8 Best Restaurants in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads, Virginia

Saws, pitchforks, ox yokes, and the like hang on the barn walls, but the wood tables are lacquered, and the napkins are linen. Specialties include slow-roasted prime rib; baby-back Danish pork ribs barbecued with a sauce of peach preserves and Southern Comfort; and shrimp Dijon. An ample wine list offers a wide variety of domestic and imported choices. After dinner try one their specialty coffees including Tennessee Mud with Jack Daniels or Franciscan Coffee. A children's menu is available.

With vaulted ceilings and hardwood floors, the Trellis is an airy and pleasant place. The imaginative lunch and dinner menus change with the seasons. A good wine list complements such dishes as homemade sweet red pepper soup, beef tenderloin with cabernet sauce, and grilled market fish. The seafood entrées are particularly good, and many patrons wouldn't leave without ordering the rich Death by Chocolate, the restaurant's signature dessert. There's also great people-watching from the terrace.

One of the most reliable seafood spots around, Berret's is in Merchants Square. Upscale but casual, the restaurant lights crackling fires during colder months and opens up its pleasant outdoor patio when it's warm. Entrées and appetizers employ fresh Chesapeake Bay seafood. It's usually a sure bet to try any of the nightly specials of fresh fish, which often include perfectly prepared flounder. The she-crab soup, a house favorite, blends crabmeat, cream, and crab roe with just a hint of sherry. Virginia wines and beers are featured.

Located at the Hilton Resort, Catch 31 is one of the nicest restaurants on the strip. Order the signature seafood towers that include lobster, crab legs, mussels, and shrimp, made for sharing. Sit outside for atmosphere; the setting is terrific, next to Neptune's statue, with fire pits, palm trees, and great people-watching. In summer it gets even better with live music at lunch and in the evenings.

Whether you dine indoors or out, enjoy the view of the York River, the Coleman Bridge, and Gloucester on the opposite shore. Nick's Riverwalk offers casual meals of soups, salads, and sandwiches at the Rivah Café and outdoor courtyard; the Riverwalk Dining Room is more formal, with a menu featuring baked crabmeat imperial, sautéed fillets, and local oysters. Right outside of the café are a boardwalk and a sandy beach. Parking is available across the street. There are many shops just outside the Riverwalk's door.

Known for locally sourced seafood in a chic historic setting, Saltine offers a primo dining experience in Downtown Norfolk. Go for the Mon.-Fri. happy hour: James River oysters and peel ‘n’ eat shrimp plus beer, wine, and craft cocktail specials

Proprietor James Shields served the lesser gentry and upper middling ranks of locals and travelers in the 1740s. Today, the largest of the colonial taverns now serves more than just light fare, though soup, salads, wrap sandwiches, and pie are still popular. This tavern closes at 9 pm.

Here in one of the area's few places for "fine dining," the waiters are tuxedo-clad, the tablecloths crisp linen. The menu's offerings resemble those available on a luxury cruise ship. Rum buns begin the meal, where the highlights include enormous crab cakes and filet mignon topped with crabmeat and rich béarnaise sauce. Order one of the showy flambé desserts, which are prepared table-side. They also have an extensive children's menu.