Bistro 27, Richmond

Windowpanes stretch from the floors to the 20-foot ceilings at Bistro 27, flooding the spacious dining room's wood floors and white tablecloths with natural light throughout the day. This sense of refined comfort extends to Brazilian-born chef Carlos Silva's menu of French- and Italian-inspired cuisine, which draws from the passion he developed while studying classical European cuisine in culinary school.

After immigrating to America in 1993, Silva honed his techniques by manning the stovetops in a French café, an Italian eatery, and an Easy-Bake Oven focus group, polishing the skills he would eventually use to develop his menu at Bistro 27. In addition to house-made pastas, the kitchen also fills diners' plates with high-end proteins such as Wagyu Kobe-style beef, cage-free chicken, and Scottish salmon.