Mellow Mushroom is a successful pizza chain, primarily known for its delicious, stone-baked pizzas. When Mellow Mushroom opened in Fredericksburg in May of 2021, residents were naturally excited about such an exciting and scrumptious establishment right on William St. What many, including myself, did not realize, is that Mellow Mushroom is the perfect location for not only dinner, but for a night on the town.
In the middle of Mellow Mushroom rests a massive, full-service bar. With countless taps of Virginia craft beer (I personally gave the Triple Crossing Falcon Smash IPA from Richmond a try), Mellow Mushroom has easily one of the best lines of beer in Fredericksburg. But craft beer is not all that they provide behind the bar. Mellow Mushroom has an array of what they call Liquid Karma cocktails, including the bourbon-based Lemon Submarine and vodka-based Golden Goose (Grey Goose vodka, to be exact).
Perhaps their most exciting drink, however, is the “Choose Your Own Adventure” Mule. A creative spin on Moscow Mules, the bartender allows you to choose the spirit for your Mellow Mushroom Mule from a few options, and tops the drink off with ginger beer and fresh lime. The bartenders are also more than capable of making essentially any classic cocktail that you would prefer.
We, the people of Fredericksburg, are proud of the local restaurants and businesses that have thrived downtown; we love supporting local. But that is what makes Mellow Mushroom that much more unique as a chain, as they love supporting local too. Candace Jennings, Operations Manager of Mellow Mushroom, places an emphasis on offering an ‘authentic, home town experience.” She said that Mellow Mushroom uses locally owned, fresh ingredients for their meals.
Jennings is also proud of the partnerships Mellow Mushroom has made with local charities, in an effort to give back to the community. They will be hosting an event with Strength & Honor for an event at the end of the month, as well as events with Mental Health America and Ellie’s Elves. Proceeds of these events support the respective charities, with 15% of proceeds donated to them (these proceeds are also available for online ordering and carry-out orders). Mellow Mushroom will also host tap takeovers with Virginia breweries, with breweries such as Aslin Beer Company soon participating.
“Everybody kind of knows everybody,” Jennings said, noting how essential supporting the local community is to her. “I feel like it’s important for us to give back and thrive, and grow.”
The support that Mellow Mushroom provides to the community is all the more reason to swing by on a Friday or Saturday night. I sat at the bar with my IPA and Loaded Potato Pizza (my word, it was delicious), experiencing the beautiful decor and wonderful service. What was also convenient, however, was that Mellow Mushroom is not as wild as the typical bar or club. I am more than capable of enjoying a wilder bar, but when eating my pizza, I prefer a more chill environment.
Mellow Mushroom is the perfect nightlife location, whether you are enjoying a casual drink or starting your late night out. Their vast array of beer and spirits, as well as their extraordinary food, will make it impossible not to smile when walking out the door.
Mellow Mushroom is open until 111:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Follow them on Facebook.