After nearly 30 years serving smoothies and wraps to Richmond's health-conscious set, Palani Drive has closed its doors on Libbie Avenue, and in its place stands Lily's Italian Bistro, a full-service restaurant from a husband-and-wife team who couldn't quite settle into retirement. The 1,800-square-foot space in the Near West End reopened a few weeks ago under new ownership, remodeled to reflect its shift from casual counter service to Italian classics like lobster ravioli and chicken marsala.
Lily's Italian Bistro is owned by Ronnie and Tommy Hussey, who previously ran Lola's Farmhouse Bistro in Goochland before selling that business in 2025, according to Axios. Ronnie Hussey, who is Tommy's wife, told the outlet that the couple realized retirement wasn't for them once the Palani Drive space came onto the market. The deal for the lease, equipment, and business assets at 401 Libbie Ave. closed in late June, according to Richmond BizSense.
A Send-Off for a Westhampton Fixture
Palani Drive was founded in 1998 by Jeff Weatherly as a modest coffee shop before growing into a health-focused dining staple over 28 years, according to Richmond BizSense's historical reporting. Weatherly named the restaurant after Palani Road in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, near the finish line of the Ironman Triathlon, a race he completed three times, and the spot became a regular gathering place for local running and biking groups after workouts, per the same account. He decided to sell after dealing with health issues over the winter, the outlet reported.
Before the final close in July, Palani Drive held a send-off party where longtime patrons and former employees packed the restaurant, some buying artwork directly off the walls as keepsakes, Richmond BizSense reported. The Husseys spent six to nine months searching for a new location after selling Lola's, specifically targeting the Libbie-Grove corridor for its foot traffic and neighborhood feel, per the same account.
A Menu Built Around Family
The new restaurant's name honors the couple's granddaughter, Lily, according to Axios. Chef Tommy Hussey developed the Italian dishes on the menu and leads the kitchen, while Ronnie manages front-of-house operations. Beyond in-house preparations, the bistro sources specialty handmade pasta from a New Jersey pasta maker that has been producing it by hand since the 1980s, according to a post shared in a Facebook food group.
Lunch options run $16 to $18 and include a fried green tomato sandwich, quiche lorraine, and an Italian meatball panini, per Axios. Dinner mainstays like bolognese, lobster ravioli, and chicken marsala are priced between $24 and $29. Lily's serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, offers brunch on Sundays, and is closed Mondays.
Happy Hour and a Dog-Friendly Porch
The restaurant holds a daily happy hour from 2 to 5 p.m. at the bar, with $5 mixed drinks, $3 drafts, and half-price appetizers, according to Axios. Lily's also features a dog-friendly porch, giving the Libbie-Grove corridor another casual outdoor option. About 80 percent of the space was remodeled during the transition from Palani Drive, per the same report.
The 401 Libbie Ave. building sits within a multi-tenant retail stretch of Westhampton that has previously housed businesses including children's social club The Bunny Hive and interior lighting firm Oliver Street Designs, according to Richmond BizSense's earlier commercial real estate coverage. The Husseys previously operated Lola's Farmhouse Bistro alongside Ronnie's late mother, Mary Sause, who remained an active partner in the business until her death at age 98 in November 2024, according to an obituary published by Fiore Funeral Home. That Goochland County property at 1840 Manakin Road dated back to an 1865 general store before becoming the Foxhead Inn and later converting into a bistro in 2016, according to Lola's Farmhouse Bistro's own historical account.
