Restaurants

The concept, which was envisioned as a seven-figure, permanent park for food trucks, is no longer on the table.

“A lot of people have asked when we’d expand to a different county because all the Chidos are in Henrico or Richmond,” its owner said. “I’m very excited to be here in Chesterfield.”

The closure ends a 16-year run for the restaurant, which was a founding tenant in the VCU-owned Cary & Belvidere dormitory when it opened in 2008. 

Janet’s Cafe & Bakery is expected to open next year at 4701 Forest Hill Ave., where a new three-story mixed-use building is currently taking shape on the site of a former bank branch. 

It’s one of three new restaurants to bring new life to older buildings in the surrounding area, joining the Texas Inn and Marylous Soul Dining Experience.

It would be the franchise’s Richmond-area location, joining others in Virginia in Charlottesville, Fairfax, Reston and Lynchburg.

“It became so popular within three months we’d equaled the sales of the Thai food,” said the co-owner of Thai Won On in Henrico. “It seems like good fish and chips are hard to come by in Richmond.”

Despite its name, Ford’s Garage isn’t an auto shop and isn’t owned by Ford Motor Co., but rather a restaurant designed to emulate a 1920s-era service station.

“If you think about it, people hate buying cars, and they really hate buying furniture. We encourage people to go sit in the showroom and have drinks. We want it to be a fun, inviting experience.”

Capitol Waffle closed its Harrison Street location in late April after five years. Polpetti has been on Meadow Street since 2021.