Illustration by Aldo Crusher
Best Asian Restaurant
Chao Phraya Thai & Sushi Grill
45 S. Main St., Kilmarnock, ChaoPhrayaThaiAndSushiGrille.com, 804-577-4261
As the sister restaurant to Gloucester’s Bangkok Noi, Chao Phraya Thai & Sushi Grill has an impressive menu highlighting a combination of authentic Thai cuisine and sushi, giving you the taste and feel as if you just stepped off the plane in Bangkok. Here, curries, vegetarian dishes, seafood, and salads are all fresh, and nothing tastes quite like it.
second place: Bangkok Noi Thai Cuisine & Sushi, Gloucester, BangkokNoiThaiCuisine.com, 804-695-1177
third place: Great Fortune Chinese Restaurant,Kilmarnock, GreatFortuneChinese.com, 804-435-6333
Best Bakery
Out of the Oven Bakery
549 Rappahannock Drive, White Stone, 804-577-4187
Whether you’re in the mood for a tasty sweet potato pie, delicious New York-style cheesecake, fresh baked breads, rolls, cookies, or cupcakes, Out of the Oven Bakery has been the region’s best address for baked goods for more than 30 years, making the lives of its devotees a little sweeter.
second place: Michelle’s Sweet Treats, Warsaw, MichellesSweetTreats.weebly.com, 804-761-7565
third place: Yummaries Bakery, Smithfield, Yummaries.com, 757-371-5421
Best Bar
Hole in the Wall Waterfront Grill
384 Old Ferry Road, Grimstead, HoleInTheWallWaterfrontGrill.com, 804-505-1005
Just steps away from the shore, the Hole in the Wall is the only waterfront restaurant in Mathews County. With its 850-square-foot deck, allowing patrons to visit by boat or car, and a cocktail menu based around the water, it sounds like a fancy affair. But its name remains a perfect fit for what the owners call a “small, unpretentious place,” and that’s just why everyone likes it.
second place: The 606 featuring The Quays and Walkabout Creek, White Stone, 804-436-1327
third place: Willaby’s Cafe and Catering, White Stone, Willabys.com, 804-435-3669
Best Barbecue Restaurant
Northern Neck BBQ at the Barn
16829 Kings Hwy., Montross, 804-761-0924
Don’t expect any gimmicks, because here at the Barn it’s all about traditional Virginia barbecue. From pulled pork cooked the old-fashioned way over hickory firewood and smothered in secret tomato- and vinegar-based sauce to brisket and ribs with a wide array of sides, including favorites like mac and cheese, coleslaw, baked beans, and homemade banana pudding, this place is the real deal.
second place: Something Different, Urbanna, SomeDiff.com, 804-758-8000
third place: Scoot’s BBQ, Gloucester Point, 804-993-7063
Best Breakfast Restaurant
Car Wash Café
481 N. Main St., Kilmarnock, Facebook.com/CarWashCafeVa, 804-436-0405
This convenience store turned all-American café and car wash has quickly turned into a local favorite with a breakfast menu to die for. Try the huevos rancheros, blueberry pancakes, or freshly caught seafood creations, including the crab omelets that stay on the menu all year ’round. On weekends, the Car Wash Café is open for brunch as well.
second place: Citrus Breakfast & Lunch, Virginia Beach, CitrusVB.com, 757-227-3333
third place: Lee’s Restaurant, Kilmarnock, Facebook.com/LeesInKilmarnock, 804-435-1255
Best Brunch Restaurant
Willaby’s Café and Catering
327 Old Ferry Road, White Stone, Willabys.com, 804-435-3669
Located at the lower end of the Northern Neck in Lancaster County, Willaby’s Café opened in August 1992 and has since gained a loyal following, due in large part to its wide array of homemade sauces and extensive brunch menu. Favorites include omelets, sweet cream pancakes, steak and eggs, freshly made Belgian waffles, and po boy sandwiches.
second place: Citrus Breakfast & Lunch, Virginia Beach, CitrusVB.com, 757-227-3333
third place: Car Wash Café, Kilmarnock, Facebook.com/CarWashCafeVa, 804-436-6606
Best Burger Joint
NN Burger
62 Irvington Road, Kilmarnock, NNBurger.com, 804-577-4400
Some people say that you haven’t had a burger if you haven’t tried the No-Nonsense Burger at NN. (Yes, this joint is named after the flagship item on its menu.) This sandwich is stacked with goodness, including a Wagyu beef patty, melted cheese, lettuce, red onion, vine-ripened tomato, and creamy NN sauce.
second place: Hole in the Wall Waterfront Grill, Grimstead, HoleInTheWallWaterfrontGrill.com, 804-505-1005
third place: 80/20 Burger Bar, Norfolk, 8020BurgerBar.com, 757-222-1321
Best Chocolatier
Country Cottage
795 Rappahannock Drive, White Stone, CountryCottageWS.com, 804-435-3812
If you have a sweet tooth and live or travel around White Stone, you might find your sweet salvation at Country Cottage, the area’s top chocolatier. What owner Pam Sawyer started as a garden center with a gift shop morphed into a chocolate specialty store when she decided that she’d have to “offer something that the big box stores coming to town did not.” Sawyer started making fudge in 2007, and the rest is sweet history.
second place: The Royal Chocolate, Virginia Beach, TheRoyalChocolate.com, 757-557-6925
third place: Mary’s Cakery & Candy Kitchen,King George, MarysCakeryAndCandy.com, 540-775-9350
Best Cidery
Buskey Cider on the Bay
109 Mason Ave., Cape Charles, Facebook.com/BuskeyCiderOnTheBay, 757-695-3412
Will Correll first flexed his skills fermenting cider in small batches in a Hampden-Sydney dorm at the age of 22. In 2016, he opened the first Buskey Cider in the Scott’s Addition neighborhood of Richmond, adding his Buskey Cider on the Bay tasting room in 2018. Correll’s ciders are crafted with 100-percent Virginia apples, focusing on semi-sweet and dry flavors.
second place: Sly Clyde Ciderworks, Hampton, SlyClyde.com, 757-755-3130
third place: Ditchley Cider Works, Kilmarnock, DitchleyCiderworks.com, 804-436-3851
Best Craft Brewery
That Damn Mary Brewing Company
5036B George Washington Memorial Hwy., Hayes, ThatDamnMaryBrewing.com, 804-792-5500
With a seven-barrel system for mainstays and a half-barrel pilot system for experimental brews and collaborations, you’ll be damned (pun intended) if you can’t brew some exceptional beer. Favorites include the Proud Mary New England IPA and the Oh Mama! Milk Stout.
second place: Montross Brewery, MontrossBrewery.com, 202-445-8332
third place: Cape Charles Brewing Company, CapeCharlesBrewing.com, 757-695-3909
Best Craft Cocktails
Hole in the Wall Waterfront Grill
384 Old Ferry Road, Grimstead, HoleInTheWallWaterfrontGrill.com, 804-505-1005
Many patrons frequent Mathews County’s only waterfront restaurant for its fresh family-style food. But be sure to try one or more of the handcrafted cocktails ($8.95) that make the Hole in the Wall a top catch-up-with-a-friend bar and a real gem of a destination with a casual, relaxed, and oh-so-cool setting.
second place: The White Dog Bistro, Mathews, TheWhiteDogBistro.com, 804-725-7680
third place: Relish Restaurant & Wine Bar, Warsaw, RelishNNk.com, 804-761-6727
Best Dessert Menu
NN Burger
303 Queen St., Tappahannock, NNBurger.com, 804-925-6100
When thinking of dessert, a burger joint doesn’t always come to mind first. But the menu at NN Burger is stacked with sweet goodies that’ll make for the crowning achievement of your burger binge. If there’s still room, shoot for a NN Freakshake topped with decadent pastry, chocolate drizzle, and candy and served in a candy-coated mason jar.
second place: Michelle’s Sweet Treats, Warsaw, MichellesSweetTreats.weebly.com, 804-761-7565
third place: Stevie’s Ice Cream, Kilmarnock, Facebook.com/SteviesIceCream, 804-435-2252
Best Distillery
Cape Charles Distillery
12 Strawberry St., CapeCharlesDistillery.com, 757-695-3737
This new staple of the Strawberry Street business district opened just a year ago, but it has already gained a following with its selection of handcrafted small-batch whiskies, vodka, and moonshine, all while capturing the spirit of the Eastern Shore in every bottle. Patrons also enjoy the thoughtful décor, including a chalkboard wall that illustrates the distilling process and a custom-made bar.
second place: Tarnished Truth Distilling Co., Virginia Beach, TarnishedTruth.com, 757-965-9652
third place: Blue Sky Distillery, Smithfield, BlueSkyDistillery.com, 757-746-8342
Best Farmers’ Market
Irvington Farmers’ Market
98 King Carter Drive, Town.Irvington.Va.us, 804-480-0697
This old-fashioned, open-air market opens every first Saturday of the month through November from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. In 2018, more than 180 vendors offered local produce, fruit, herbs, flowers, plants, farm-to-table food items, baked goods, art, and handcrafted items. In cooler months, alpacas visit the market.
second place: Smithfield Farmers’ Market, SmithfieldFarmersMarket.org, 757-375-3031
third place: Mathews Farmers’ Market, MathewsMainStreet.org, 804-725-5747
Best Food Truck
Byrd’s Seafood Co.
Irvington, ByrdsSeafood.com, 804-480-9723
Chef Bryan Byrd, owner of Byrd’s Seafood Co., has 17 years of experience working in the fast-paced restaurant and bar industry, including several area restaurants as well as five years in Key West, Florida. With his popular Shuck Truck, Byrd sells fresh local oysters and seafood along with fresh local produce.
second place: A Bite of Maine, Virginia Beach, ABiteOfMaine.com, 757-581-5332
third place: On the Flip Side, Gwynn, Facebook.com/FlipSideVa, 804-384-8987
Best Grocery Store
Tri-Star Supermarket
81 Irvington Road, Irvington, 804-435-3800
As the area’s only locally owned supermarket and a longtime fixture in the community, Tri-Star Supermarket is your best alternative to chains like Walmart or Food Lion. From freshly butchered chicken to a large selection of craft beer, this market doesn’t fall short in any department.
second place: Callao Supermarket, CallaoSupermarket.com, 804-529-7251
third place: Deltaville Market, 804-776-6131
Best Indian Food
Nawab Indian Cuisine
204 Monticello Ave., Williamsburg, NawabOnline.com, 757-565-3200
Committed to preserving a culture, tradition, and standard in culinary tastes, Nawab Indian Cuisine has been serving the Hampton Roads since 1992. The Nawab name—which translates to “governor”—has become a staple of Indian cuisine in the area and has established itself as the favored restaurant of curry connoisseurs across Virginia and neighboring states.
second place: Aago Indian & Nepalese Cuisine, Newport News, AagoRestaurant.com, 757-310-6457
third place: Monsoon Indian Bistro, Hampton, MonsoonVa.com, 757-224-1633
Best Italian Restaurant
Tony & Milena’s Pizzeria
2364 George Washington Memorial Hwy., Hayes, TonyAndMilenas.com, 804-684-0708
Opened by two Sicilian immigrant siblings in 2007, Tony & Milena’s Pizzeria offers patrons the real deal with authentic Italian cuisine. Menu favorites include San Giovanni, veal sautéed with spinach, mushroom, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, and pink Alfredo sauce, topped with gorgonzola, and served over your choice of pasta. Or try the rollatini chicken breast stuffed and rolled with prosciutto, roasted garlic, and spinach.
second place: Angelo’s Pizza, Montross, 804-493-8694
third place: Aldo’s Ristorante, Virginia Beach, AldosVB.com, 804-491-1111
Best Local Gourmet Food Store
River Market
1 Rappahannock Drive, White Stone, RiverMarketVa.com, 804-435-1725
White Stone’s River Market has provided Lancaster County and the Northern Neck with gourmet food and custom catering for 25 years. Try some of the fresh homemade bread, pastries, and cookies, or opt for the soups, sandwiches, salads, pizza, ribs, crab cakes, or barbecue. The market serves lunch and dinner for take out and boasts a full selection of imported cheese, wine, and beer.
second place: Carried Away Cuisine, Kilmarnock, CarriedAwayCuisine.biz, 804-435-9191
third place: Kelsick Specialty Market, Gloucester, KelsickMarket.com, 804-693-6500
Best Local Ice Cream Shop
Short Lane Ice Cream
6721 George Washington Memorial Hwy., Gloucester, Facebook.com/ShortLaneIceCreamCo, 804-695-2999
Toni and Barry Childress took over this popular ice cream joint in 2017, trained by the original owners but taking this Gloucester staple on a new mission. The pair create different delicious flavors daily and are open to suggestions from customers. Among the most popular flavors of their homemade ice cream are mint chocolate chip, chocolate, strawberry, and extreme vanilla.
second place: Stevie’s Ice Cream, Kilmarnock, Facebook.com/SteviesIceCream, 804-435-2252
third place: Brown Dog Ice Cream, Cape Charles, BrownDogIceCream.com, 757-695-3868
Best Local Sandwich Shop
The Local
4337 Irvington Road, Irvington, TheLocalBlend.com, 804-438-9356
Irvington’s The Local is a community-based coffee shop surrounded by the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and immersed in a longstanding culture of the river lifestyle. Favorites include the OG, a panini stacked with grilled chicken, bacon, cheddar, pesto, and mayo, alongside local crab muffins, fresh-squeezed limeades, and locally made ice cream.
second place: The Daily, Warsaw, 804-333-3455
third place: Dixie Deli, Kilmarnock, 804-435-6745
Best Locally Owned Coffee Shop
Front Porch Coffeehouse
139 S. Main St., Kilmarnock, FrontPorchCoffeehouse.com, 804-577-4103
Front Porch Coffeehouse opened in 2005 as a neighborhood café specializing in fresh roasted beans and gourmet coffees. Owners Terri Wesselman and Julien Patterson’s mission was to create a space where “people could meet, have a conversation, and sit down to a stellar cup of coffee.” By 2007, the café had blossomed into an artisanal coffee house, roasting its own beans, dealing directly with passionate coffee growers, and building a growing following.
second place: The Local, Irvington, TheLocalBlend.com, 804-438-9356
third place: The Art of Coffee, Montross, TheArtOfCoffee.biz, 804-493-9651
Best Mexican Restaurant
Juan’s Mexican Café & Cantina
2310 George Washington Memorial Hwy., Gloucester, JuansCafeAndCantina.com, 804-642-5401
Juan’s is a family-owned and operated restaurant featuring authentic Mexican dishes, many of them beloved recipes handed down through relatives from Mexico. All three locations—in Gloucester, Hampton, and Newport News—feature fresh ingredients, high-quality meats, great cocktails and craft beers, and a festive, family-friendly atmosphere.
second place: Los Portales Mexican Restaurant, Tappahannock, LosPortalesTapp.com, 804-443-0132
third place: Mi Jalisco, Urbanna, Mi-Jalisco.com, 804-758-2011
Best Outdoor Dining
Merroir
784 Locklies Creek Road, Topping, RROysters.com, 804-758-2871
There’s hardly a better way to enjoy your oyster lunch or dinner than on the banks of the Rappahannock River overlooking oyster farms. At Merroir, everything is either served raw or cooked on an outdoor grill, small-plate style, and paired with craft brews and world-famous wines. Each menu item is singularly focused, seasonal, and ever-changing, so there’s always a surprise in store.
second place: Hole in the Wall Waterfront Grill, Grimstead, HoleInTheWallWaterfrontGrill.com, 804-505-1005
third place: The White Dog Bistro, Mathews, TheWhiteDogBistro.com, 804-725-7680
Best Oysters
Merroir
784 Locklies Creek Road, Topping, RROysters.com, 804-758-2871
This riverfront, gourmet oyster-tasting house features the celebrated farms of Rappahannock Oyster Company. Start with the Rappahannocks, ideal for the beginner or connoisseur and easy to throw down three dozen without even thinking, then try the Rochambeau and Olde Salt oysters.
second place: Denson’s Grocery and R&B Oyster Bar, Colonial Beach, DensonsGrocery.com, 804-224-4121
third place: Hole in the Wall Waterfront Grill, Grimstead, HoleInTheWallWaterfrontGrill.com, 804-505-1005
Best Pizzeria
Southwind Pizza
44 Church St., Mathews, SouthwindPizza.com, 804-725-2766
Freshness is the key ingredient at this Mathews pizza joint and what makes Southwind special, with handmade, hearth-baked pizza, salads, and specialty sandwiches. Daily specials use seasonal ingredients. The restaurant also features live music on the second and fourth Saturday of every month, and Thursdays are the local jam night, so bring your guitar.
second place: Sal’s Italian Pizza, Kilmarnock, SalsItalianPizzaKilmarnock.com, 804-435-6770
third place: Nino’s Pizza & Ristorante Italiano, Callao, NinosPizzaCallao.com, 804-529-7548
Best Restaurant
Relish Restaurant & Wine Bar
115 Main St., Warsaw, RelishNNK.com, 804-761-6727
Carol Smith, a Northern Neck native, and her brother KG opened Relish Restaurant & Wine Bar in 2014 because the location allowed them easy access to fresh ingredients from farms and fresh seafood. Menu favorites include the local rockfish over purple sweet potato mash with oyster cream and fennel slaw. While you eat, also sample the extensive cocktail selection.
second place: Adrift, White Stone, AdriftVa.com, 804-577-4188
third place: The White Dog Bistro, Mathews, TheWhiteDogBistro.com, 804-725-7680
Best Seafood Restaurant
Merroir
784 Locklies Creek Road, Topping, RROysters.com, 804-758-2871
Get your bivalves straight from the source at Merroir, Rappahannock Oyster Company’s popular riverfront gourmet tasting room, opened in 2011 and overlooking the company’s oyster farms. The restaurant’s mission is simple: “To celebrate good food grown well … Or, put another way, to celebrate our community of like-minded friends.”
second place: A Bite of Maine, Virginia Beach, ABiteOfMaine.com, 757-581-5332
third place: Denson’s Grocery and R&B Oyster Bar, Colonial Beach, DensonsGrocery.com, 804-224-4121
Best Steakhouse
Opus 9
5143 Main St., Williamsburg, Opus9Steakhouse.com, 757-645-4779
This popular Williamsburg restaurant epitomizes the dining experience, from the quality steakhouse fare to the diversity of the wine list, casual elegance, club-like lounge sophistication, and first-class service. The steaks are served sizzling in light drawn butter with a side of baked potato, red bliss garlic mashers, steak wedges, or Opus 9 au gratin potatoes and sautéed vegetables.
second place: Aberdeen Barn, Virginia Beach, AberdeenBarn.net, 757-464-1580
third place: Schlesinger’s Chop House, Newport News, SchlesingersSteaks.com, 757-599-4700
Best Wine Shop
Specials Wine Seller
52 S. Main St., Kilmarnock, Facebook.com/SpecialsWineSeller, 804-436-9463
Located in the heart of Kilmarnock, Specials Wine Seller offers an extensive selection of Old World and New World wines, with thousands of bottles on hand at all times. The very knowledgeable staff has a passion for wines, and the team includes a certified executive sommelier.
second place: Gull Hummock Gourmet Market, Cape Charles, 757-331-1500
third place: Kelsick Specialty Market, Gloucester, KelsickMarket.com, 804-693-6500
Best Winery
Ingleside Vineyards
5872 Leedstown Road, Oak Grove, InglesideVineyards.com, 804-224-8687
As one of Virginia’s oldest and largest wineries, Ingleside Vineyards produces more than 18 types of wine from its estate-grown grapes. For more than 35 years, many handcrafted wines have won numerous awards and top honors in state, national, and international wine competitions, such as the London International Wine & Spirits Competition.
second place: Good Luck Cellars, Kilmarnock, GoodLuckCellars.com, 804-435-1416
third place: Chatham Vineyards on Church Creek, Machipongo, ChathamVineyards.net, 757-678-5588
Winners were determined by our Best of Virginia Readers’ Survey in January and published in our Best of Virginia 2019 issue.
