- This event has passed.
Cook’s Burger Bar Grand Opening
April 20
Opening on Saturday, April 20, Cook’s Burger Bar will reinvigorate the former Matchsticks BBQ Co. space (1246 Richmond Rd., Suite A) with an aesthetic that dares to embrace the late-1950s build of the commercial strip.
The newest venture from ATG co-founders Andrew Voss and Chris Cook is the locally-based hospitality company’s first brick-and-mortar business outside of Colonial Williamsburg.
Cook’s is a wall-to-wall tribute to nostalgia: wood paneling accented by classic 50’s diner colors like teal, mustard, and brick red; stained glass pendants; tile floors studded with atomic starbursts; chrome-rimmed diner tables; and vintage Breweriana.
Voss calls Cook’s “an homage to classic mid-century Midwestern restaurants and hospitality” with a whimsical menu and aesthetic guaranteed to transport you back to Grandma’s house.
The diner-style menu with a flattop focus will at once utilize curated ingredients and reject pretention. A luncheonette-style view of the kitchen makes burgers and fries the star dish. The menu also features mid-century snacks and small plates (e.g. tinned fish, pickled eggs, house-made bar mixes, chicken liver pâté) as well as “Fork & Knife” dishes like “Grandma Style Meatloaf.”
Contemporary touches appear in ATG’s commitment to showcasing local quality ingredients (e.g. regional Certified Angus beef, topped with local tomatoes from Dayspring Farm (Cologne, VA) and hydroponic lettuces from ATG’s own Reckon Acres (Charles City).
The hallmark of the bar program is an extensive menu of ready-to-drink (RTD) canned beverages: from beer, wine, and cocktails to niche N/A selections. Draft options include Cook’s Lite and Cook’s Dark lagers – brewed exclusively for the bar by award-winning Precarious Beer – alongside four rotating draft cocktails.
Music will be another crucial component of the ambiance at Cook’s, further bringing the past alive with throwback playlists and vinyl nights.
Following the Grand Opening on April 20, Cook’s will be open 7 days a week for lunch, dinner and late night cravings, as well as weekend brunch. Cook’s will be home to 85 seats, including 30 on the front patio
