As you pay, grab a bag of waffle-cone pieces near the register. They're sweet and crunchy and reason enough to stop.
Local and regional products get center stage, and a favorite dish is one of his varieties of oysters on the half shell.
The Hasselhoff Burger is made with brisket and chuck and topped with truffle mayo and a fried egg. A stop at the bar is mandatory, where the list of house drinks always intrigues.
First-timers might want to start with Thom Khem - pork, chicken or beef with a hard-boiled egg in a broth with the cuisine's signature combination of tang, sweet and spice.
The restaurant's lowcountry shrimp and grits won top honors in our 2013 Taste Test.
No better way to start than with A Taste of Southern Goodness, featuring a pile of salty Virginia ham, sausage crafted on the premises, deviled eggs, house-made preserves and buttermilk biscuits.
Save room for a cocktail, whipped up by one of the most inventive mixologist staffs around.
The chef is an ardent locavore (lover of all things local), which he combines with a "simple is best" philosophy. This is a not-to-be-missed experience.
They make buffalo-chili nachos, buffalo burgers, buffalo barbecue, buffalo Philly cheesesteak, buffalo brisket, buffalo hot dogs - you get the idea. Get some to go from the freezer case...
When we ordered a crabcake sandwich, the cook formed it, smashed it on a flattop grill and served it up slightly browned. The barman said, "That crab was swimming this morning."
We like a spot where the oysters are offered by the name of the creek that they came from.
We had the veal shortbreads - gamey and cooked perfectly - and octopus with house-made chitarra pasta topped with a vodka sauce. Stunning.
The Roosevelt is a locals' favorite for Sunday brunch, but the 14 tables fill up quickly so arrive early.
The squid with arugula and beans, perfectly seasoned with garlic and olive oil, is in itself worth the drive.
The bread on the side, with the palm leaf baked into the top, certifies the authenticity of the family-owned, 15-year-old establishment.
Make reservations for dinner at Lemaire, The Jefferson Hotel's award-winning restaurant that combines a staunch Southern bent with an unwavering farm-to-fork philosophy.
The owner stocks grass-fed beef from nearby sources, and steaks are cut to order. House-made bacon can be tinged with rosemary.
You can find the 2-pound wheels of Gouda made by the Cistercian nuns at speciality shops throughout the state and online, but it's worth the effort to go straight to the source.
You're in luck at this bakery if you find the savory ham-and-cheese scones - made only a couple days a week - because they sell out quickly.
Try the the gambas al' parilla, jumbo shrimp grilled in the shell and set off with garlic aioli and gray salt.
The pimento cheese is some of the best around, bursting with four local cheeses and peppadew chiles. Entrees, which change seasonally, might include duck braised in cider or aged sirloin steak.
The martini list is lengthy, and we're partial to the Sin City, a wallop of berry vodka, pomegranate liqueur and blackberry puree.
Anyone can settle into a wide, white wicker porch chair and order a libation and even an appetizer. This is one of the state's finest settings for a 5 o'clock refreshment.
How about fried chicken and some pimento mac and cheese? Worth the 5-mile or so detour from the straightaway.
Leg of lamb is braised with cinnamon and tomato and presented over cardamom-scented jasmine rice.
If it's spring and the culinary gods are smiling upon you, the specials board will list "drum ribs," meaty swords from the mighty fish - breaded, fried and flaking right off the bone.
This nearly 90-year-old restaurant also dishes chicken-fried steak, ham rolls and fried catfish, all delivered by motherly waitresses with just-so hair and spotless tennies.
The place gets its name from the ancient word for "Shenandoah," and that's appropriate for a restaurant that celebrates products grown in the nearby Valley, as well as the Piedmont.
The food is standard - burgers and sandwiches for lunch, and trout, quail and fried chicken for dinner - but you won't mind. You come here for the view.
