And, of course, Richmond was listed by Frommer's last year as a "Top Destinations for 2014" in the world - largely due to our dining scene.

Sure, what's happening in Richmond dining is part of a larger trend of what's happening in cities across the globe with dining, but what's happening in Richmond dining is also entirely unique.

It's not just that Richmond is opening exciting new restaurants, or that our chefs are getting national attention, or that our restaurants are getting more experimental, or the increasing number of specialty shops, or that we have an diverse festival scene - it's that all of these things are happening at once.

Then there's something else.

The people in Richmond dining scene decided a few years ago to embrace the philosophy that a rising tide lifts all ships and have been working together to make their restaurants - and each other - better, and by extension, Richmond's dining scene as a whole with it.