How to spend a day in the Manchester neighborhood

We’re continuing our city neighborhood series with a side of town which has been part of Richmond for just over 100 years — Manchester.
This southside spot used to be a separate city from Richmond, operating independently with ferries + toll bridges for locals to travel to and from each neighborhood. A free bridge was built after the cities agreed to merge in 1910.

So what makes Manchester stand out in the River City?

Public parking lots

• Riverfront Plaza, 951 E. Byrd St.
• Park 14th Lot, 325 S. 14th St.
• CityParking Lot 31, 1586 Dock St.

Make lunch plans

Manchester’s Table, 201 W. 7th St.

• 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Tues.-Sun.
• Try this: The Italian Flag panini, with mozzarella, tomato pesto + prosciutto on toasted focaccia bread.

Philly Vegan, 1126 Hull St.

• 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri., 12-8 p.m. Sat.
• Try this: Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls, made with gluten-free, soy-based ground beef substitute.

Legend Brewing, 321 W. 7th St.

• 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun.
• Try this: Pair the classic Brown Ale with Beer Mussels.
• Must do: Manchester Alliance is hosting a Community Cleanup event this Saturday at 11 a.m.

Must-visit attractions

Richmond Railroad Museum, 102 Hull St.

• Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids over 5 years old.
• Must do: The Santa Express is back this season on Dec. 4, 11 + 18 — tickets are $25.

Belle Isle, find the Belle Isle Pedestrian Bridge near 300 Tredegar St.

• Try out the wooded paths for hiking + biking, or hang out on the rocks by the river.
• Check out the remains of multiple historic sites. The island was host to an old Confederate prison, a nail factory + even a hydroelectric plant over the years.

Pro tip: To keep up with neighborhood announcements, check out the Manchester Alliance group. They meet every second Tuesday of the month at Legend Brewing.

There’s still much more Richmond to explore. Pop by our Jackson Ward story for a refresher of where we’ve already been, then check out our poll below to tell us which neighborhood we should highlight next.

Poll