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- LOCATION -

1210 East Cary Street

Richmond, VA 23219

804.644.5465

- REGULAR HOURS -

Monday through Saturday

11 am until 10 pm

Dine In, Carry Out, Third Party Delivery

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- EVENTS -

We offer 3 distinct event spaces that can be customized to make your special day exceed all expectations.

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Reservations

We accept reservations through Yelp Reservations or you can call the restaurant to check availability at 804.644.5465. For your convenience, groups no greater than 6 people may reserve a table online.​

We look forward to having you as our guest at Sam Miller's.

RESERVATIONS

One of Richmond's Most Historic Restaurants.

Like the Shockoe neighborhoods for which it has served as an anchor for over fifty years, Sam Miller’s has a rich, intricate history given weight by countless individual stories of the people who have contributed to its legacy.

The word Shockoe has deep roots In Richmond. It’s a reference to the long paved-over Shockoe Creek, and is derived from Shacahocan—a Powhatan/Algonquin phrase for the “flat rock” at its mouth on the James River, which served as a natural “slip” for boats loading and unloading cargo. This bustling trading post eventually became the commercial center of Richmond.

But this commerce took on brutal dimensions in nearby Shockoe Bottom, which was the center of Richmond’s slave trade. One of Richmond’s oldest neighborhoods, the Bottom is where George Washington envisioned a national system of transportation canals and Thomas Jefferson signed the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. It’s also where Abraham Lincoln arrived by canoe to see the fall of the Confederacy.

In April 1865, the Slip suffered major damage in the Richmond fire which signaled the end of the Civil War. The area was rebuilt in the late 1860s with most of the buildings surviving into the present day.

Sam Miller was a Polish immigrant who came to the United States in 1870 and opened the eponymous Sam Miller’s Exchange Café in 1901 at 1301 East Cary Street in the Colombian Block Building in Shockoe Slip. This restaurant was closed in 1909 as Sam moved to Broad Street to pursue other business ventures.

The Slip went into decline in the 1920s until, in the summer of 1972, a new revival was ushered in by Tom Leppert and the re-opening of Sam Miller’s. This was an age before the vintage streetlamps, shaded brick sidewalks, and cobblestone streets of the current cityscape. Leppert’s vision and hard work helped transform the historic warehouse district of the Slip into one of Richmond’s most durable hospitality hubs. 

For nearly 50 years (until his death in 2021) Tom took care of guests and an extended family of friends and staff with generosity and humor. His commitment to the local restaurant community lives on in the winning smiles and dependable service of owner/operator Ken Wall and his amazing team.

Shockoe Bottom and the Slip are once again vibrant, growing neighborhoods that have seen a resurgence of small businesses, restaurants, new residents and investment in telling the complicated story of Shockoe. And, as Ken would say to Tom during the challenging days of the pandemic and all that followed, when asked how things were going at Sam Miller’s: the anchor appears to be holding.  

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ABOUT
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ABOUT THE CHEF
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Cooking for a Living...

Born and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia, Tony Taylor grew up in a family who loved to experiment with tasty dishes and serve traditional favorites. He developed his passion for cooking by watching his grandmother prepare soul food and his father whip up breakfasts, lunches, and dinners on the daily for his mother.

 

Chef Tony thought he knew everything about getting work done in the kitchen until he met Urs Gabathuler, the German chef/owner of Lynchburg’s Main Street Eatery. Gabathuler opened Tony’s eyes with his own love of food, introducing him to a new world of ingredients and helping him cultivate a deeper respect for them.

 

Tony left his hometown headed for Richmond in 2003, where he landed at NASCAR’s Richmond Raceway. His work preparing food for the skyboxes at the Torque Club as well as for the various shows and events coming through the raceway complex prepared him for his next culinary challenge as Sous Chef of Richmond’s Berkeley Hotel (where he and Sam Miller's current owner Ken Wall first worked together). Tony honed his skills there for several years until the pandemic shut his kitchen down.

 

Tony says it was “by the grace of God” that his old boss & friend Ken “JuneBug” Wall, who had already moved on to Sam Miller’s, “threw him a life jacket” in the form of an invitation to join the Sam's team as Executive Chef and kitchen manager. The rest is history….

 

Tony’s motto is all about the importance of team rapport and a solid work ethic. As he puts it, “Some people cook for fun, but I cook for a living every day, all day. This is my story.”  

Private Events

INDUSTRIAL CHIC

This space will accommodate:
100 Seated
75 Buffet
150 Cocktail Reception

An ideal space for almost any kind of event, The Warehouse affords a unique sense of style and history. Classic exposed brick provides a blank canvas for you to create your perfect occasion - a wedding, an anniversary or birthday party, a concert, an art show, product launch or business celebration - the possibilities are endless. 

Monday-Saturday 11 am - 3 pm * Room Rental $375 | F&B Minimum $1000

Monday-Thursday 3 pm - 11 pm * Room Rental $750 | F&B Minimum $2000

Friday & Saturday 3 pm -11 pm * Room Rental $750 | F&B Minimum $2500

UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE

This space will accommodate:
64 Seated
50 Buffet
90
 Cocktail Reception

Tucked away intimately at the western end of the restaurant, The Boat Room, with its evocatively vaulted ceiling is an understated yet elegant alternative space in which to build your project team or shower a loved one with the thoughtful attention they deserve.

Monday-Saturday 11 am - 3 pm * Room Rental $300 | F&B Minimum $500

Monday-Thursday 3 pm - 11 pm * Room Rental $600 | F&B Minimum $1500

Friday & Saturday 3 pm -11 pm * Room Rental $600 | F&B Minimum $2000

INFORMAL STYLE

Up to 75 people can mix & mingle comfortably
in this versatile space.

The Oyster Bar is a fun, informal space for hosting a cocktail reception. It boasts a well-stocked bar featuring local brews, a great selection of tasty hors d’oeuvres to suit every palate, and room to accommodate live music if you want to add extra swing to your occasion. This relaxed venue can also serve to expand the footprint of an event in either of our other private spaces.

The Oyster Bar is available for HOURLY RENTAL at a flat rate of $250/hr.

(No additional F&B Minimum applies when this area is included in your rental of one of our other spaces.)

the possibilities are endless...

The customizable combinations of these stunning venues and Sam Miller’s eclectic and affordable array of food and beverage (F&B) packages will surely make your event a success that everyone will remember.

Room Rental secures event space for 3 hours. Morning events must wrap by 3pm SHARP.

For further private event information please CONTACT our Events Coordinator.
PRIVATE EVENTS
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13-Main Dining Room
10-The Boat Room
1-Event Space Staged
15-Bar
CONTACT
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