6 Of The Best Seafood Restaurants In Richmond, VA

Richmond isn’t located on the Atlantic Ocean, and its primary water source, the mighty James River, isn’t particularly known for its bounty of edible creatures. So Richmond’s food scene must be lacking when it comes to seafood, right?

Wrong. Despite the lack of immediate ocean access, Richmond has a thriving set of seafood restaurants. For starters, Richmond may not be directly on the Atlantic, but it’s not far from it. Second, our city is within 100 miles of both the Chesapeake Bay (the US’s largest and most diverse estuary, by the way), and the Virginia river system that feeds it. All these unique, nearby bodies of water mean that Richmond restaurants can serve their guests all sorts of fresh seafood, which they do superbly. So try one of our favorites immediately!

Alewife

Billed as “Mid-Atlantic seafood, influenced by the Chesapeake Bay and foodways of Virginia,” Alewife in Church Hill is a top-tier seafood spot. With accolades from publications like Southern Living Magazine (South’s Best New Restaurant in 2020) and Esquire Magazine (Best New Restaurants inn America 2019), you can’t go wrong. Oh, and Chef Lee Gregory is a three-time James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist for best chef Mid-Atlantic.

Dinamo

Dinamo‘s has been creating fantastic Jewish/Italian-influenced seafood dishes for the VCU and downtown crowd for more than six years. The small menu provides a surprisingly varied set of choices, but if you’re there for the seafood, we recommend starting with fish soup, and completing your meal with one of two squid ink fettuccine dishes (one comes with mussels, the other with calamari).

East Coast Provisions

The Richmond Restaurant Group took a dynamic seafood concept (the former Water Coastal Kitchen) and made it… dynamic-er? East Coast serves up colorful, fresh seafood dishes, cocktails and more, seven days per week. With an elegant dining room and a front patio great for people-watching, you’ll want to stay a while!

Edo’s Squid

Among Richmond’s Italian restaurants, Edo’s Squid brings the strongest seafood program. As the name implies, you’ll find lots of squid on the menu (fried, in a salad, or napoletana, among others), though the mixed seafood pasta is a crowd favorite. That’s squid, mussels, clams, and fish over penne or spaghetti!

Rappahannock/Rapp Sessions

Rappahannock Oyster Co., re-established in 2001 by Ryan and Travis Croxton, has played a role in a multi-organizational effort to revive the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population. And since 2011, the Croxtons have tried their hand in the restaurant business, much to the delight of Richmonders. Rappahannock, on East Grace St. was named a 2014 Best New Restaurant by Esquire Magazine for its world-class oysters, and seafood-inspired menu. And more recently, Rapp Sessions, an oyster saloon and dry goods market opened next door.

Rappahannock is a frequent stop on our Art’s District Food Tour!

Yellow Umbrella Provisions

This place is for those who want to cook their own seafood at home. This locally-owned small market offers fresh, sustainably-harvested, restaurant-quality seafood (plus a whole lot more) to the general public. So while it’s not a restaurant, if you’re looking for some of the best seafood to be found in Richmond, you can’t avoid Yellow Umbrella Provisions.