Spicy Foods to Warm Up Winter

Do you enjoy the spicier things in life? We do too! Nothing cuts through the winter blues like eating something that’s mind-meltingly fiery. So we compiled a list of our favorite ways to bring the heat. This zesty lineup covers dishes from some of our favorite VA restaurants as well as a few ways to spice up your home-cooking. Hope you have some Tums handy, cause this list is fire!

Alkaline’s Spicy Red Curry Ramen

Norfolk’s Alkaline is a Tidewater favorite, and for good reason. Their ramen, fusion dishes, and dim sum brunch are nothing short of legendary, but the top reason they made the list is due to one very special dish–their Spicy Red Curry Ramen. This ramen is hot-hot-hot, with Thai style red curry, coconut broth, sous-vide chicken, and fresh cilantro. You’ll have steam coming out your ears, but this delicious dish is worth it!

Wooboi’s The Sando

Hot Chicken is having a MOMENT, and we’re totally here for it. Herndon’s Wooboi serves chicken that is antibiotic-free and free-range and everything on the menu is fried with love. TheSando comes topped with cider slaw and butter pickles and you can choose between six different spice levels. “Code Blue” AKA Super Extra Hot is (and we can’t overstate this enough) SO HOT. We suggest following up some of their mac-and-cheese to help you handle the heat, plus it’s just plain yummy.

Crash Test Yummies’ “A Soul on Fire” Chili

As any foodie knows, January is peak chili season. Make the most of it by stopping by Crash Test Yummies in Winchester. Their award-winning “A Soul on Fire” chili is spicy, savory and embodies all the things that make chili great. Plus, it’s topped with candied bacon, house cilantro lime sour cream, and cheddar cheese–what’s not to love?

Coconut Club’s Spicy Coconut Chicken

Want to take a vacay, but can’t find the time? Swing by Coconut Club in Washington, DC. Their tropical vibes, killer cocktails, and top-notch food is the perfect cure for the winter doldrums. If you need an extra pick-me-up, order their Spicy Coconut Chicken. This spicy dish consists of 1/2 a chicken, jerk spice, coconut sauce, herbs, fresno chilies, and white rice and will make you feel 100% better about spring being 50+ days away. 

Station 2’s Engine Co. 2’s Fire Burger

Richmond’s Station 2 knows how to bring the heat. First of all, they’re located in a historic firehouse. Second of all, they have multiple dishes and starters to set your mouth on fire. The hottest of the hot would be their “Engine Co. 2’s Fire Burger,” it’s loaded with jalapeños and topped with habanero mustard. Pepper party, anyone?

Sen Organic Small Plate’s Purple “Bún” Sen

Vietnamese food is known for having some heat, and the people behind Sen Organic Small Plate, in Richmond, are masters at creating spicy, complex dishes that will have you coming back for more. Their homemade Purple “Bún” Sen is no exception. Its striking purple broth is the perfect thing to post on the ‘gram, and the flavors of the braised pork and duck egg are guaranteed to banish the winter blues.

Hank’s Filling Station’s Burn Out Wings

If you’re a spice-loving carnivore, then do we have the place for you. All of the meats at Norfolk’s Hank’s Filling Station are either smoked in their backyard or cured and aged in-house. But the real star of the show is their Burn Out Wings. They say their sauce takes you from zero to flavor in six (!!) seconds. These killer wings are hot, smoky, and have just a bit of sweetness. So good, you’ll want them all to yourself. 

Clark & Hopkins Assam Hot Sauce

Clark & Hopkins are practically experts in slinging spice. They make a variety of globally-inspired hot sauces, but the spiciest one has to be the Assam sauce. This fragrant sauce gets its heat from the ghost pepper and a pepper-hybrid called the 7 Pot Primo, which btw is 100-500 times hotter than a Jalapeño. The Assam sauce is also famous! You might recognize it from season seven of the web series “Hot Ones.”

AR’s Hot Southern Honey’s Hot-Hot Honey

AR’s Hot Southern Honey is a quintessentially southern condiment that is near and dear to our hearts. But did you know that they also make a Hot-Hot Honey? It’s made with Habanero peppers, which gives it a robust, smoky heat. If you like fiery food, this honey deserves a spot in your spice cabinet.  It’s the perfect way to pep up fried chicken, marinades, pizza, and more. Heck, we like it by itself or just on a plain buttermilk biscuit.

Crunch Dynasty’s Exotic Hot Topping

If you’re craving a little heat along with some crunch, Crunch Dynasty is here to please! Crunch Dynasty is an Asian-inspired hot topping that is the perfect touch to almost any food you can think of. Mac’n cheese? Check. Sushi? Check. Salads? Check and check. Seriously, this topping is so versatile and delicious, we just might start buying it in bulk.

Birdie’s Jalapeño Pepper Pimento Cheese

Ahh, pimento. This traditional spread has been around for generations, and the folks at Birdie’s Pimento Cheese have truly perfected it. All of their flavors are delicious, but their Jalapeño Pimento cheese is something all spice-lovers will enjoy. They use local peppers, which gives this spicy spread more heat during the summer months. They also make a seasonal ghost pepper variety in the fall, so mark your calendars!

Gordy’s Pickle Jar’s Cherry Pepper Spread

Who doesn’t love pickles? No one, that’s who. Gordy’s Pickle Jar makes just about every flavor pickle you can think of, but the reason they’re rounding out our list is their Cherry Pepper Spread, made with cherry peppers, vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. This bright red spread is perfectly balanced and goes with literally everything. Do yourselves a favor and buy as many jars as your kitchen can hold. You can thank us later.

Is your tongue burning, yet? Are you craving some heat? We are too! Fiery foods are the perfect way to break through the cold, dark winter. After all, food is the spice of life, and spicy food really takes it up a notch! We hope our list gave you some sweet heat inspo for your next foodie adventure.