Feast in Fredericksburg

If Virginia is for Lovers TM, then the Fredericksburg area is for lovers of dining choices! Dozens abound, from authentic Thai cuisine to colonial-inspired menus, world-famous frozen custard and chili dogs to white-glove service or casual Bistro-style dining.

 

Whether you are visiting for a weekend retreat, a history buff’s tour, or a college function, you won’t leave hungry! A variety of flavors, from Cajun spices and Virginia barbecue, to Irish, Thai, Greek, Italian, Mexican and German cuisine present themselves for dining pleasure.   Several diners, coffee shops and ice cream parlors will help satisfy hunger pains.

 

Historic Old town
Just blocks away from the busy I-95 corridor is Fredericksburg’s historic Old Town, a restored and revitalized downtown of the city founded in 1728. Specialty shops, antique emporiums, and a myriad of dining choices await you. Paralleling national trends, local restaurants strive for freshness, creative presentation, and regional flair.

 

Local Flavor
The Fredericksburg area is uniquely situated to provide all aspects of the dining experience: wine from local vineyards, farm-raised meats, seafood from local rivers and the sea, and a temperate growing season with gardens and orchards overflowing with seasonal produce.

 

For a taste of the bounty, run, don’t walk, to the Farmers’ Markets on Prince Edward Street, Route 610 in Stafford, or Route 3 in Spotsylvania. Open seasonally, vendors offer the finest in produce from local herb farms to Shenandoah Valley apples, sweet corn, and local goat’s milk cheeses. You might see a local chef or two checking out the pumpkins or Japanese eggplant to be turned into a special on tonight’s menu, maybe on William Street’s “Restaurant Row.”

 

Visit the local wineries, or sample local Chardonnay at many of the area eateries, including outside café-style seating, weather permitting of course. While dining, enjoy the weekly calendar section of the Free-Lance Star and discover art openings, local theatre, music, festivals, special tours, college events, and fundraisers.

 

Relax with a copy of the local Front Porch and a specialty coffee and catch some insight into local goings-on. Refresh yourself with a fresh-squeezed lemon-or-lime-aid or a homemade ice cream cone while on the popular walking tour. Then there is dinner to think about.

 

Dining out for Dinner
Where to begin with all of the food choices? Seafood is a popular dining choice. With the scenic Rappahannock River as a backdrop, you can enjoy local crab, seasonal rockfish, shad roe, and oysters.

 

Try a mom-and-pop diner for a breakfast special of salt fish and grits or a colonial restaurant for the traditional peanut soup.

 

How about enjoying your meal while watching a live Broadway musical at the dinner theater? Maybe you have a hankering for a French pastry, homemade German apple strudel, or the casual ambiance of bistro cuisine. Italian? Chinese? Thai? Modern American? French? Japanese? Greek? Mexican?  Family style or white glove? Deli or market? Tapas or BBQ? The Fredericksburg area can accommodate all these and more in the eclectic mix of dining choices.

 

Minutes from bustling I-95 but centuries old, this central-Virginia area can’t overstate its historical importance or modern regional growth. If it’s true that the spirit of home is found in its food, then the Fredericksburg area can certainly be known as spirited! The aura of Southern hospitality is strong.

 

Enjoy your stay and come back soon.