The Savory Grain is a farm-to-table restaurant on Broad Street that opened in 2013.
The restaurant opened in 2013 in the former Empress space. A 2013 profile from RVA News listed its address as 2043 W. Broad Street.
The restaurant built its name on a farm-to-table philosophy, serving dishes like fresh calamari — tempura-battered or sautéed over chorizo-tomato sauce and topped with fried egg, smoked shallots, grilled jalapeños and cilantro — alongside roasted quail stuffed with andouille and Shenandoah Farms herbs.
A Decade-Plus Broad Street Fixture
The Savory Grain first opened its doors on Feb. 14, 2013, according to richmond.com's original report on the opening, which described the new spot's “celebratory atmosphere and hearty farm-to-table menu” as having “earned instant popularity on Broad Street.” Owner Jami Bohdan co-founded the business with her husband, Jason Bohdan, according to Richmond Grid, which also credited chef Sean Murphy with kitchen staples like meatloaf and shrimp and grits.
Lola's Farmhouse Bistro in Manakin-Sabot also recently closed.
A Tough Stretch for Richmond Restaurants
Lola's Farmhouse Bistro is scheduled to serve its final guests on Oct. 25 after 10 years in Manakin-Sabot, according to WRIC. Owners Eric Hess and Marianne Trak Hess said they'd faced “ongoing property-related issues” over the past year and a half and that closing was not their choice, the station reported.
Several Richmond-area restaurants have closed recently. The Daily Kitchen & Bar on West Cary Street closed Sept. 6 and is expected to relaunch later under a new concept, while Assante's Pizza on West Broad Street closed after 20 years in business. Hots and Brats in Carytown shut its storefront to focus on markets and wholesale, Redemption BBQ in Henrico closed amid rising beef prices and tariffs after expansion plans fell through, and Africanne on Main closed after 35 years downtown. Two Starbucks locations, in the Fan and in Short Pump, have closed as well.
Industry Pressure Across the Region
Richmond restaurant owners have increasingly posted direct appeals to customers on social media, saying slower spending and higher costs are putting their businesses at risk, the Times-Dispatch has reported. Nationally, the average restaurant's expenses have risen 36% since 2019, according to a report from the National Restaurant Association cited by Axios Richmond. That same data showed customer foot traffic down in 15 of the 16 months leading up to May.
In August, 46% of restaurant operators reported declining customer traffic, while 51% reported increased same-store sales compared with the year before, according to the National Restaurant Association. The trade group said August marked the 18th time in the last 19 months that operators reported a net decline in customer traffic.
The Savory Grain has served Richmond diners on Broad Street since opening in 2013.
