Food

White Salsa: Virginia’s Strangest Tasty Tradition

Virginia is a land of many culinary wonders: fresh oysters, mouthwatering barbecue, blue crab, apples galore, and—wait, Miracle Whip salsa? Yes, that’s right. This unconventional concoction, a flavor party that combines Kraft’s “one-of-a-kind taste of creamy mayo and tangy dressing,” along with spices and milk, is a time-honored tradition in the Tidewater region of the […]

by Hope Cartwright

Market Fare

“Shop Local” doesn’t just apply to farmers’ market favorites and craft beverages—there are plenty of local sources for stocking your pantry. Try some of these options from around the state. JILLIAN REGAN CLASSIC ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE Nona’s Italian Cucina, Charlottesville Yvonne Cunningham learned to cook under the […]

by Mindy Kinsey

Lucky Town

How a Roanoke restaurant became a perennial downtown favorite. Lucky entered the Roanoke dining scene more than 10 years ago, with a hip vibe and high-end comfort food that could have flopped fantastically in this small mountain city. Instead, the restaurant thrived as co-owners Hunter Johnson and J.P. Powell found proof that […]

by Staff

The Home Team

Order competition barbecue to your doorstep. David Back (Chef Tuffy Stone) Craving the smoky flavor of summer—ribs, pulled pork, maybe brisket or wings? Order competition-level barbecue straight from the masters. TheBBQAllstars.com site launched in November 2020 and offers meats, sides, and more from six pitmasters. In addition to Virginia’s award-winning […]

by Ashley Hunter

Pippin Hill Farm

Fresh summer produce shines in these dishes designed for al fresco dining. The air is warm, and the gardens are green. Chef Ian Rynecki of Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards in North Garden offers recipes that center on garden-fresh produce—from greens and herbs to peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers—and are equally suited to […]

by Ashley Hunter

A Wild Craft

Stunning focaccia art and more at this Richmond bakery. (photo by Adam Ewing) Scroll the Instagram profile of Wildcraft Focaccia Company (@WildCraftFocaccia) and you’ll be struck by mesmerizing designs in vibrant colors. But what’s more, they’re delicious. The Richmond bakery, open this month, specializes in sourdough focaccia flatbreads, sandwiches, soups, and […]

by Ashley Hunter

On Island Time

This flavor-packed food truck brings the Caribbean to Virginia. Sam Dean (Photos by Sam Dean) “Come hungry with an open mind,” says Eric Vasson of his food truck, Island Wheels, which marries Caribbean and American cuisine. Sam Dean Vasson was a chef at resorts and hotels around the Caribbean—St. […]

by Ashley Hunter

Goodness on Call

Willaby’s Cafe & Catering has been a foodie favorite for decades. Since making an initial splash in White Stone nearly 30 years ago, Willaby’s Cafe & Catering has been a favorite destination for foodies roaming the Northern Neck. Willaby’s delivers memorable menus and hassle-free events whether you’re sitting in the dining room, on […]

by Staff

Say Cheese

50 years of the Cheese Shop of Williamsburg. The Cheese Shop of Williamsburg, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, offers hundreds of cheeses, and the cheese plates are a winner. When you visit, try the made-to-order sandwich, made on freshly baked bread with the legendary House Dressing on the sandwich […]

by Staff

Hot Barbecue

The flames are still hot at Pierce’s in Williamsburg. Pierce’s Pitt Bar-B-Que has been a Williamsburg staple for 50 years, still operating out of the same building established by owner J.C. Pierce’s parents in 1971. The hickory wood-smoked barbecue is cooked on-site over an open pit, and the sauce—Pierce’s secret family recipe—is […]

by Staff

Landmark Custard

Enjoy a frozen treat at this historic Fredericksburg walk-up stand. The neon sign atop Carl’s old-fashioned walk-up custard stand was first lit in 1947, and now the building is registered as a Virginia Historic Landmark. Serving chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry custards, rich milkshakes, ice cream cones, and its famous rootbeer floats, Carl’s […]

by Staff

Spice It Up

Legendary chef Peter Chang leaves his mark Won Chinese cooking. (Courtesy of RVA Magazine) World-class chef Peter Chang opened his first eponymous restaurant in 2011, in Charlottesville. Since then, he has opened six other Virginia locations. The restaurant’s Szechuan-style Chinese cooking marries Chang’s mastery of seasoning with savory meats. Signature dishes include […]

by Staff

Orion’s Roof

Transcendent dining in Virginia Beach. (photo by Keith Lanpher) SUSPENDED BETWEEN THE SEA AND stars, my husband and I drink in the view from one of Coastal Virginia’s newest restaurants, Orion’s Roof, perched on the 23rd floor of the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Part of the Cavalier Resort campus, this fine dining […]

by peggy sijswerda

Pop-Up Pasta

An expanding Italian menu at Arlington’s Napoli Salumeria. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Courtesy of Napoli Salumeria LAST NOVEMBER, Washington, D.C.’s Napoli Pasta Bar opened Napoli Salumeria in Arlington as an Italian market and deli counterpart to the original restaurant. Now, as owner Antonio Ferraro temporarily closes the D.C. branch to search for a […]

by Ashley Hunter

Beet the Heat

RVA’s new juice and smoothie bar. Beet Box THIS SUMMER, cool off with chill sips at Beet Box, a new juice and smoothie bar near Richmond’s Carytown neighborhood. Beet Box is “where healthy living intersects with urban culture,” says Ashley Lewis, who opened the juice bar with business partner Antoine Meredith in […]

by Ashley Hunter

Mushroom Recipes

Three chefs share their favorite fungi dishes. Schofield Farm Oyster Mushrooms and Potato Noodles Contributed by Drew Phelan, chef/owner of The Brickhouse Run, Petersburg; BrickhouseRun.com 3 medium russet potatoes, washed and peeled 2 tablespoons butter 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1 pound Schofield oyster mushrooms, stemmed and roughly chopped 1 […]

by peggy sijswerda

Virginia’s Mushroom Growers

Exploring the world of gourmet mushroom farmers. Chciken Tagine Like many people, I ate canned mushrooms as I grew up, most often in spaghetti sauce or as a pizza topping. I thought they were spongy and tasteless. Fast forward a decade. While I was visiting my friend Emily in the heart […]

by peggy sijswerda

Feeding the Need

A Portsmouth nonprofit feeds souls as well as stomachs during crises at home and around the world. WHEN A NATURAL DISASTER strikes, most people distractedly watch it unfold on the nightly news. Not Gary LeBlanc. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, the Portsmouth resident, chef, and former managing director of […]

by Staff

Rub It In

Flavorful marinades and rubs help turn any meal into a feast. Tyler Darden May through October is the official Virginia Barbecue Season, but I use rubs and marinades year-round to add flavorful dimensions to meats and vegetables and turn any weeknight meal into a dinner to remember. I love to make my […]

by Staff

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Events

March 23, 2025

Braddock Tars: Common Sailors and the Braddock Expedition

Carlyle House Historic Park

March 23, 2025

Beckon Call – Gospel Concert

West End Presbyterian Church

March 23, 2025

Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Humor in Music

Center for the Arts at George Mason University

Restoration of 17-Century Ship in Virginia Sets Sails

—By Katie Farthing With the winds of hope and prosperity filling its sails, the Susan Constant landed at Jamestown in 1607 with 54 Englishmen aboard hoping for glory and gold. Fast forward 400 years, the original three-masted square rig has long since disappeared, but her lore has remained a vital connection to Virginia’s past, […]

by Staff

10 Speakeasies Across Virginia & How to Find Them

Tucked in hidden alleyways and behind disguised doors lie some of the state’s best-kept secrets … and cocktails. Speakeasies promising vintage vibes and low-light charm dot the map far and wide, but where to find them? Here are 10 to get you started on a journey to delicious drinks and illicit adventures of 1920s allure. […]

by Hope Cartwright

Ensuring Loudoun County’s Country Roads Remain Rural

By Regan Hofmann Something happens when you leave the pavement. Suddenly, the journey becomes more about where you are than where you are going. You have arrived somewhere special even though you are still on your way. Whether it’s the tire of your car or bike, your sneaker, or a horse’s steel-clad shoe that crosses […]

by Staff

Food

White Salsa: Virginia’s Strangest Tasty Tradition

Current Issue

Events

Braddock Tars: Common Sailors and the Braddock Expedition

Beckon Call – Gospel Concert

Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Humor in Music

Most Popular

Restoration of 17-Century Ship in Virginia Sets Sails

10 Speakeasies Across Virginia & How to Find Them

Ensuring Loudoun County’s Country Roads Remain Rural

Food

White Salsa: Virginia’s Strangest Tasty Tradition

Current Issue

Events

Braddock Tars: Common Sailors and the Braddock Expedition

Beckon Call – Gospel Concert

Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Humor in Music

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

Restoration of 17-Century Ship in Virginia Sets Sails

10 Speakeasies Across Virginia & How to Find Them

Ensuring Loudoun County’s Country Roads Remain Rural

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today