A Richmond Burger and Cocktail Favorite was Just Bought by Employees

Violet’s originally opened in 2018 from the team behind Fiorella. (Violet’s)

A Clement Street favorite for decadent cocktails and lordly burgers is back in the mix after a two week hiatus. Violet’s is now under worker-ownership and has reopened with new menu and drink items. The restaurant’s reopening comes as a partnership with the team behind Cantina Los Mayas, a fellow Richmond District restaurant beloved for its exclusively Mexican wine list. September 1 saw the official grand opening for the new Violet’s, though the restaurant’s been quietly taking guests since mid-August. Part-owner Elizabeth “Liza” Burns says she’s excited to bring the restaurant into its next chapter. “I’ve been there since it opened,” Burns says. “My co-workers and I said ‘Let’s take the plunge.’ It’s been a wild ride.”

(Violet’s)

Maybe obviously, reopening of Violet’s marks a shift in the restaurant’s approach and items. The restaurant opened in 2018 from Boris Nemchenok, Brandon Gillis, and chef Dante Cecchini, all owners and staff at neighboring Fiorella. Rather than the tavern-focused restaurant it once was, starring “American classics” including throwback molten chocolate cake, Burns says the new Violet’s features Californian cuisine “with a Latin/Peruvian twist.” Dishes including tuna tataki and a Latino riff on cioppino simmered with Peruvian peppers showcase the staff’s changing tastes alongside churros. Still, those big-time burgers and Key Lime pie that locals love still live on the menu.

The linguine vongole at Violet’s. (Violet’s)

Four total staff have taken ownership — Burns and Yessica Puyol as managers alongside two chef-owners at Cantina Los Mayas. It was there Burns spent the last two years working a second job at Cantina Los Mayas, putting her sommelier certification to the test. There she learned about the wide range of Mexican wines; she’s behind the wine list at Violet’s, hoping to give wine lovers just as much reason to visit as cocktails fans. On that end, bar manager Juan Ortiz started at Violet’s when the restaurant opened as a bar back, but has now worked his way up to running the show. He’s already rolling out newcomers like a Mezcal-based old fashioned with chocolate bitters.

That Violet’s was for sale just made for a happy opportunity for the staff, and Burns says the relationships between former and new ownership are all in good shape. The original location of the now-sprawling Fiorella mini empire being next door, Cecchini brought his “burger nights” to Violet’s alongside that tavern look and feel. A handsome half-horseshoe bar played host to cocktails from a Park Tavern alum. Now, the floors and bar tops are redone alongside a paint job on the bathroom, a few extra bar stools, and a pretty parklet is on the way, too.

Though the restaurant was closed from August 1 to August 17, as escrow and liquor license transferred, now everything is all systems go. The restaurant staff are flexing their muscles by rolling out a $35 prix fixe, with Burns noting a higher price but with more substance. It’ll be a bit pricier than before but with a strong neighborhood partnership backing the restaurant and its workers. “We want to keep that American classic vibe while going international,” Burns says. “It’s still this cute corner spot with lots of sunshine coming through the windows.”

Violet’s (2301 Clement Street) is open every day of the week from 5 to 9 p.m.

Escribano, a creamy corn and rice dish. (Violet’s)