Saturdays in the fall mean one thing: college football. Whether you’re headed to Charlottesville, making the trek to Blacksburg, or up to Harrisonburg, a little RVA at your tailgate can win the day before the first whistle even blows.
A legendary tailgate spread is anything but generic. Richmond’s local makers, markets, and restaurants have every course covered, from the first Bloody Mary to the last cookie crumb. Continue reading for your playbook for the best RVA-inspired tailgate food, powered by local businesses and sure to win the parking lot game, no matter how your team performs.
Breakfast Bites for Early Kickoffs
Early kickoff? Fuel up early with a proper breakfast. Grab a dozen bagels from Baltik’s Bagel, pick up a brew box from Grit to keep the crew caffeinated, an assortment of donuts from Country Style Donuts, and don’t sleep on the homemade Pop-Tarts from Early Bird Biscuit Co.
Local Sausages, Brats, and Burgers for the Grill
For in-the-parking-lot, hot-off-the-grill bites, Belmont Butchery and The Mayor Meats have you covered on brats, sausages, and burger patties worth bragging about. Looking for something ready-made that you can eat one-handed with a drink in the other? Add sausage balls from Supper Club to the lineup.
Ready-to-Eat BBQ and Fixins
Prefer to let the pros handle the heat? Deep Run Roadhouse, The Smoky Mug, and ZZQ can pull together an envy-worthy parking lot spread. Order ahead, pick up on your way out of town, and accept the compliments.
Fried Chicken, Obviously
A tailgate without fried chicken? Never heard of her. Grab a box from Ukrop’s Market Hall or go big with a spread from Mama J’s Kitchen— the two finalists in Richmond’s own fried chicken competition.
Rolls and Biscuits
You’ll need something to pile all that meat onto. Ukrop’s White House Rolls are basically a Richmond food group, and their country ham biscuits are built for gameday. If cornbread is more your style, snag some of the best from Mama J’s. Want to upgrade your biscuit to the main event? The Fancy Biscuit offers trays of buttermilk biscuit sandwiches.
Local Sips
Fill the cooler with local craft brews, and set up a Bloody Mary bar with Cirrus Vodka and Texas Beach Bloody Mary Mix for the early crowd. For grab-and-go cocktails, Belle Isle Moonshine has canned cocktails, including Ranch Water and Margaritas, perfect for parking lot sipping. Prefer to sip something brown while you talk trash? Reservoir Distillery’s whiskey has you covered. And for the designated drivers and iced tea loyalists, a gallon from Sally Bell’s Kitchen is the move.
Dips, Sides, and More
A good tailgate spread is a crowded tailgate spread. There’s no such thing as too many options. Birdie’s Pimiento Cheese (go ahead, grab a few flavors), salsa from Don Sebastian, a shrimp ball from Bon Air Seafood, and coleslaw from Deep Run Roadhouse are perfect spreadable options to top your main dishes or enjoy on their own with chips, crackers, or celery.
For more traditional sides, don’t forget pasta salad from Ukrop’s, potato salad and deviled eggs from Sally Bell’s, mac and cheese from Mama J’s, Three Sisters Cheese Straws, and a bag (or three) of Keya’s Snacks chips—we suggest Golden Ranch.
Sweeten Up the Day
Jumbo cookies from Montana Gold Bread Co. travel like champs; The Sweetest Thing can hook you up with a full dessert assortment; and For the Love of Chocolate has candies in your team’s colors that will look as good in your tailgate spread as they taste. Yes, they even have orange.
Local Extras That Always Win
Looking to really make your parking lot spread win no matter how your team plays? Add a few little local RVA extras to your offerings. Drizzle AR’s Hot Honey on those biscuits, and honestly, everything else. Stir Crescent Simples syrups into your cocktails or iced tea. And add a jar of Sijang Chili Crunch for those who want a little heat in everything.
