This is one of my favorite annual food festivals in Richmond. You are absolutely spoilt for choice, and with most restaurants serving generous tastings at $3-5 you can sample to your stomach's content without breaking the bank. Of course everyone has favorites, I never leave without Mama J's southern cooking or Happy Empanada, but I definitely recommend trying at least one new restaurant and meal while you're here. This year I am so glad I tried The Shaved Duck Restaurant's Parisian gnocchi with confit duck. Never something I would have ordered off a menu, but was the best thing I've had in a long time! In addition to three blocks of restaurant booths, there are also a variety of craft vendors, a free phone charging station, two music stages, and usually a few street performers to entertain the crowd. Street parking is free in most areas on Sundays but is extremely limited, so be prepared to walk. The festival is pet and family friendly, but it can get very, very crowded, so leave your giant strollers and anxious pups at home. read more

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Great event! Great variety! So much food from which to choose. Oysters, gator cakes, Wagyu beef tongue sliders, and I could go on. Even with $3 for tasting portions, I still did not have enough room to try everything I wanted. I have the first Sunday in June marked on my calendar from now on to be sure to attend. read more

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I've been wanting to come to this food festival for years. The best Richmond Restaurants all lined up in tents on Broad Street serving out small plates of food for only $3, umm yes please, you don't even have to pull my leg. I was able to try food from about 6 different vendors, my favorite being a smoked chicken taco from Brazza Kitchen. There were a ton more available but the lines were off the chain ridiculous, I'm talking about 15-20 minute waits while standing on concrete in 90 degree heat. After about an hour and a half my friend and I had to leave. This experience definitely helped me prepare better for next year... GO EARLY! Shorter lines, lower temperatures and no sold out food. read more

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I remember when Broad Appetit first launched 10 years ago. It has grown so much! Think of it as Richmond's answer to Taste of (Chicago/Insert City Here). I, however, think we have much better food trucks. Options well beyond the burger and dog, ranging from Vietnamese to African to Tacos and desserts. You name it. Food trucks stretch from Foushee to Belvidere on both sides of the street with a music stage on one end and cooking demonstrations on the other. And lots of characters in-between! And of course, beer trucks. It's a great way to spend the afternoon sampling foods from restaurants you've never been to. Be prepared to have some difficulty finding parking in downtown RVA since there's no designated parking for this event. And you may spend some time waiting in lines depending on the food truck. Some are more popular than others. The best part is that BA attracts quite a diverse crowd. We went from the Greek Festival to BA and what a difference ;-) read more

2018 Still one of the best festivals of the year! The music line up on all stages has grown as has the food offerings. Beer/wine/ wine slush available. Fun crowd kid and fur baby friendly. read more

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An annual event where RVA closes Broad Street to present all these local restaurants that you can try for $3/plate (It may cost a little bit more depending the restaurant and what additional options they have available). I honestly think that this is really great for those who have not been able to venture out to specific restaurants because of the distance, this is great to get a taste. The restaurant that I mainly remember was Croaker's Spot Restaurant. My husband has always wanted to try this place but we never found the time to go. Finally, we got to try this ice tea and their fried chicken and fish. It was really delish (and their small container for dessert/pie). I feel terrible for not writing this sooner, but I would recommend going to the next Broad Appetit whenever RVA is throwing it! You won't regret! (Also...depending what the weather is like, you should bring a bottled water in case too. It was hot this year (2017). read more

I love coming to this event! It has all my favorite food for $3 plates! Best deal around town! Tried a few old favorites and now some new favorites! First up was Mama J's catfish! A personal fav of mine. Then tried the crab and shrimp sandwich on sourdough from Terrants. So so good. Their cannoli was super rich and delicious. Next tried Continental Divide's Tuna Tostada. Also just great! Then tried Rappahannock's crab gazpacho. It was good but not really what i was looking for. I think they missed an opportunity to bring oysters. Also there was beer! Wine! Slushies! I got a Midnight Brewery Rockville Red beer and Steam Bell Brewery Brindled Brown. Wonderful beers! read more

Broad Appetit - Crab and shrimp sammie from Terrants - Festivals Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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This event is a highlight of the year for me. If you are into trying new restaurants/food, then this is the event for you. A portion of Broad Street is closed down and different restaurants and vendors set up and offer select food tastings for about $3-4! You also have he option of trying different beer, wine, and cider. I spend a few hours walking around trying different foods, talking to different vendors, listening to the live music, and people watch. The only suggestion I have is to make all vendors accept cards- I ran out of cash and the ATMs had long lines or had crashed for some time. read more

If there is one time of year that I can be found hitting up the bank for dollar bills like I'm about to go make it rain all night in the strip club... There is little point in enumerating the delicious things I have eaten at Broad Appetite for two main reasons- One, it changes every year, and Two, I can't remember all of it even if I try. For a wee three dollars, one may have a little dish from many of the best restaurants in the city. For three more, another dish, and so on ad infinitum. The chefs invariably bust out their best for the event- nothing I've had was ever less than delicious, and certainly never disappointing, particularly for the price. It is very easy to lose track of one's budget and one's stomach here, however, and I advise a certain amount of caution. Set an amount you are willing to spend in advance, and go with friends who are willing to share nibbles. You cannot eat everything, do not try, you will be ill. read more

This is the perfect event for us people who can never decide what to eat! There are small plates from each food vender ranging from $1-5. That night you wanted soul food, thai food, and a pizza well this festival can give you it all! There is plenty of seating down the festival. Performances and cooking competitions. read more

Broad Appetit - Richmond Street Food! - Festivals Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

This by far is the best food festival of the Capital city. Some of the best restaurants in Richmond all in one place selling discounted tapas size plates with great music and local breweries on tap...... You can't beat that with a stick! The food was excellent and definitely exposed me to some restaurants that I wanted to try. It gave me the opportunity to try their cuisines without spending an arm and a leg. The bands were awesome and there was two stage set ups on different parts of the festival. This allowed the bands playing not to overlap each others sound but also it felt like an endless party. I loved it! My favorite dishes were the pulled pork sandwich at the Toast Stand, The empanadas at The Happy Empanada Truck, the Appleton Ribs at Carena's, the chicken and waffle At Tarrant's/Max's and the sliders at Slideways Mobile Bistro. Every bite caused a wave of flavor and euphoria to my taste buds. This event will have a permanent spot on my social calendar. I can't wait until next year! read more

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It was a phenomenal experience. The food was great! It was unlimited goodness from pastries to meat. This was my first time attending and will be back next year! read more

Broad Appetit - Festivals Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

2015 Broad Appetit food festival If you're looking for a taste of Richmond then look no further - this is THE event to bookmark in your calendars, friends! It's only a 1-day event so all of Richmond will flock to a pretty concentrated area on Broad Street so the key is to arrive early = shorter lines, closer parking, and cleaner port-o-potty's (oh yes, this makes a huge difference). I attended the festival in 2013 but don't recall the details. This year, the menus overall seemed very "meat-heavy" which was fine for me because I'm a carnivore, but it would have been nice to see more seafood options. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed my $3 plates: 1. Lehja - "Alleppey Style Seafood Curry" with sea bass, salmon, prawns and spices from the Alleppey region = very fragrant but not overwhelming, the super fresh seafood made all the difference. 2. Africanne On Main - "Curry Fried Wings" - pretty self-explanatory, these little flavor bombs were so crunch-tastic and addicting 3. Everyday Gourmet - "Choosy Mother Boneless Short Ribs" - beef braised in Isley Brewing Company's famous peanut-butter porter and served with potato salad = the flavor of the short ribs was so indulgent and rich which I loved, but wasn't a huge fan of the potato salad 4. The Broadberry - "Buffalo Chicken Taco" - fried buffalo chicken with blue cheese, ranch, and shredded cucumbers = talk about "bang for your buck", the portion of chicken was very generous and I loved the shredded cukes on top for added freshness; I'm totally inspired to make a variation of this dish at home! 5. Anderson's Neck Oyster Oyster Company - "Oyster Taste - 2 Oysters" - not sure what kind of oysters these were but they had a super clean taste. I prefer oysters on the slightly brinier side, but it was such a treat to get a bivalve bite at BA. 6. Merroir - "Stuffin' Muffin" - pan-fried oyster stuffing with bacon and gravy = super crispy exterior and creamy in the middle, a touch more seasoning for the gravy would have been nice. With all those little plates, utensils, and napkins, BA makes a great effort to reduce waste by encouraging festival-goers to recycle and compost = a greener Richmond! Rooms for improvement: A list of participating restaurants was released prior to the event but it would be great to see each vendor's menu to help people "game plan" more. Also, I did not see any options for a bike valet station which was a bummer = we need to burn some calories so we can eat more delicious food! Broad Appetit is such a great way to get exposed to new food businesses in the region and try dishes that you might not normally order. Two big thumbs up for this fun-filled-foodie-festival! read more

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Showcasing all Richmond has to offer, now only if it lasted for longer than a day... Picture all of the great restaurants in Richmond, along with all of the good restaurants in Richmond, place them in small tents in a 4 four or 5 block stretch on Broad street selling small sampler plates at $3 a pop and you've got Broad Appetit! Mix in all the bars lining Broad along with two sound stages and you've got a pretty awesome time. read more

I LOVE Broad Appetite, its an incredible event! My first time attending was last year, 2015, and for 365 days I eagerly awaited its return! Why? Simple.. Great environment, downtown RVA. Great vendors, almost all of RVA's best eateries.. All bestowing upon the masses morsels of gold in the form of RVA's finest cuisine for $3! Venders are housed in tents that stretch for about 4 blocks on Broad St. From Adams to Henry St.. The tents run down both sides of traffic on Broad, which allows for you to travel in a circle around the event. Completing the cycle gives you a chance to view what everyone has to offer & sample should something catch your eye. Samples typically cost $3 or $4 and are small portions of signature dishes, dessert items, or beverages. There's tons of local craft brew on deck, so if you're into that make sure to bring your ID! Wine drinkers they've got you covered too! It's a city wide festival, so expect major crowds. Nothing outlandish, but if large crowds, waiting in line, and warm-hot weather isn't your thing.. You might not enjoy Broad Appetite.. Underneath the shade of buildings and trees there are plenty of tables & chairs located on the sidewalk to utilize should you decide you want to break away from the crowds. Lines can get long for the popular places, but I commend all of the venders for servicing the crowds as quickly as possible. Still.. expect to wait for places that are popular. Don't fret, it's worth it! Just don't wait too long to get out to the event. Popular items sell out! If you're thinking about going, I strongly recommend! read more

I look forward to this festival every year and I go even if none of my friends are around. Richmond's diverse food scene comes together with samples so you can take a culinary adventure and perhaps cross some bucket listed restaurants off of your list. The first year that I went, I only regretted not bringing cash with me. Most, if not all, of these places require cash only as payment...a little inconvenient, but just requires a little advanced planning and a trip to the ATM. It would be so awesome if they had a system like Busch Gardens where they have wristbands that they scan with your card info. The little appetizers that you try are only three dollars. The first time I came I remember trying a Cheer Wine slider...I can't remember where it was from but it was a treat. Next, a giant meatball from Graffiato...yummy! Great selection of beer as well, as you would expect from any Richmond festival. I remember seeing spicy mangoes on a stick as well for sale that I would have liked to try but I was full. Definitely go, and go hungry! read more

The whole atmosphere of Broad Appetit was amaze balls!! I'm so glad the rain held out because it was overall such an amazing experience with the bonus of SUN!! I love how there is a variety of foods of the great city and not to mention the variety of wine and beer. A few vendors had vegetarian options too. I loveddddd how the event also catered to a fur friends. They had dog pools and water to keep them hydrated in the heat. Very considerable and kind. The one thing that ruins the experience is the amount of time and gas you waste trying to find parking. I get it- it's downtown RVA, but it would be awesome if the sponsors just bought a few lots or SOMETHING to make it better and less complicated for those who aren't in walking distance. read more

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I just literally moved to Richmond so attending this festival was fantastic! I was able to smell and taste a bit of Richmond here and there! The price for the tickets were not bad either for the drinks so I was able to enjoy some local breweries as well :) Def a must go if you are a foodie or are looking to expand your horizons in Richmond. read more

My first time going to this event, and I absolutely can't wait until next year so I can go back! Definitely one of the must attend festivals of the year for the RVA! Most plates went for about $3 a piece. Best to have cash for something like this if you plan on attending as it seemed like none of the places had a square or a sort of terminal for using a credit card. They had several ATM's set up on site, so if you forgot to get cash, or didn't even know you needed to get cash, they had your back. Going early is definitely something to keep in mind. As they may run out of some of the crowd favorites by mid festival. As well, it does get more crowded with it getting later in the day. There are many local businesses, some of them I've never heard of, others I've been wanting to try for quite sometime, but just haven't made my way there. I have added quite a few of them to my list. If you like supporting the locals, and eating the food, this is definitely the event for you! read more

Food and people EVERYWHERE! This is the second time that I hav ecome to this event, and this time was better (and not as hot) as the first one. The restaurants have done an impressive job of showcasing foods that would entice a passerby to sample their wares. The problem, as reviewed before, is that it's a short-lived event and should really be spread out across the weekend. Even under the guise of a "small plate" you can only fit so much food and booze in your stomach before you need to put the fork down. There's no way to enjoy everything. Parking wasn't an issue, but you have to be prepared to walk a few blocks. Richmond isn't really designed to have people travel in or around it (blame city planners/engineers), so it's really a place that you should carpool. read more

Yesterday was my first time attending Broad Appetite. My son and I went right after church. I was able to find parking not far on a side road. Even though it was hot they had plenty of tables and chairs in the shade area. I was able to get a seat more than one time. There were so many chooses it was hard to choose. We at flavored tea, homemade root bear, lemonade, cheese fries, seasoned fries, meatballs, glazed chicken pulled chicken. The portion were a nice size. I look forward to next year. read more

Broad Appetit - Festivals Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Fun tradition in Richmond where you can sample the food from a myriad of eateries in the area, all at once! Some highlights include Lucy's, Mama J's and wine slushies. The event is dog/pet friendly, but it gets so crowded and hot that I don't think I'd really recommend bringing Fido. read more

Great event -- not overcrowded and plenty of seating. Love the idea of small plates for $3 each, which gave you a chance to try several things. Really fun event and would definitely go again next year if I'm in town! read more

This was my first year attending Broad Appetit. I have decided that this is the best tapas bar I have ever been too :) You get to try small plates for $3 from so many wonderful restaurants. It is a great way to get people to try new places! read more

Love this festival! One of the best festivals in RVA. Great to do with friends, and family friendly; just for the small ones make sure to keep them cool. I wouldn't recommend bringing pets, as it gets hot and it's a lot of people. Wonderful opportunity for people to try multiple local restaurants and see what other local spots and programs have to offer. The vendors also include caterers, crafters, and locally made products. There's also live bands, some cooking demonstrations, and sometimes a little activity. They do have some tables and chairs, but it's not to hard or find a seat or two here and there. Most of the time you will walk and eat. There's a lot to see and try. Highly recommend, I've gone for the past several years. Reminder as it is downtown, parking is what it is. read more

This is a bit late, but I had a wonderful time! This was my first year going and it was lots of fun! The food was great, it was pretty organized, and the atmosphere was exciting. The prices for the food was awesome at $3 a plate. I would've liked for there to be more activities to do for the adults and children, but maybe there will be more incorporated into it next year. read more

I always love going to Broad Appetit. It's great to try all the different known and hidden gem restaurants in Richmond. It's always something different every year. I look forward to the Wine Slushies! read more

I had so much fun working this event! The food was phenomenal and there were so many people that I met! I love events like this, bringing different cultures together and showing how diverse richmond really is! read more

We go there every year since it was started. Always had a good time and an empty wallet when I leave. But lately I have to say it has become harder to pick places we want to try as there just isn't that many new restaurant that are there and they are just repeating the same old food they had last year. I wish they would bring back Kuba Kuba from the 1st year as it was delicious. But I would definitely come back every year to eat and see what is new. read more

Love a street festival that has awesome food, music, beverages and adults who behave themselves! My third year attending and looking forward to next years! read more

Crest Foodservice is proud to be a sponsor of #broadappetite. What an amazing event for RVA.

This was my second year volunteering for this event. I heard all kinds of great comments while walking around. "The samples are large!" "Ooh, this is good chicken!" "The peach wine slushy is great!" It was really hot, but no one seemed to get irritated by the lines or the crowds. I was amazed that the place wasn't a bit trashier with so many people in one place! read more

Favorite food festival in Richmond, though the middle of the day is so crowded you have to wait in line for 20 minutes at many stations. Best to arrive pretty early. read more

Loved it here. A bit overwhelming and they put too similar places side by side, but I enjoyed it. Nice portions for $3.

most of the $3 small plates were truly small and not really worth the money. think about the samples offered at costco but you need to pay $3 for each. i know i exaggerate quite a bit but you get the idea. the few exceptions were the raw oysters and gyros. read more