Mike Isabella to open Graffiato in Richmond

Top Chef alum Mike Isabella will open Graffiato’s second location in Richmond this spring, making it his fifth restaurant either open or on the drawing board and his second outside the D.C. area.

Isabella opened Graffiato in Chinatown in 2011, following that up with sister concepts, Kapnos and G by Mike Isabella, on V Street NW in 2013. Another location of Kapnos, Kapnos Taverna, is planned for Arlington’s Ballston neighborhood, and Isabella also has a sandwich shop, G GrabandGo, in New Jersey.

The Richmond spot will be at 123 W Broad St., which is currently home to Popkin Tavern. Popkin Tavern will close Feb. 15. The 6,700-square-foot building is on a corner lot with high ceilings and large picture windows, according to Isabella. It should open this spring.

“It’s an exciting time to become part of the Richmond dining scene,” said Isabella. “The location on Broad Street will make the restaurant accessible to college students and everyone downtown, and the building itself has so much history.”

The building served as a furniture showroom since 1909, part of a larger corridor of furniture stores in Virginia’s capital known as “furniture row.” The building served as Popkin Furniture from 1968 to 2004.

Isabella has partnered with his Graffiato D.C. partner Hilda Staples, along with Travis Croxton of Rappahannock Oyster Co., on the project.

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