What Richmonders can expect when Acacia 3.0 opens

Acacia midtown owners Dale and Aline Reitzer are preparing to open the third iteration of their award-winning restaurant in the Libbie Mill shopping center — and their first restaurant in three years.

Why it matters: The Reitzers are basically Richmond restaurant royalty and were instrumental in helping establish Richmond as a nationally recognized food town.

What's happening: Acacia still doesn't have an official opening date, but it started hosting reservation-only pop-ups last week (announced via Instagram) while it staffs up and trains through a soft opening.

• This week's are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm. Tickets for the three-course meal with wine pairings are all-inclusive and $100.

A lot has happened since February 2020 when the Reitzers closed their last location for Acacia. While the couple wasn't running a restaurant during the pandemic, they were paying attention to how dining changed, Aline tells Axios.

Here's what to expect when the restaurant finally, officially opens to the public:

Dine-in, takeout and lunch service

• Expect a sandwich-heavy lunch menu and a few sandwiches and a burger at dinner. Lunch prices will be in the teens, dinner in the 20s.

A grab-and-go case

• Offerings will include fresh seafood for home cooks, their crab cake mix and wine and beer to cater to the hundreds of apartment and condo dwellers in Libbie Mill.

A modern ceviche bar

Next to the actual bar, Dale will make ceviche and shuck and roast oysters and fish.

A full bar

That includes a walk-up patio window that will open in spring. And Tuesday's half-price wine by the bottle night will be back, as will the Basil Smash cocktail, courtesy of Dutch & Co.'s Michelle Shriver, who's consulting on the cocktail list.

Parking

This version of the restaurant is the first one in Henrico, and Acacia has the parking lot to prove it.