The Hill Cafe
Under 30 offers reviews of restaurants where two can eat for less than $30.

Nicole Johnson
Richmond Times Dispactch
Thursday December 25, 2003

Taste: The food is a mix of down-home heartiness and gourmet charm. From the appetizer menu, my date ordered the beef stew ($3.50), which was jampacked with potatoes, carrots and beef. For my entree, I chose the grilled pork chop with gravy, redskin mashed potatoes and steamed green beans ($9.99). My pork chop was flavorful and the gravy wasn't too lumpy or too thin. The mashed potatoes were creamy and definitely tasted homemade. (full review)

Hill Thrill
Flavorful fare with "down home" flair at The Hill Cafe still earn its "urban institution" rep?

Colleen Curran
Richmond.com
Tuesday September 16, 2003

Sexy, suave neighborhood joints serving eclectic Southern fare are getting harder and harder to come by ... especially with the new crop of super-power malls and their chain restaurant minions invading Richmond this month.

Maybe that's what makes a charmer like The Hill Cafe such an urban institution. Armed with two friends, I stopped by to see if the corner cafe was still King of the Hill. The short answer: You betcha. (full review)

Flying Colors
Aside from the nice atmosphere and good food, the Hill Cafe passed two sly tests.

Randall Stamper
Style Weekly
Wednesday May 22, 2002

The Hill Cafe was the first restaurant I visited in Richmond. I went there for a nightcap one evening with my girlfriend. We’d been apart for a while. I was considering moving here and was in town for a week of reconnaissance. We had a lot of heavy conversations that week. One of the heaviest was held in The Hill that night. It went well and I’m with her and it’s great. So, to be honest, the folks at The Hill could have served me pickup-butter-and-carpal-tunnel-jelly sandwiches last week and I still would have sung their praises. I probably should have recused myself from writing this review. But I don’t think my partiality changes the fact that The Hill Café is a class joint with good food in a sexy neighborhood. (full review)

A Thrill on the Hill
Chefs infuse neighborhood café with flavor and flair

Erin Tilley
Richmond Magazine
Tuesday January 1, 2002

The Hill Cafe co-owners Michelle Williams, Ted Wallof and Jarod Golden have succeeded where many others have failed. The Hard Shell/Europa trio took over a neighborhood favorite and infused new energy, all the while leaving the soul of the place intact. Key elements like the classic bar and homestyle menu options are the same as ever, but the updated decor and menu have rejuvenated the restaurant. The long-lived, cozy Church Hill joint now has comfort food with a flair, a fresh coat of brick-red paint, pretty posy-filled carafes near the booths and eclectic tunes on the sound system. (full review)

A Good Neighbor
The Hill Café puts a twist on tradition in a neighborhood institution on Church Hill.

Davis Morton
Style Weekly
Tuesday August 29, 2000

The Hill Café is a perfect opportunity for a neighborhood eatery. It’s in a densely populated, urban area, within walking distance for hundreds of people, and an established location. It’s had its ups and downs since its inception a decade or so ago and, despite the vicissitudes of owners and management, this Church Hill corner has stayed lighted, proof that there is demand for a convenient restaurant. (full review)

The Hill Cafe reaches the pinnacle of fine neighborhood dining.
The Restaurant Next Door

Carter Braxton
Style Weekly
Saturday January 1, 2000

When I lived in the Fan, one of the things I loved most was my proximity to good food. From my apartment on Lombardy, I could walk to Texas-Wisconsin, Bogart’s, Cafe di Pagliacci and what was then called The Stonewall Cafe. Then I moved to Church Hill. This was pre-Shockoe Bottom renaissance, and the pickins were slim. Fortunately, for residents of the Hill, choices have improved, and one is even within walking distance: The Hill Cafe. (full review)