Front Royal Main Street eatery changes ‘Yappy Hour’ day from Friday to Monday, updates menu

One of Main Street’s popular restaurants recently underwent a name and menu change and also switched the day it devotes to “Yappy Hour.”

During the past couple of years, ViNoVa owner Rachel Failmezger and executive chef Chris Kenworthy featured a tapas menu similar to a Spanish favorite, now moving along to an Italian-Mediterranean style of cooking and changing its long-running “Yappy Hour” from Friday evenings to Mondays (4-6 p.m.). Restaurant hours of operation also have been amended, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (closed Tuesday) and noon to midnight Friday and Saturday.

The restaurant’s new name retains its original “ViNoVa” with the added words “Mediterranean Bistro.” The property seats about 50 and each Friday, off and on for the past decade, has helped donate thousands of dollars to the Humane Society of Warren County’s Julia Wagner Animal Shelter.

ViNoVa Mediterranean Bistro is now center stage for Monday ‘Yappy Hour’ (4-6 p.m.), a new menu, and new hours based on pandemic-driven lifestyle changes. Below, ‘Yappy Hour’ regulars Rico and Pablo show support for the Humane Society/Wagner Animal Shelter fundraiser, whatever day of the week it is held. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

Rachel, noting differing (earlier) eating habits since the pandemic struck, suggests closing earlier than 2 a.m. better meets the needs of an expanded staff and earlier diners, as would the changed menu.

“Overall, we will be more flexible, more accommodating,” Rachel opined in a recent interview as nearby regular customers appeared to be in agreement with the menu changes. “Whatever restaurants did two years ago, they cannot do today. It’s a new age for us,” she said, mentioning that the entrees will be larger, and there will be an emphasis on lunches, particularly the quick “take out” type featuring the “Viva Bowl” in which you choose your own ingredients for an affordable $9 “to go!”

Something to remember by early birds at the Bistro: beer and wine prices are staggered starting at $3 per glass for a beer at 3 p.m., rising to $4 at 4 p.m. and then on to $5 at 5 p.m. for the rest of the evening.

Cheers!

Portion of recent ‘Yappy Hour’ in transition crowd, from left, Skip and Cathy Rogers, Scott Shutt, Internationally known Chihuahua Rico, Pablo Guitterez, and our intrepid reporter Malcolm Barr Sr.