Who Runs Caliente Now? Man v. Food Update (Richmond, VA)
Man v. Food, Season 3 Richmond, Virginia
Current status
As of October 2026, Caliente operates under new ownership — confirmed via sheppardstreetrva.com, October 19, 2026.
What the source shows: Style Weekly reported on February 1, 2016 that owner David Bender would close Caliente for about two weeks and reopen it as Sheppard Street Tavern, keeping its 'stupid wings.' The tavern's own website, checked October 19, 2026, says it opened in 2004 as Caliente and that David and Justin took over ownership in March 2026 with plans not to change it. How we decide a status →
- Episode Season 3, Episode 4
- Aired
- Address 2922 Park Ave, Richmond, VA 23221
- Now called Sheppard Street Tavern
- Website sheppardstreetrva.com
- Show map
© OpenStreetMap contributors © CARTO
What happened after Man v. Food?
Man v. Food visited Caliente, a pub in Richmond, Virginia's Museum District, in the episode that aired 2010-06-30. According to the business's own website, checked 2026-09-08, the pub originally opened in 2004 as Caliente, opened 'by local legend Bender,' and was renamed Sheppard Street Tavern in 2016 while continuing to operate at the same Park Avenue address. The site, current as of 2026-09-08 and referencing 2026 as the current year in its page text, listed weekend hours of 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and included an online ordering option.
Sheppard Street Tavern's own description calls it 'A Great Pub in a Great Neighborhood,' according to its website. The site also includes an 'About the Tavern' history page recounting the Caliente-to-Sheppard-Street-Tavern transition, and it says new owners David and Justin took over in March 2026 and plan not to change what Sheppard Street Tavern is.
The episode
Also in Season 3
Season 3: 33 of 58 still open · 6 renamed, moved or under new owners
- Closed
- Closed
-
Ep 3Steve's Gyros
Open - Open
- Open
-
Ep 4The Black Sheep
Closed - Renamed
-
Ep 5Kobe Sushi
Open
Nearest restaurants
-
Food Paradise
Open -
Best Thing I Ever Ate
Open -
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Open -
Food Paradise
Open -
Best Thing I Ever Ate
Open -
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives · Food Paradise
Open
Before you go: Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.
Sources we checked
- sheppardstreetrva.com http://www.sheppardstreetrva.com/
We work hard to keep every status accurate and dated, but restaurants change fast and our sources aren't perfect. If something here is wrong — a status, a name, an address, anything — tell us what you're seeing and where you saw it, and we'll check it.
Record mvf-144 · checked by Cal Marchetti.