Join us for pregame @ Pies & Pintsfrom 5 – 6:30pm! Tables will be reserved and pizza will be provide by MasonRVA. Pies & Pints has great pizza and over 30 beers on tap that change daily (see drinks menu). Wine by the glass, as well as bottled beer, cider, seltzers & spirit cocktails are available as well.
Where to Park
There should be plenty of street parking between Pies and Pint and the Siegel Center on West Broad and back into the neighborhood between West Broad and W Grace St. The earlier your arrive the better chance you will have of finding a convenient space on the street. West Broad Street will be busy and well lit before and after the game. The area near Lowe’s usually has street parking early if you want a shorter walk after the game and they even have the best markings on disabled spots thanks to resources from https://carparkmarkings.co.uk/disabled-bay-marking-installer
MASON MAIL 2/16 – #RockWithUs at the Siegel Center as George Mason Men’s Basketball battles VCU for a rematch on Feb. 23th at 7pm. Limited Tickets are available for the match up. Tickets will be located in section 36 and will be available for $25. Tickets can be purchased by signing into your George Mason Account Manager or by calling the Athletic Ticket Office at 703-993-3270.
Nearby Scotts Addition is home to 10 breweries, 3 cideries, 1 meadery, 4 distilleries and 1 winery in just 7×7 blocks (last count). Richmond is also a foodie town and some of our best restaurants can be found in Scott’s Addition (ZZQ is a destination for BBQ lovers). There are also arcades, bowling alleys, shuffleboard, top golf, etc. for family fun. In fact, Richmond is growing so fast, my 2019 post is already way out-of-date, so I found two two links that will help you plan your day for when you are “working”.
* Pregame location has changed to 4:30pm @ Pies & Pints! Keep reading for parking recommendations, tour descriptions (guided and self-guided), family friendly activities for all ages and restaurant recommendations for before and/or after the win!
GAME DAY MAP
MasonRVA invites Mason Alumni and Fanatics to join us for a Craft Beverage Walk (beer, spirts, and cider) and pregame in the heart of the Richmond Beer Trail – Scott’s Addition. The “Walk(s)” will start at Isley Brewing Company starting at 2pm and end at Pies & Pints at 4:30pm for pregame. MasonRVA will provide pizza, soda, and water for pregame starting at 4:30pm (contributions welcome). If you don’t want to eat pizza, you can checkout the menu here or check out restaurant recommendations below.
Richmond is a walkable city during the day and the weather report for Saturday looks good. But it will be dark after the game and unless you park near the Siegel Center or Pie & Pints, you may want to Uber after the game. Ubers are plentiful in Richmond, but may take a bit longer after the game. So my recommendation if you plan to join us on a walking tour, is to park near the Siegel Center and Uber to Isley’s or your first self-tour destination. That said, we have not had any trouble getting an Uber back to Scott’s Addition after the game in the past if you choose to find street parking there.
Where to Park
There is plenty of free street parking around Scotts Addition and near the Siegel Center, but if you are not a local it may be difficult to find. The earlier your arrive the better chance you will have of findng a space on the street. There are parking decks near the Siegel Center or you can park in the Bookbindery Parking Deck near Pies & Pints.
VCU Broad Street Parking Garage
Bowe St Parking Deck
VCU – AR Parking Lot
Book Bindery Parking
Pregame (4:30pm @ Pies & Pints)
No worries, pizza will still be provided. My apology for the last minute change of venue. I started to worry Isley’s may not be able to accomodate us at 4:30pm and Pies & Pints is willing to reserve space for us. It is also a shorter walk to the Siegel Center and garage parking is available on Saturday at the Bookbindery parking deck.
Brewery Tour (2pm – guided)
A guided tour by Mason Alumnus Richmond Rob (me). I will post updates on the MasonRVA Facebook and Twitter accounts during the tour so late arrivals can join us.
Isley Brewing Company – My favorite brewery for drinkable beers and my experience is that everyone can find a beer they like. Best Known For: Peanut Butter Porter (better than Sweet Baby Jesus)
Ardent Craft Ales – Started as a coop in a garage, as the name implies the brew masters do not stress about consistency – in fact the IPAs are often numbered by batch. The beers are artful.
The Veil Brewing Co – Small batch beer brewed by a brewmaster considered to be the best in Virginia and 3rd globally. when the Brewery opened. Lines form weekly around the block on release days (limit 2 4-packs per customer) and there are stories of cars full of people coming from NYC so they can buy as many 4 packs as possible and re-sell them for $50+ / can back in New York ( mmm, may be away to pay for A10 tournament ;). Be warned! Craft beer like any art form is in the mouth of the beholder. There are weeks when I cannot find a beer I like and weeks when some beers are the best I have ever tasted. Veil has taught me to never give up on any brewery as long as they don’t get stale ( pun intended š And if you are an IPA lover and we are lucky, maybe Master Shredder will be on tap Saturday.
Three Notch’d Brewing Company– Outpost in Richmond of a brewery that started in Charlottesville that likes to make collaboration beers with local breweries. Three Notch’d makes some good beers that are pretty easy to find around the state. Richmond Wine Station is next store if you want try something different. Dozens of wines and craft beers are available self-serve and sold by the ounce.
Beer, Cider, Mead & Wine (self-guided)
Self-guided Craft Beverage tour. If you visit Reservoir Distillery near Isley before walking to Blue Bee, you will get a taste of all forms of craft beverage.
Isley Brewing Company – Meet here for beer first and find some other folks that are tired of beer. See comments about Isley’s above.
Blue Bee Cider – Worth going just to see the venue and the cider is great.
Look for the stars on the interactive Game Day Map.
Tang & Biscuit – Indoor Shuffleboard – Yes you heard me right, full-size shuffleboard lanes (courts?) indoors! Apparently the game loved and played by our Grandparents on cruises is a favorite of the millennials! Gourmet biscuits and local beers on tap.
The Circuit Arcade Bar – 80s Arcade w/ good food and a wall of beer and wine by the ounce (like Richmond Wine Station but more fun).
River City Roll – Upscale Bowling Alley w/ good food and a full bar.
Restaurant Recommendations
SUPPER! (yep that is the name) – Richmond is a foodie’s town and in 2016 was selected as the 9th best foodie city based on metrics including having the 6th most restaurants per capita (and 1st per capita for breweries), which means competition is great and there is always a new place to try. SUPPER! has been my favorite place in the city for a while (but I have not tried BRUNCH! yet).
Boulevard Burger and Brew – Good hamburgers and boozy milkshakes for the adults – need I say more? (family friendly too)
Buz and Nedās – Boulevard – Voted best BBQ in Virginia and a Food Network favorite. There are lots of great BBQ joints in Richmond w/ ZZQ that got started serving out of Ardent Craft Brewery being one and Smohk RVA BBQ an other. I will let you decide.
Don’t Look Back – Triple – Think Taco Bamba in Richmond. My son is a big fan of Taco Bamba in University Mall because it is almost as good as Don’t Look Back.
Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen and Bar – Peter Chang’s (former Chinese Embassy chef) location in Richmond is around the corner. I prefer Fat Dragon.
