Richmond has quietly become one of the best eating cities in the American South. The scene is concentrated in a few walkable neighbourhoods. Carytown — a mile-long strip of independent restaurants and shops at the western edge of the Fan — has the greatest density, from old-guard favourites like Nacho Mama's (Mexican) and Amici Ristorante (Italian) to newer places along West Cary Street. Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom, down by the river, are where the upscale places like The Tobacco Company (set in a restored tobacco warehouse) and the long-running Bottoms Up Pizza hold court. Church Hill, on the other side of the river, has some of the most ambitious new restaurants in the city. Specific dishes to look for: Virginia ham, shrimp and grits, and barbecue — in particular the eastern-North Carolina-style pulled pork that Richmond adopts as its own. Vegetarians are well served; Ipanema Cafe, near the VCU campus, is a long-standing local favourite.