Houndstooth Cafe

Houndstooth Cafe is likely the very best restaurant in central Virginia. Worth the drive to Hanover, VA, it is the perfect way to end a day of horseback riding, shopping or most anything else you might do in this scenic part of Virginia.

The restaurant is located in an old renovated gas station building in the heart of Hanover, the seat of Hanover County. Only a few miles from Richmond and Ashland.

Go early to avoid the regular crowd and the one hour wait, and be prepared to savor some of the best food around. While you wait, sit on the front porch sipping your favorite brew and watching the country drivers cruse by.

Menu choices range from traditional pulled pork or beef barbecue to a variety of Chesapeake Bay seafood items brought in fresh daily. Top off your dinner with a slice of one of several home-made specialty cheesecakes or truffle desserts made by the owner that very day. Dinner will run around $40-50 for two.

The owner and the cook have operated the restaurant for many years, and as you might expect, are well known for great food and hospitality. Every item on the menu has been time tested and is always at its best.

You can visit the restaurant many times and try new items each trip. Try them all - sauteed seafood, fried shrimp, soft shell crabs (in season), fish, oysters, fresh pulled pork BBQ, beef BBQ and a variety of sandwiches.

Road trip - Two Frogs on a Bike !

Looking for a fun trip for good food and antiques?

Take a drive to Ashland, Virginia, and check out the ancient little country store at the intersection of Patrick Henry Road and US 301 in the heart of Hanover Courthouse in Hanover County, Virginia. The old store goes by the name "Two Frogs on a Bike" and is truly a glimpse back into a time from the past. The old store was a roadside country store and is now a destination for those that travel around looking for antiques and items for decorating the home. Not open at night.

Across the street is one of the best dining spots in Virginia - Houndstooth Cafe. Go early to avoid the regular crowd and the one hour wait, and be prepared to savor some of the best food around.

Menu choices range from traditional pulled pork or beef barbecue to a variety of Chesapeake Bay seafood items brought in fresh daily. Top it off with a slice of one of several home-made specialty cheesecakes or truffle desserts made by the owner. Dinner will run around $40 for two.

Casa Grande - Restaurante Mexicano - Richmond, Virginia

Another favorite dining spot for the locals in Richmond, Virginia, is the small group of restaurants known as "Casa Grande".

Somewhat typical of many Mexican restaurants, the menu offers a variety of lunch specials, combination dinners, , vegetarian dishes, special orders, typical Mexican dinners, individual selections A La Carte and serious special order dinners.

The restaurants are always filled with local patrons and usually have a line at the door. Those in line are seated in less than ten minutes so there's no delay getting to the tables. The atmosphere is generally festive with lots of talking around the tables and this reflects how well the customers like the small chain.

Favorites: Taco salad, Number 5 and 21 combination dinners, Nachos Supreme and the ever popular Quesadilla (with or without chicken).

Locations: 7818 West Broad Street, Richmond; 3532 Pump Road, Richmond; 10921 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond; and 10120 Glen Allen across from Virginia Center Commons Mall.

Buz and Ned's Real Barbeque - Richmond, Virginia

Just up the road a bit, in Richmond, Virginia, there's a great tiny barbecue place to go when you are up that way and crave some outstanding food. It's a small barbecue joint located near the intersection of Boulevard and Broad streets back behind a local car wash.

Some 21 years ago "Buz" traveled around the country to Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, Kansas City, Lexington and Memphis learning cooking secrets from famous barbecue regions, and in 1992 opened Buz and Ned's Real Barbecue in Richmond. Some of the famous places he learned from offer a variety of barbecue in styles of each area - places like Do-City BBQ in the Fog City, Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City, Sonny Bryan's in Dallas, Goldie's in Vicksburg, Scott’s BBQ in Lexington, Tennessee and Lexington’s BBQ #1 in Lexington, N.C. These are a few of the sources that shared secrets of the old timers that tended the pits preparing secret family recipes, (many of which have been handed down for generations).

According to the story on the Buz and Ned website, Buz met Ned on one of his journeys in Jefferson County, at the crossroads connecting the mountains of Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. Ned made barbecue using recipes handed down for over 150 years. Before he passed away, Ned passed his secrets on to Buz to keep his family BBQ tradition alive.

The menu includes: Beef brisket - texas style, boneless pulled BBQ chicken, hand pulled pork, pork back ribs, pork spare ribs, beef ribs, chicken tenders and chicken wing pieces.

Address: 1119 North boulevard, Richmond, Virginia

Hours: Mon-Thu 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Fri - Sat 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Sun 12:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Telephone: 804 355-6055