wonderfully knowledgeable server who was able to articulate the local businesses and farms being featured on the menu, as well as, the Chef's specials for the evening. The menu is arranged into Small Plates, Medium Plates, and Large Plates. We elected to start off our meal with the pimento croquettes (small) and the local asparagus (medium). The croquettes came out piping hot, radiant golden brown, and perfectly crispy. The flavors of the sharp pimento cheese balanced well with the slight saltiness and density of the thin breading. The texture of the perhaps-overly-melted cheese was slightly grainy for my taste, but that is an overstated nuance to an overall great bite. Served alongside was an aromatic smoked tomato aioli that only made the second bite even better adding a note of acidity and another level of flavor. As for the local asparagus, this is where the artwork at Heritage began. A beautifully plated dish, the asparagus was served perfectly charred with a bit of crispness. The spears were accompanied by two medallions of purple potato, morsels of fatty and salty house bacon, shavings of parmesan, and a delicately poached egg with a whimsical drizzle of aioli / oil surrounding. The presentation, complexity, and depth were immaculate for a dish entitled "local asparagus". Our entrees were the roasted half chicken served over rich-and-creamy cheddar grits from Byrd Mill and the Chef's special - Waygu Beef and Broccoli. The chicken, competing with a similar dish from The Daily Kitchen and Bar eaten a night earlier, showcased its superiority with a golden, crispy, fatty, salty skin encasing juicy, moist white meat representative of the level of execution in the kitchen. Served on rectangular slate dish, perfectly medium rare thin slices of the Wagyu beef met with a deliciously rich, sweet and spicy sauce and was served over light and crisp bunches of local victory farms broccoli. The warmth and depth of flavor of this simple dish was an immaculate feature of the evening. Finally, another piece of artwork from the Chef hidden behind a simple name: the chocolate candy bar. A splay of meringue zigzagged across the plate, slightly burnt adding a scrumptious campfire/marshmallow essence to the dish. Centered-atop, a thin bar of creamy chocolate hazelnut fudge with droppings of candied corn pops nestled up against a scoop of Nutella ice cream. The richness, the sugar, the hot and the cold, the textures all created one of the best desserts we've eaten in 2014. Heritage, Joe, Mattias, and crew - You all have done something special and we can not wait to return to try the rest of the menu! read more

Hello Heritage! I wish I lived in the same town as you. Your amazing cocktails, your delicious broccoli appetizer, the truffle pasta, the lemon coconut sorbet, your cute location, your super nice and competent staff... If you are coming from out of town, you like craft cocktails, and you enjoy good food, and you have high standards, come to Heritage. read more

Reasonably good brunch in a pleasant setting. They lose a star, however, because the server either did not like our table or was doing little to cover up the fact that she was in-a-bad-mood/hungover/didn't-like-her-job/lousy personality. She was as punctilious as a robot in the tasks of serving, but exuded an unpleasant air. For example, when interrupting one of us in mid-sentence to check on our table, her scowl at not receiving an immediate answer betrayed a little too much about how she felt. Indeed, a robot would've provided better service. read more

It was a wet and not so stormy night. My friends were all juiced up on great beer at great prices from a restaurant that seemingly still serves bland Vietnamese food (Ref: Mekong). When we finally got to our table, it felt like the planets were in perfect alignment. The place was packed. We didn't have a reservation. But luckily, there was a no-show on the reservation list. Boom. Seated in 5 minutes. The shrimp crackers. Yeah, those were just overpriced shrimp chips you can get at any Asian grocery store. Not worth the $2. The cheese platter was kinda..ok? I wasn't too impressed. But I'm into super crazy cheeses; I'm down with smelly ones as well. So I'm sure, for cheese-noobs, it would have been fine. The service was pretty damn good. The hostess was fine with giving us a table from a late reservation. You can't make the rest of the world late for you. And the server, Michael...I mean, damn. Super friendly. Knew his stuff (my friend has a food allergy. and he went off to name ALL of the things she could and couldn't eat on the main menu and the desert menu). I did learn a little bit about myself as well. Michael described the "staff beer" as a creamy beer, and I wanted to try that considering that I just had a bunch of super-hella-hoppy beers swimming around in my stomach. So creamy, to me, now means Bud Lite, which is awful beer. But it wasn't Bud Lite though; it looked and sounded local. My friends' cocktails were much better. The bartenders there looked knowledgeable and professional, like the ones you see in Mad Men. I had the symphony of meat: the beef burger with pork loin added to it. It was as if they took God's animal-children and made a genetically-superior-bionic superhuman. Add some crazy-fresh greens and jams and BAM, your mouth is paralyzed in an ocean of anesthetic animal protein. The fries were all even cooked, crispy, and as a fresh as a Krispy Kreme donut when they turn on the light. I forgot what the dipping sauce was, but it puts ketchup to shame. The brown money shot was the Nutella ice cream. It was smooth & sweet. Choice. I did have a discussion with the table next to us about whether we'd go back here again. This place is great, but I'm not sure if I would frequent it much. To me, it seems like a special-occasion restaurant. Mother's Day, Birthdays, reaching adulthood, etc. The table was filled with older adults, and their occasion was that they hadn't seen each other for a few months. Well, that sounds pretty special to me. This experience was indeed that. There's something magnificent about celebrating the life of friends and realizing that you've known them for more than a 1/3 of your life. Happy Brithday, An. read more

I get very suspicious when a restaurant with over 100 reviews has 4.5 stars on Yelp. No one has that hardly. We'll get back to that in a minute. So, going here for brunch on a Sunday proved to be a longer wait than we expected, or that we would have experienced elsewhere. This is not necessarily a bad thing since as it turns out, they pack the house for a reason. You see there is a bold, creative, integrity- filled, magician/pirate behind the vexing and somewhat sinister food here that makes me want to sleep here and eat every meal here, and afterwards coddle in a corner, sucking my thumb in a fetal position, crying, while wondering why said human has not solved ALL the world's problems. But I digress. To say we were famished is an understatement. Something about going to church and listening to a great sermon on the 10th commandment and coveting, made my bride, 2 VCU studious daughters, & I, unreasonably covetous of all the happy people already happily eating the awesome chow at Heritage. We were hungry + angry, which = Hangry. It makes for spirited conversations particularly when you're Hispanic. TRY THEIR RAMEN. Save your bellyaching about the ramen you've had in Tokyo, (as the aforementioned twin daughters have in Japan and thus refuse to try it anywhere else-just on principal grounds), or in NYC, or DC. Enough with the posturing and poo-pooing. TRY THEIR RAMEN. "But David, it's summer time still. But David, I don't want to eat hot soup until winter. But David..." SHUT IT! Asians, save the North Korean regime, are awesome and they eat hot soup all day long. It is sublime. It is umami. It has a perfectly poached & yolky egg in it. It has a perfectly executed pork belly piece in it the size of your palm. The noodles are NOT overcooked. The stock used is tasty on it's own. I wish to bathe in it. All of it married together? Beauty, like my daughters. TRY THEIR RAMEN! Momma had the Big Hot Mess. After which I had to drive, because she was A ... (you better get this-there's a quiz later). It looked and tasted yummy. Daughter # 1 had their Chicken and Waffles. Someone here loves humanity. They make a waffle with cheddar, (remember what I said above about poo-pooing?), perfectly fry chicken tenders, then have the utter "audacity" to somehow spice maple syrup, honey, with a tinge of hot sauce. Bold. Brave. Innovative. What a great place! Mimosas that have more sparkling wine than the fresh squeezed OJ that the beasts behind the bar use, and very respectable bloody mary's to boot. Take ALL your out of state family and friends here to brunch or dine to make them COVET living in RVA. read more

I can't say enough nice things about this restaurant and the people who operate it. I've eaten there a number of times and now have some favorites that I like to return for. The chicken liver pate is my favorite but the pork french fries and the gluten free pasta bolognese are also tops on our list. The bar is beautifully decorated and Mattias and Tim are always so welcoming and further warm us with their concoctions and great wine list. The servers are all total professionals and you're never left to want. Tonight I attended a dinner that was hosted by guest chef Randal Doetzer. Heritage's Exec Chef and owner Joe Sparatta has opened his kitchen for talented local chefs to show off food the way they want to do it in hopes that they will someday have their own restaurants and be able to share this food all the time. The event was a hit and what an awesome cause for camaraderie and community. They all deserve all the success in the world. Bravo! read more

I had really high hopes for this place after checking out the menu and seeing the Yelp photos. My husband and I tried it out, and it just really missed the mark for us in a major way. When walk in, the place looks pretty cool, almost with a speakeasy vibe, and the staff is dressed in vests and ties. There is a retro, urban chic feel to everything with the small, yet sleek space and the exposed brick. However, it is yet another restaurant to add to the list of those that are just far too dark. There's thin line between cool and intimate and cave-like. I would say that this place erred on the side of the latter. I was so excited to see that they had a cheese plate on the menu, along with a gluten-free option for crackers. Finally! Well, the cheese plate did not work out in any way--I can honestly say that I cannot imagine seeing more disparate items together on one plate. I really haven't seen so many things together on the same plate that should never ever be served together because they clash in the worst way possible. Everything on the plate was extremely strong in flavor and there was not even a single unifying element to bring any of the components together. There was a super strong whole grain mustard, an offensively strong and garlicky pickle, some fig spread that was neither sweet and fruit nor rich and dark in flavor (as fig spread tends to be), and a blue cheese and another cheese with it that should never be paired together. To top it off, they season their gluten-free shrimp crackers with some really strong, odd combination of spices that in no way works with the cheese plate, not to mention the complete clash of textures. Imagine eating a cheese plate with onion rings chips. Everything clashed, and I couldn't stop tasting it all night long after having all of those strong flavors together. I love strong flavors, I love bold flavors, but balance in food is critical to the diner's ability to enjoy these items. Balance was completely absent in the cheese plate. I make cheese plates for myself all the time, and there just seemed to be zero thought behind how each item complemented the others. I actually had to ask the bartender for some mint leaves to muddle into my water in hopes of cleansing my palate. I was dying to get home to brush my teeth and, even after I did, it didn't help. I actually felt queasy all night long because of all of the offensively-strong flavors. In spite of the lackluster cheese plate, I was excited to try my meal--the pork belly medium plate. Never have I seen pork belly prepared this way, and with good reason. Firstly, the star of the pork belly, the skin, had been removed. That, my friends, is sacrilege. On top of that, the layer of fat was left there, but the pork had been braised to the point that the meaty part had been rendered pure mush. The sauce on the pork belly was so syrupy sweet that it was very hard to get down. I could not finish it, between the mush-jello juxtaposition going on with the meat and the cloyingly sweet sauce. I love sweet/savory, but this was just plain sweet, again, with zero balance. My husband couldn't stomach his steak, something I have never seen in our 10 years together. He also couldn't finish his sweet potatoes because, as he told me later, they tasted like liver. What and how? I have no clue, but I believe him, just based on the offensively strong, poorly paired flavors on my plates. Well, service was great, even at a busy bar when we were purely there to eat, not drink. I felt bad for the poor bartender though because we couldn't exactly hide how much we were not enjoying our food. We tried. This place seems to be more of a place to see and be seen. People come well-dressed and ready to shine. I will say that they had an impressive array of liquors available, from what I saw. read more

Craft (and crafty) cocktails and a menu that makes the simple sublime. What's not to like? I've been twice, both times sitting at the bar - best choice for us solo-flyers - and have had a terrific experience both times. The owner is the lead barkeep, which means there's both an attention to detail and a level of hospitality that takes Heritage's game up a notch. I look forward to working my way through the menu, which changes frequently enough that I'm very afraid I may have to become a regular. Oh, the humanity ... =) read more

4 for the cocktails. 3.5 for the food. I was excited to try this place after reading all the rave reviews. The cocktails definitely disappoint. They are unusual and tasty and worth the trip. Service was wonderful, too. Our server was great at suggesting food choices when we were on the fence about what to order. The smoked fish appetizer was delicious, but the entrée I ordered (pasta & peas w/crab) was pretty boring and bland. Everyone else at the table loved what they ordered, so I will definitely try Heritage again with the hope that I will be wowed, too. read more

Very good brunch! I ordered the duck and it was so tender and the POTATOES!! Heritage has the best breakfast potatoes. Our server was very friendly, attentive, and asked if anyone had food allergies that the kitchen should be aware of when making the meal! Very thoughtful. The food came out fast and the portions were perfect. Noticed it was not wheelchair friendly- both to the entrance and to the bathrooms- which is good to be aware of. Will definitely go again! read more

Heritage - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I'm doing business in RVA this year so people have said check out the FAN they have this Restaurant call @HeritageRVA. If you know me I love to eat out only at the best places never need to wait for a table I'm always that return guy so its not a problem. Well lucky me I walk in the place, and its wall to wall with customers five people in front of me, and the hostess comes up all in black not happiest person in the place but she was not that bad "I see you have NO open tables so the bar is it" yes that's it. Remember I said lucky me I walk towards the back I get the perfect bar table two people ask can I get you a drink, menu now that's service we are starting off right. The Food was so good, I'm still thinking about it. The Service was outstanding the drinks made the night. Tim was not only working the bar but taking care of people outside the bar. They will see me over, and over to the point they my ask if I eat at home. If you try this amazing place that has a great feel have some relax time don't just walk away upset give them credit its that good. The price was amazing for what you get. In DC or South Beach the check would have been $250.00 + so please don't post anything about $$$ RVA until you travel for good food like this. Great Job @HeritageRVA I'm your customer for life. read more

Went to Heritage with a large group last night and really enjoyed it. The food was amazing - between everyone we tried a number of the appetizers and snacks. The croquets were a favorite. I had the bolognese and it was amazing. The only drawback was service was a little slow, but I would definitely go back. read more

My recent dining experience at Heritage began on a Friday night where I had a reservation for 7:30 (prime dinner time). We arrived a bit early and were pleased to find that they were able to seat us despite the long crowd gathered at the front. Once seated we waited eagerly as we glanced through the menu. And waited. And waited. And waited. It was nearly an hour before we got the chance to put our orders in and not much before that when we got to choose drinks. They were PACKED so we were understanding but still the wait got a bit much. You might notice my five star rating and be confused. If service was that bad, then why would I recommend it you ask. Well, simply put, despite the rocky start, Heritage was AMAZING! Our waiter apologized several times for the wait and when we proved to not want to chastise him, I'm sure he put rushes on our food because we got served right away, well before other tables who had ordered before us. And for the remainder of our meal our waiter was truly great. The food, fantastic. My gosh, if you try just one item at Heritage, make it the pork fries. This interpretation is very clever and insanely delicious. The rice grits and duck were also stand-out choices, but really everything was phenomenal and cooked perfectly. Try one of their cocktails too as they are definitely note worthy. I love their menu structure, small, medium, and large plates are sold and priced accordingly, for it allows you to pick a varied meal and leave filled up, satisfied and without spending a fortune. My only regret about dining at Heritage is that I didn't save any room for dessert, but fear not, I will be back! read more

Heritage is awesome. It's the perfect spot for a date night; the food and drinks are on point and the atmosphere is very intimate and cozy. We went for dinner and tried the pasta bolognese and the mushroom pasta with an egg on top. Both were delicious, but the mushroom pasta stole the show. We also tried a couple of cocktails and all were very good. Definitely going back! read more

Heritage - Pasta bolognese and mushroom pasta, go with the shrooms! - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

For all you avid restaurant-goers, here's a little trick (or maybe you already jumped on this trend): go to a must-have-a-reservation/always-super-busy-restaurant right after New Years - way fewer customers and less hectic. Heritage was our first dine-in experience of 2014 and it was very pleasant. We're bourbon lovers and luckily, Heritage crafts up some delicious bourbon-based cocktails: Main Street Buck (ginger beer, lime), Stark Words (apple cider, spices, lemon), Marlboro Man (maple syrup, cinnamon) = all delicious and went perfectly with our meal. Small plates were not total winners but I'd order them again: Smoked Fish Dip (hybrid of pimiento cheese + smoked fish dip; wish it had more smoky flavor) and Fried Clam Strips (tasty but there was more fried batter than clam meat) served with awesome house-made pickles (fried foods should ALWAYS have something pickled on the side to offset the heaviness). Medium plates: Smoked Pork Belly with "mock sushi rolls" of kim chi/veggies (flavor was okay, I had a rather fatty piece; enjoyed the kim chi rolls more than the pork belly), Soft Poached Egg with spicy duck confit and grits (super rich and divine, I adored this dish), Burrata Special with fennel three ways - preserves, pickled, and fried (wish there was more bread for the cheese but it was absolutely delightful, please keep it on the regular menu). Dessert: Chocolate Candy Bar with Nutella ice cream (divine and super chocolaty which is how I roll). The server was fantastic and made great suggestions. Decor is super simple and cozy. Overall, a good experience at Heritage and I look forward to try their other unique menu items. read more

Date of followup: 12/23 Sooo, I REALLY REALLY wanted to go back to Heritage to try some of their delicious food again!! So when one of my friends visiting from BOSTONNNNN, who is a serious foodie, asked if we could eat lunch at Galaxy Diner, I literally looked at her and said "No thanks, we are going to Heritage." I just couldn't let her eat very very okay diner food. Another one of our friends accompanied upon this food adventure and it was quite exciting because Heritage only does brunch on Sundays. Since this is a follow-up review, I"ll make it short and simple. My friend the foodie from Boston was mind-bottled. She was super impressed with the food. Mind you, this is the same girl who has eaten at three of Barbara Lynch's restaurants in Boston. My other friend also loved this place and he told me if I have any more restaurant suggestions, then he would trust my judgment. Quick synopsis: Ambiance/Service: Surprisingly there was no wait, but the restaurant was still full. Service was good, but this is the one reason for why I just cannot give Heritage 5 stars. The wait time to order, get drinks, get food, etc. is just a little below the standard that I expect. If I were basing the rating off of food alone, Heritage would be 5 stars. I REALLY REALLY want to give this place 5 stars, but until they hire more servers and provide a higher level service, I don't think I will be changing this rating. Food/Drinks: My friend loved her Mimosa and was surprised to taste the fresh-squeezed orange juice (none of that concentrate BS). For you beer lovers, try the Founders Breakfast Morning Stout, it is absolutely freakin delicious. My male friend order the Chicken Fried Steak and absolutely devoured that. My friend from Boston ordered the Salmon Eggs Benny and was more than pleased. I think what surprised me the most was the portions for brunch here at Heritage are much larger than there dinner portions. You will definitely be satisfied after eating brunch here. Richmond keep this place in business, it's that good. Just don't hype it up too much because I really enjoy being able to walk on in and get a table ;) read more

A great restaurant needs to have great food, amazing cocktails and superb service. Heritage exceeds in all 3. It might have just popped up only a short time ago, but this Fan spot will be around for a very long time. BRUNCH: Chicken & Waffles - who puts cheese in a waffle? The smart, that's who. Seriously, it's not overly cheesy and the chicken is cooked to perfection. I'm an eggs-all-the-time kinda girl and this had me forgetting all about them. Big Hot Mess: Ok, I couldn't completely forget the eggs. Let's be real. That's why you share your food. Anyway, this is surprisingly sophisticated for something called a "mess." Pulled pork, potatoes, and cream cheese among other ingredients. Everything blended so well together. DINNER: Pork Fries: If you're expecting something in a skinny-fry form, think again. They (it's only 2, mind you) are more the shape of mozzarella sticks. And the house bbq sauce - if only I were at my own kitchen table. But manners prevented us from licking the plate. House Charcuterie: excellent. But I've been lucky enough to not have had any bad boards in RVa, so I can't say if it beats out others. But on presentation, it's definitely a contender for the top spot. Potato Gnocchi: the first time I had it, the flavors were on point, but presentation-wise, everything was one color. Gnocchi, parmesan cheese and the sauce. But this last time, they stepped it up big time by adding bacon and green peas. This was gone in meer seconds with our group. Rappahanock Oyster Gratin: for me this was my least favorite in a Sea of Awesome. But it was still really good. Just to give you perspective though, I'm fairly new to oysters. I'm working on it. A solid 3rd base hit compared to home runs. Bourbon Barrel Pork Belly: my heaven has pork belly in it and this better be the first one in line. It wasn't the largest amount of food, but it packs a serious flavor punch in each bite. My only complaint is that I wish I had ordered more of it. NEVER TAKE IT OFF THE MENU. DESSERT: Cheesecake: Listen, if you do nothing else, ORDER THIS. Take your pride out of the equation of ordering cheesecake at a restaurant and get it. Every one of their desserts look like it would win a challenge on top chef, but this one takes the cake for me. It comes with a Meyer lemon puree and a berry sauce and my friend and I literally scraped the plate with our spoons. And the cheesecake itself (the real star here), I can't even describe it. We actually sat there speechless for a little bit. Major kudos to whoever put that together. Lemon Parfait: Layered perfectly and it came with a few shortbread cookies to boot. If you want something light and refreshing, choose this one. Mattias is a rockstar with the drinks. We couldn't decide - they were out of ginger beer for dark and stormys - and Mattias was happy to come to our table and make some suggestions. In the end, he was nicer enough to actually make D&S' , but had to use fresh ginger juice. Still worked with the extra kick. Service - hell yes. Our waitress and the other servers were amazing. Friendly, honest & knowledgeable about the menu, attentive, but not overbearing. And it's not just one person. I've had 3 different waiters/waitresses and everyone cares the exact same. Makes Reservations. That's all I have to say. read more

Went here with a group of girlfriends on a Saturday night for dinner. Their menu is categorized by small, medium and large plates. The large plates range in price from $17--$23, which is ok. Not entirely unreasonable for the food. We all loved our food. Portions are good and not killer (which I personally appreciate). I got the roasted half chicken over cubed bacon, mash and "house greens" (which appeared to just be spinach). -insert Obama "not bad" face meme here- Chicken was SO JUICY like never before, not oily at all, and the skin had a slight crisp. It was like comfort food without the repercussion of clogged arteries. Food tastes clean. Not overly decadent, but still flavored well. Moderately upscale dining without an overly pretentious feel (common in Richmond now!). As a bonus, our waiter was very knowledgable about the beer menu! I recommend Heritage for a great place for a nice meal before going out or casual date. Heard astronomical things about their cocktails. Will try next time! But I've also heard they can book all their seating. We must have lucked out and just came on a slow Saturday (Labor day weekend) read more

I feel kind of like I am in the Twilight Zone when I read the other reviews for this place but I have been to Heritage twice so I feel like I can review this place with some authority. On both of my visits the space was beautiful and a definite improvement over how it looked when Six Burner (which I loved) was in this space. My first visit was for brunch and I arrived with two friends shortly after they opened. We were seated right away but for some reason no one came over to get a drink order or anything for over 20 minutes. There were only a few other people in the restaurant and I got the impression that all of their servers hadn't shown up yet. Oh well, once I got my coffee I was fine. I ordered the chicken and waffles and was surprised that they didn't have much flavor. I love a sweet salty combo but this dish didn't really have either - the chicken wasn't really seasoned and the honey and waffle weren't really packing much flavor either. I was bummed but tried some of my friends "mess" breakfast and it was super flavorful and delicious - which made me sad that I didn't order that! For dinner a week or so later - our waitress was really nice and knowledgeable about the menu. She raved about the chicken on the menu and even said - I don't usually order chicken at restaurants but this is the best chicken I have ever had in my life. Well goodNESS I thought I would give it a go. It was one of the most disappointing restaurant moments of my life. It just tasted like roasted chicken I could have made at home - no seasoning, not particularly juicy. Even the cheesy grits weren't great! I didn't get it! Most everyone else at my table was disappointed in what they had ordered too with the exception of the pork schnitzel which was great. I am having a string of disappointing meals lately and Heritage was almost more than I could take. I might give it another try and hopefully I will have an experience like most of the other folks on here! read more

Ask yourself this question: Would you rather drink an extracted oak-bomb new world Cabernet or a Burgundy? One is about the wine-making, the other about the terroir. Heritage falls into this new world style that very much expresses the palate of the chef more than the natural flavors of the ingredients. Unfortunately for me, I didn't appreciate the flavor profile much. The ambiance was nice with good lighting and decor. The service was professional but simple. Upon attempting to order drinks and appetizers first, our waiter admonished us that "we like to talk the whole order at once." Seemed a bit arbitrary to me. Not something you would generally encounter in fine dining. For the remainder of the night our waiter was courteous. I would mention that we have 3 different people interacting with us throughout the night and only the first introduced himself. Again, a little unorganized. Per Yelp's suggestions we started with the broccoli and pork belly. Broccoli was delicious. Very well prepared and crispy and well seasoned. The aioli was also a nice touch. The pork belly itself was really nice but was accompanied by some type of wrap with a tremendous amount of ginger which made it uneatable. I ordered a cocktail which consisted of bourbon, house made ginger beer and citrus. Yuck! The house made ginger beer had such an overpowering ginger taste that it completely overwhelmed the bourbon which I could not taste at all. Again, just overly done and unbalanced. If you like eating whole chunks of ginger maybe you would appreciate it. I prefer it as more of a subtly. I do make my own drinks with bourbon and ginger beer and much preferred the taste of mine with standard ginger beers from Whole foods etc. I had the tilefish for my entree which was really well cooked and delicious. It was the best entree out of the three for the people I came with. I would definitely recommend it. Though again it is drowned in curry so you miss out on more of the natural flavor of the fish. The duck was well cooked but so tough that it was difficult to cut even with a sharp knife...we were seriously sawing it. The chicken was well seasoned but overcooked and dry. Dessert was just kind of simple and actually somewhat bland. They do not have espresso so I settled for a black coffee which was tasty. Overall bill came to $170 for three people each with a drink, two apps and three entrees and 2 dessert and a coffee. So it is not terribly expensive. Overall this place was just OK. I would not go back. read more

Heritage is a great place to stop at for amazing eats and libations. The staff are all talented from the kitchen to the bar. The food has always been cooked to perfection and plated well, almost so well that I didn't want to disrupt it. I love the formation and color schemes of the dishes as well as the atmosphere of the restaurant. The servers are very personable/knowledgeable and will do their best on your every visit to make sure that you are well taken care of and happy. We have been a handful of times, either sitting at the bar or at various tables. Every time that we indulged at a table we were WELL taken care of by the awesome server Stephanie. She is quick, never forgotten or mixed up an order and very informative. At the bar we have had a mix of tenders'...Matt, Bridget, and the bar manager Lindsey. The mixology is strong with this crew. Thank you for multiple stellar experiences Heritage!! read more

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It was just ok, i was expecting more from the reviews - staff's attitude was "too cool for school" which was their biggest let down to me. Our server took one of our drinks away when we weren't even done - and didn't even offer to bring a new one even though my guest wasn't happy with what went down. A little pricey too for what you got. Went someplace else for dessert - service was too slow at that point. read more

What happens when you put a brother (Bar), sister (Front of House), and her husband (Back of House / Chef) in one place to discover their culinary heartbeat? Brilliance....and a place called Heritage. Mattias, the kindly gent behind the bar, is mixing up cocktails that I can neither pronounce nor put down. I tended bar for two years after college at a nice spot in Columbia, worked with some pretty solid people during that time, and I don't hesitate to say that none of them are worthy of holding the candle that lights this guy's mixology recipe table. Order off the cocktail menu or just ask him to pick one of the five hundred or so recipes floating around in his head; you won't be disappointed either way. On the food front, Chef Sparatta is throwing down some damn love in the kitchen. I've tried everything from the pimiento croquettes and chicken liver pâté on the small plates, to the celery root gamelli pasta from the heavier side of things. These items (and I'm sure all of those in between) are too legit to quit. I also highly recommend the pork "fries" if you're willing to sacrifice a slight LDL spike for a heavy dose of umami - yes, that is a word. Then to round out the crew, FOH manager Mrs. Sparatta is ensuring that guests have a wonderful experience, complete with welcoming décor and a stellar staff. Seriously, the value of having competent, informed, caring staff is so undervalued in the industry and Heritage boasts what I would consider one of the best crews in Richmond. They aren't wearing sauced up white shirts and ties, but they treat you like a real person and give a darn about your dining experience. Staffing is a hurdle for many that's being cleared in true Olympian fashion at this place. Overall, Heritage represents something special and something to aspire to if you're into the whole inspiration thing. When three very talented, highly invested folks, e.g., the restaurant owners, are overseeing and managing the three main pillars of a restaurant's infrastructure - Bar, FOH, BOH - that is more often than not a recipe for success. Pun party of one. read more

My fiancé and I tried Heritage before going to a show at the Altria this Saturday (Wicked, which was also amazing). We each tried a cocktail-- I love a restaurant with interesting signature cocktails. I had the "Blood Orange is the New Black" and it was great. We had one small app-- smoked fish dip-- and the Bourbon Barrel pork which our waiter recommended. Fish dip was average but the home made pita chips were great. And the pork belly was fabulous. For dinner my only complaint is that I didn't order the rabbit confit pasta. My fiancé did and I was sneaking bites off his plate the whole meal. The house made pasta was perfectly cooked and the ragu was rich and flavorful. I had the duck which was well cooked but the farro risotto was a little bland. For desert we had the cheesecake which was unlike any cheesecake you'll ever have. It was deconstructed so it was basically like a whipped cream cheese with a crumble topping- excellent. The atmosphere was great. I do recommend a reservation because it is a very small restaurant. But even though it was crowded it never got too loud. The service was great and our server made great suggestions. All in all couldn't ask for more! read more

On one of my last nights in the great but gritty city of RVA a good friend of mine treated me to dinner at this establishment. I had heard wonderful reviews about Heritage and was excited to try it out. For some reason I expected it to be like any other new trendy restaurant in the fan (hipster, eclectic, whatever), but upon entering I was surprised to see that the decor was simple, slightly elegant and tasteful. It was a busy night and there seemed to be no hostess or greeter in sight. In fact it took 20 minutes for us to get a table, and that's only after I reluctantly parked it at the bar and asked the oh so dapper bar lad, "how does a girl get a table in this place?" After pouring me a delectable Suave Tart (?) vodka drink, he said he would take care of us. Eventually we made it to a table and met our server for the evening, Mary. This girl knew her stuff. She recommended another craft cocktail for me to try, a gin concoction, that was equally delicious as the first. I ordered the pork "fries" for a starter and the pork belly for my meal. I like pork. My friend got the arugula salad, river oysters and the pork belly. Everything was perfection. The pork fries were interesting and a really unique take on barbecue, but the pork belly took the cake. There are no words. You must try it. This Mary girl was so smooth she talked me into getting dessert, something I rarely do, but my friend was paying and she insisted. I chose the vanilla bean cheesecake. It came out in three little creamy ovals (which I had never seen before with cheesecake), garnished with fresh local strawberries, crumbled pistachios and bits of pound cake. WOW. Fireworks in my mouth. We ended the night with another winning original cocktail creation not found on the menu and got our drunk, happy asses out of there. read more

We stopped here on our way through town. It was a refreshing stop to break up a five hour road trip. Service was friendly, and the food was excellent. The bourbon barrel pork belly was an outstanding way to start the meal, and the arugula salad was a perfect balance of spicy greens and a hint of creamy dressing. I really appreciated Heritage's sensitivity to those of us with gluten allergies; nearly anything on the menu can be made gluten-free, including most of their pasta dishes. They seem to care about locally sourcing as much of their menu as possible, too. I will definitely remember this place as one to re-visit on my frequent trips through Richmond. Thanks for a great experience! read more

Yelp won't let me have the space I would need to adequately extol all of Heritage's virtues so I'm keeping this short. This is, hands down, the best restaurant I've tried in Richmond. (Close second: Stella's.) Fantastically dynamic cocktail program? Check. Consistently innovative, well-executed menu? Check. Quality seasonal ingredients? Check. Friendly, courteous staff who will treat you like their best friend? Check. Heritage is the only place in Richmond I've had that elusive "Wow!" moment after taking a perfect bite. Just go. read more

We had dinner reservations at 9 and had to wait a bit upon arrival because our table wasn't quite ready. Not a huge deal-- our party went to the bar and started off with some cocktails. Great cocktails. Thoroughly enjoyed the "Blood Orange is the New Black" (taste as well as clever title). I also really enjoyed their non-alcoholic ginger drink with elderflower and lime-- so delicious and really refreshing--this is a must!! The bartender was super friendly and gave nice suggestions on drinks as well as food. We were seated after maybe 10-15 minutes. We ordered right away since we had some time to look over the menu at the bar. The fried pimento croquettes were amazing, and the poached egg dish with duck was so delicious. The hangar steak was good, but nothing I haven't had before. Overall, the food is great, nice ambiance, but can get a bit loud later in the evening (our dinner reservations were at 9). I would love to come back and try their brunch! read more

Came to Heritage for brunch a few weekends ago and we were really impressed! The service was great- they created a dish just for my son that met his dietary needs with no questions asked. We also loved the bloody marys- definitely a must try! I had the chicken and waffles and would have preferred a bit less honey on mine- it was rather sweet. The pancakes and bacon were awesome, as was the Eggs Benedict. My dad got the Big Hot Mess and we loved that as well- although it was super rich so might be something to consider sharing! Definitely want to return to try this place out for dinner! read more

My wife and I met some friends at Heritage for brunch on a Sunday. Fortunately, we made reservations because the line extended down the sidewalk when we arrived. We were seated immediately, though the place did seat and serve everyone else pretty quickly. The brunch menu spans a full page (8.5"x11") and offers modern and foodie twists on old favorites. My wife, for example got a bagel, though one that came loaded with cream cheese, salmon, capers, pickled onions, and arugula. I ordered stuffed french toast which was filled with a delicious banana and walnut mixture. It was paired with "walnut butter" which was great, but not plentiful enough. I also had a mimosa, about as traditional a brunch libation as there is. It tasted fine, though I would have preferred a bit more orange juice, or at least a drier champagne. This is a personal preference, so I can't fault the restaurant for it. It's just worth knowing ahead of time if you like your mimosas on the sweet side. The prices are fairly reasonable for brunch. They're on par with anything you might get at IHOP or somewhere similar, but those place can't match Heritage's quality for the money. The wait for our food a touch on the long side. Given how busy they were, I can't really complain that much, though. Our meals were freshly prepared, and that obviously takes time to do properly. Given the crowd, the wait wasn't bad at all. The restaurant has a clean, trendy vibe, but it still feels casual without sacrificing ambiance. It's a little small, though I've eaten in smaller places in Richmond. Space is utilized well. Despite the crowd, we never felt crowded. We were seated by the kitchen door, but there was ample space so that we never felt the rush of waiters coming and going. We had our three-year old son with us. There wasn't much on the menu for him, but the waiter did a fine job of steering me toward some a la carte pancakes that suited him just fine. Our son is abnormally patient for his age, so the wait didn't make much difference to him. That said, I don't recommend Heritage for young children. A preschooler won't find much to eat or entertain himself with there. I'd like to try Heritage again for dinner, but I can say with certainty that this is one of Richmond's best brunch spots. read more

Went to Heritage last Friday with a large group of 14. Service was on point the entire time especially considering not only our large party but also that the entire place was packed. The menu is fancy and fun. I had the butternut squash soup (rich and creamy) and the pork belly (amazing)! The hubs had the pork fries ( so good only wish there was more!) and the schnitzel (yum!). Presentation is lovely! Can't wait to go back. read more

Non pretentious foodie joint that's ok with the fat kids coming to visit! Still licking my chops from dinner. Yes, their food is seasoned, pasta is al dente and their staff is top notch but not fussy. Their commitment to sourcing locally is commendable and well worth the patronage alone. But their food is just so tasty and the lady and I will be returning. Can't wait to stop by for brunch! read more

The only place in Richmond where I have been so turned off from without actually eaten there. It has been a while since I attempted to have brunch and left because they rudely ignored us folks waiting but allowed others who came after us instead. They did not have reservations either. Perhaps we were not as lightly colored as the rest of the patrons, perhaps it was busy but the selection criteria was a slap in the face. read more

Well hello, delicious restaurant in the middle of a neighborhood. I found this little gem on yelp - obviously! If there were an option for 4.5 stars this one would be it. I sat at the bar... Bartender (and the blood orange cocktail I had) were awesome! The drink was perfectly balanced, the tarragon was a welcomed twist, and deliciously cold. Fast forward to my appetizer... House salad with beets, candied pecans and horseradish cream dressing. Oh yes, and julienne apples. Perfection! As for dinner... I had their house version of pasta carbonara, substitute fresh crab for bacon. I am not one to ever substitute bacon... But honestly this was perfect. Warmed the belly, perfect consistency on the pasta and a very generous portion! Company was also awesome and my bar seat was comfy! A must try. Trust me ;) read more

Been there a couple of times for breakfast, ordering something different each time: chicken & waffles, Nutella French toast, and their pancakes. I gotta say, their food is amazing. I am a connoisseur of breakfast foods and pancakes; they have the best pancakes I've ever had! Great food, good decor, and nice people. read more