🦄Staff Picks🦕
a selection of staff favorites
Andy's Picks
2923 West Cary St
Slices and whole pies
1831 West Cary Street
Great for breakfast/lunch. Be sure to get something sweet to-go!
(only open 9-4 on Sat/Sun)
5820 Patterson Ave, Suite 103
Modern Mexican
🌞Outdoor seating available
3201 W Moore St
Texas craft BBQ. Closes at 6pm.
🌞Outdoor seating available
10 S Thompson St
Upscale Afghan dining. $$
🌞Outdoor seating available
Modern alpine-inspired dishes by a Top Chef competitor. Great cocktails! $$
(reservations highly recommended)
🌞Outdoor seating available
3120 W Cary St
French brasserie with Sunday Brunch (reservations highly recommended) $$
🌞Limited outdoor seating available
411 N Harrison St, Richmond, VA 23220 $-$$
Unfussy, large portions of incredibly delicious Italian food in a bustling, busy restaurant
Check out the daily specials on the wall board: that's where the fun lives.
Dinner only.
Reservations strongly recommended
(PS this is a 12 minute walk from our afternoon venue if you want a nice dinner after the dance)
821 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23220
Edo's Squid's boutique little cousin: smaller, more refined, quieter $$
Dinner only. Closed Sundays.
Reservations a must
(An 8-minute walk from the afternoon dance venue if you want a nice dinner after the Saturday dance)
April's Picks
116 S Addison St
Light fare & coffee
🌞Outdoor seating available
2901 W Cary St
Vietnamese with vegan options. $$
🌞Outdoor seating available
1012 Hull St
cute Indian-fusion coffeehouse vibe, is super nice about allergies & great for vegans
(and there’s totally a dance there on Thursday before the event🎉)
217 W Clay St
Yes, that GWAR! 😂 Vegan hangover food
325 N 2nd St
Korean street eats
901 W Marshall St
Bar classics & punk shows
🌞Outdoor seating available
403 Strawberry St
Ice cream w/vegan options
120 West Brookland Park Blvd
Small batch homemade ice cream.
Vegan options available
Ryan's Picks
2505 East Broad St, #100
Amazing savory and sweet pie slices served to-go from a walk-up window. (take-out only, but there is a park nearby)
open Thursday - Sunday only & they close at 6pm, so don't dilly dally
401 Strawberry St
Italian deli w/super thin crust pizza, subs and more.
Take-out only, but Scuffletown Park is across the street (accessed from the alley)
620 N. 25th St.
Wood-fired oven bakery with rustically splendid pastries, both sweet & savory
🌞Limited outdoor seating.
10170 West Broad st
Arepa, Patacón, Pabellón, yuca frita, what's not to like?
Thurs-Sunday only
🥤Convenience is King🍔
What's near our venues (staff recommendations are marked with a 💗)
Near the main Fri/Sat venue
A selection of places less than a 10 minute drive from The Dance Space
6004 West Broad St
Literally right downstairs from The Dance Space! Lots of vegetarian/vegan options.
Tip: Sometimes can be very busy and a bit slow, budget extra time.
💗Staff Pick
6008 West Broad St
Another option in the same shopping center as The Dance Space, same owners as Mekong.
Asian/bar food fusion with vegan options.
💗Staff Pick
Pho Thien Phat
6403 Rigsby Rd
No frills inside but quite good Pho.
Can be crowded at peak times but pretty good for groups since you pay individually at the counter.
💗Staff Pick
This area also has tons of fast casual spots like Panera, Chipotle, Shake Shack, CAVA, etc.
Late-night eats near the main venue
Ok, these are not going to change your life, but they are close to the venue & OPEN LATE. 😂
Wawa
5900 West Broad St
Closest all-night food option to The Dance Space
open 24 hours
Cookout
4802 W Broad St
the best of the late night fast food joints IMHO. two words: milk shakes
open until 4am
drive through/walk-up window only
**can be super busy on Saturdays so keep driving if the line is to the street**
Sheetz
7035 W Broad St
gas station chain with full menu of pizza, wraps, fries and such
open 24 hours
Taco Bell
5811 W Broad St
I'd like my crunchwrap with hot sauce & a side of regret
drive-through open until 2am
Dennys
🚫AVOID🚫
It's close to the late night venue but don't be fooled! Only go here if you want to miss the whole dance waiting for your food. It is truly cursed. You have been warned!😂
What's near the afternoon dance?
Our afternoon dance is situated in a walkable area close to VCU, with lots of food options nearby.
1328 W Cary St
literally right next door to our afternoon venue
Solid classics/standard American-style Mexican food
🌞Outdoor seating available
1618 W Main Street
2 blocks west and 1 block north from venue
RVA's OG small-batch roastery. This is more of a roastery & store than a coffee shop, but they do have a small coffee bar for to-go drinks (no food) and a few tables outside. Buy some beans to take home with you!
🌞Limited outdoor seating.
💗Staff Pick
Blanchard's Coffee: Morris St
26 N Morris St
1 block east and 1.5 blocks north of the venue
If you're looking for a sit-down coffee shop, this is your closest option.
1 N Morris St
2 blocks east and 1 block north of venue
Pizza
1210 W Main St
1 block east and 1 block north of venue
Smoothies, juice, acai bowls
1600 W Cary St
3 blocks west of venue
Pizza & beer. Gluten Free options
🌞Outdoor seating available
💗Staff Pick
1100 W Main St
3 blocks east and 1 block north of venue
OK, so it's "Piccola Italy Pizza & Subs" but real Richmonders just say "Piccola's"
If you want a no-frills $3 slice of pizza and insight as to how Ryan Lemar fed himself through 2 straight years of college, this is your place.
21 S Allen Ave
4 blocks west from venue
Andy's favorite bagel in RVA
💗Staff Pick
1823 W Main St
5 blocks west and 1 block north from venue
Wraps, bowls, noodles with seasonal freshness and sustainability in mind.
🌞Outdoor seating available
💗Staff Pick
2118 W Cary St
8 blocks west from venue
Seriously amazing tacos and enormous burritos
Take-out only
🌞Outdoor seating available
💗Staff Pick
22 S Addison St
15 minute walk west from venue
Vegetarian restaurant
Snacks near the private lesson venue
Have a private lesson at RVA Swing and need to fuel up? Here are some spots nearby.
6114 Lakeside Ave
Literally right next door to the RVA Swing studio! Bountiful & delightfully trashy nachos and quesadillas and yes that is absolutely a compliment. 🦝
🌞Limited outdoor seating (2 tables) but will also deliver to Final Gravity Brewing next door.
6935 Lakeside Ave
Breakfast & Brunch with punny daily themed specials. Walkable from RVA Swing, in the Hub shopping center.
910 East Parham Rd (~5 minute drive from RVA Swing)
Above-average American-style Mexican food with a great patio.
🌞Outdoor seating
5107 Lakeside Ave (~5 minute drive from RVA Swing)
Good pizza!
7304 Staples Mill Rd (~10 minute drive from RVA Swing)
Pupusas, dobladas, tacos, huaraches, burritos, and tortas. Open for breakfast too.
7310 Staples Mill Rd (~10 minute drive from RVA Swing)
Pastelería/dulcería latina. You want an arroz con leche ice cream bar? (hint:you do) How about a wide selection of baked goods? Either way, they have you covered.
🌞Outdoor seating
