As Told Over Brunch

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Where to Brunch In Richmond

Word's getting out that I write a weekly brunch review, so naturally when people bring it up, one of their first follow-up questions is:

Where should I brunch in Richmond?

And boy, is that a loaded question. It depends what kind of day you're trying to have: are we going for classy? Or are we talking about where you can go day-drink and get drunk off pitchers of mimosas? Are you looking for a dive bar or white table cloth? Do you want healthy or filling? There are SO many good places to eat brunch in Richmond that I can't possibly just give out recommendations all willy nilly.

To make this easier on me and you, I've created a Richmond Brunch Guide and listed where you should brunch depending on what kind of meal you're trying to have.

Boozy brunches in Richmond

Let's raise a glass to the days where you want to drink a lot for brunch and maybe eat some food while you're doing it. Here are 3 places to bring on the Sunday Funday.

  • Godfrey's: I LOVE the drinks at Godfrey's. They've got an expansive drink menu, and are quick to get you refills. It makes good business sense, as the drunker you get, the more open your wallet is to tip the entertainers. The one caveat for Godfrey's is that those drinks aren't cheap, but they are definitely worth it.
  • On the Rox: Spoiler alert, this place  could make multiple lists/all of them. When I don't know what to suggest, I usually go with On the Rox because I love their food, big open windows and mimosa pitchers. But since we're in the boozy section, let's focus on the mimosas. They give you an entire bottle of champagne with a splash of OJ. And if you ask, that's exactly what they will tell you. That's how I like my mimosa, and that's how I like my brunch location. Bonus points for the fact that On the Rox usually isn't busy, so there is no social pressure to eat and leave.
  • Millie's: I won't recommend this place for much (too much hype for the poor service, long wait and average dishes), but their drinks sure are excellent. I also got to try a lot of them because of the long line I had to wait in. However, the more drinks you consume, the less obnoxious the wait will probably become.

Food-focused brunches in Richmond

There are some stellarly awesome places to go to for brunch in Richmond when you are looking for really good food. Honestly, most places have food that I would rate above average, but these are the cream of the crop.

  • Kitchen 64: There are SO MANY good menu options at Kitchen 64 that it will appeal to almost anyone. The huevos rancheros tasted like the picked their own ingredients out back and put it in my bowl; it was super fresh and delicious. They've got a lot of space for larger crowds and big windows that add to the ambiance of the entire restaurant. 
  • 3 Monkeys: 3 Monkeys is one of our "regulars," and the food is basically the only reason for it (as their mimosa pitchers could use some work). They've got light fare, heavy fare and everything in the middle. They serve breakfast foods, lunch foods and brunch foods. I would strongly recommend the breakfast pizza, because that alone could make this list.
  • Pearl: Pearl Raw Bar makes this list for their pulled pork omelet, but their other dishes are stellar as well. You can tell that Pearl takes pride in their dishes, and has several options for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. 

Cheap Brunch in Richmond

For those times you want to be social and eat brunch, but your wallet is on the emptier side.

  • Lunch: Lunch in general is reasonable, but if you REALLY want to spare your wallet, order the breakfast sandwich. What you're imagining in your head is probably what is served to you at McDonald's, but in reality, Lunch gives you about 3x the amount of breakfast sandwich for about $5.
  • City Diner: From the name of this place, you can probably already tell it'll be affordable. Yes, it is a diner, BUT it's good diner food. Don't order the mashed potatoes or any of their more lunch-ish options (the chicken tenders were very bad), but their omelets and benedict's are on point.
  • Banditos: Banditos is where I go for cheap happy hour during the week, but it is also the cheap place I go for brunch. Drinks are cheap, meals are cheap, and they give you FREE chips and salsa. For it's price point, the food is pretty good too, if you're into Mexican-flare brunch.

Brunches for your Mom

I made this category very specifically to try to build bridges with Social 52 since I do like drinking there on weekend evenings. And since they offer free brunch for mothers if you buy an entree, this is one of the only categories I can put them in since I can't recommend the quality of their dishes. But, you'll get them for free if you go there, which I very un-sarcastically mean that it is really nice of them! I love my mom and would want people to give her free food.

I also would throw out LuLu's, since two years ago I went there on Mother's Day with my roommate and her parents. So now I associate that place with mothers.


I hope this helps you as you're scouring the River City for brunch. If not, please leave your questions in the comments or tweet @SaraWoznicki or @RichmondBrunch with your dining needs!

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