LEE GREGORY,
CHEF owner
Lee Gregory is a three-time James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic and a StarChefs Rising Star. Raised in South Carolina, he built much of his culinary career in Virginia, beginning with five years under Chef Dale Reitzer at Acacia in Richmond. He went on to work at Six Burner, Mockingbird in Staunton, and Blue Light Grill in Charlottesville, further refining his approach to regional cuisine.
In 2011, Gregory returned to Richmond to open The Roosevelt in Church Hill, where he served as co-owner and Executive Chef through 2018. In 2014, he co-founded Southbound, a Bon Air favorite where he served as co-owner and chef.
Alewife is Gregory’s first solo venture, where he brings his vision into sharper focus. Guided by a mission to showcase Mid-Atlantic seafood through a sustainability-focused approach, the restaurant emphasizes responsible sourcing, thoughtful whole fish preparation, and the diverse, often overlooked bounty of the region.
AWARDS & HONORS
Voted “South’s Best New Restaurant 2020” by Southern Living Magazine
Esquire Magazine “Best New Restaurants in America 2019”
GQ Magazine 2019 “Best New Restaurants in America”
Elbys Best New restaurant 2019
Zagat Nov 2016 "Culinary Road Trip"
Richmond Magazine 2016 Best and Worst "Best New Restaurant"
Bon Appetit "America Best New Restaurant 2015" nominee
Style Weekly 2015 Best Dinner and Best Chef runner up
James Beard Foundation Best Chef Semi-finalist Nominee Mid-Atlantic 2013, 2014 & 2015
Chef & Restaurant of the Year Elby’s 2014
StarChef.com Rising Star Winner 2014 Washington DC area
Southern Living's 100 Best Restaurants in the South 2014
ArEa CONSERVATION EFFORTS
The VCU Rice Rivers Center is a 494-acre field station along the James River devoted to environmental research, teaching and public service.
VA Oyster Shell Recycling Program
The VCU Rice Rivers Center is a 494-acre field station along the James River devoted to environmental research, teaching and public service and is the home of the of the VA Oyster Shell Recycling Program (VOSRP). The VOSRP is a collaborative, community-based environmental restoration program that collects waste shell from Virginia restaurants, seafood retailers and the general public and returns it to the Chesapeake Bay as part of the VCU’s oyster restoration initiative.
Alewife will donate $0.25 to Chesapeake Bay Foundation per entrée sold from October 1, 2018-September 31, 2019 with a minimum guaranteed amount of $3,500.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is saving the Bay through education, advocacy, litigation, and restoration.
SEASONAL CLOSINGS
Memorial Day
July 4th
Labor Day
Thanksgiving
Christmas; Dec 24th, 25th
New Year’s Day
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