Velma Johnson at Mama J's Kitchen
Photo: Scott Suchman
Check out these great neighborhoods in cities throughout the south.
Washington, D.C.’s H Street NE. Corridor
A veritable embassy row of restaurants, H Street Ne. is fast becoming the capital’s next great dining spot. Miami’s Wynwood District
What started in 2009 as a graffiti installation has blossomed into a bona fide arts district with 75-plus galleries, cafes,
and a slew of festivals. Austin’s East Side
Old-school blues clubs and time-tested Mexican restaurants rub shoulders with food trucks, edgy music venues, and a new boutique
hotel. Savannah's Starland District
The steady stream of students and relatively affordable victorian storefronts make this area a haven for young gallery owners. New Orleans’ Freret Street
Its rezoning as an arts and entertainment district helped reinvent this stretch, now rife with markets, bars, and specialty
food shops.
Why We Love It: Jazz, soul food, and African-American enterprise have always been the cornerstones of this historic neighborhood, and they’re also driving its revival.
Our Perfect Day: Start with a seasonal sandwich—say, the Brie, strawberry, spinach, and egg panini ($9)—at the colorful, loft-like Lift Coffee Shop & Café (liftcoffeeshop.com) before starting an art crawl along Broad Street. Keep an eye out for Gordon Stettinius’ fine-art photography space Candela Books (candelabooks.com), the newest addition to Gallery Row. Then visit the 28-room Victorian urban mansion that was once the home of Maggie l. Walker (nps.gov, free admission), the first African-American woman to found a bank, and The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia (blackhistorymuseum.org, $5 admission). Don’t miss dinner at Mama J’s Kitchen (mamajskitchen.com), where Velma Johnson cooks up Southern classics such as country-fried steak ($7).
Top Tastemaker: Michael Ng is on a mission to beef up the Ward, buying up storefronts on Second Street and opening his new lunch spot, Thai Corner (804/343-2009), in one of them.
The Ideal Souvenir: Albums from Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and James Brown—all of whom used to perform at venues on Second Street, aka “The Deuce”—at Steady Sounds (steadysounds.com).
Everyone’s Talking About: The Hippodrome Theatre (hippodromerichmond.com), a 1914 theater that just reopened after decades of dormancy and a $12 million Art Deco-inspired renovation.
Printed from:
http://www.southernliving.com/travel/south-east/jackson-ward-richmond-virginia-00417000078948/
Copyright © 2013 Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy ( Your California Privacy Rights). Ad Choices