Food

Eat Your Way Along the Shenandoah Valley Food Trail

In addition to its famously spectacular scenery, the Shenandoah Valley has become known for its lineup of great breweries stretching from Botetourt County all the way to the West Virginia border. And while the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail is all about guiding beer lovers to the region’s best brews, it also happens to be the ideal […]

by Erica Jackson Curran

A Bird in the Hand

Fried chicken feeds our hearts and heritage. Before noon in Gordonsville, if the air is crisp and you cock your head just right, you can still hear the long cry of Amtrak’s Crescent, traversing the iron arc bound for New Orleans. But the train no longer stops here, as it did more […]

by Staff

Shocking Truth About Virginia’s Peanuts

An old-school farming method returns…and yields spectacular results. Kyle LaFerriere Elisha Barnes The world’s oldest peanut looks puny and unassuming as it rests in a display case at the Isle of Wight County Museum in Smithfield. The man who harvested it, Pembroke D. Gwaltney Sr., wrote “1890” on the smoothest side and […]

by Don Harrison

The Soft Shells of Summer

Checking the peeler pot was a river ritual. (Illustration by James Albon) I was probably in my 30s before it dawned on me that I could order soft shell crabs in a restaurant. In the summers of my childhood, soft shells came from the York River, where we’d anchor a slatted wooden […]

by Constance Costas

Flipping Burgers Since 1935

In Charlottesville, Riverside Lunch hits the spot. (Photo by Thomas McGovern) The Riverside, as regulars call it, has been serving up burgers and baskets of fries since 1935. With its friendly staff, unbeatable prices, and consistently good food, nobody seems to mind that the burgers arrive on white paper plates. In fact, […]

by Staff

What’s in a Name

Once exclusive to Switzerland and France, Gruyère gets redefined. (Photo courtesy of Meadow Creek Dairy) When a Virginia judge ruled that the name Gruyère could be applied to cheese made outside of the Gruyères region, even some U.S. cheesemakers raised an eyebrow. The ruling came from Judge T.S. Ellis III of […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Mad for Mahjong

In this Arlington speakeasy, mahjong’s the name of the game. (Photography by Mariah Miranda Photography) There’s more than dim sum on the menu at Sparrow Room in Arlington. This speakeasy-style bar serving craft cocktails also doubles as a mahjong parlor. Mariah Miranda Located in the back of Bun’d Up […]

by Ashley Hunter

Labor Day Getaway

Before the summer ends, head over for some southern fare and fun at Primland. (Photo Credit: Auberge Resorts Collection) Primland, Auberge Resorts Collection is excited to welcome renowned Pitmaster, Chef Elizabeth Karmel, to close out the summer this Labor Day with a weekend-long celebration at the Blue Ridge Mountain retreat complete with BBQ workshops, exclusive […]

by Staff

In Praise of Ham Biscuits

For Virginians, out of one culinary obsession, come many. Ham biscuits. Two words that sound straightforward enough to our other 49 states. But in Virginia, where they turn up at weddings and funerals, Christmas parties, and football tailgates, they’re often not a biscuit at all. The variations are handwritten on recipe cards, […]

by Staff

Seafood Revolution in Gwynn’s Island

With her award-winning “seafood,” Monica Talbert is making culinary waves. Monica Talbert is calling from Gwynn’s Island, still delirious from the news: her Mind Blown scallops have just won another award, this time first place, beating out thousands of “natural” grocery store brands for a coveted Nexty. What’s mind-blowing about this news […]

by Madeline Mayhood

All Aboard the Pink Dinghy

This playful Virginia Beach restaurant brings a world of flavor. It’s hard to miss the Pink Dinghy in Virginia Beach’s hip ViBe District. Just look for the vibrant mural or the (literal) pink dinghy on the roof. Wes Anderson meets Miami Beach in this small restaurant that’s both playful and authentic. The […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Churn It On

Recipes for 4 homemade ice cream classics, reimagined.

by Stephanie Ganz

Riviera Dreaming

Anina Belle of Le Chef’s Wife makes French cuisine accessible for home cooks. McLean, VA (Photography by Scott Suchman) Sometimes, fairytales do come true. When she left her home in British Columbia for a semester in the South of France, Anina Belle couldn’t foresee the life-changing impact that decision would have on […]

by John Haddad

Authentic Appalachian Flavors

For Chef Travis Milton, his newest restaurant is a passion project. KIRK CHAMBERS Travis Milton has been a standard-bearer of Appalachian cuisine for the past decade. He’s already pouring his passion for the region’s flavors into Nicewonder’s inaugural restaurant, Taste: Wood-Fired Kitchen, which serves small plates and casual fare. Born and raised […]

by John Haddad

Patty O’s Cafe

The Michelin three-star chef brings casual dining to “Little Washington.” Across the street from the famed Inn at Little Washington, chef Patrick O’Connell has given the namesake village Patty O’s Cafe, an elegant and warmly approachable bakery, pastry shop, café, bar, and—of course—patio. The first new restaurant from the Michelin three-star chef […]

by tesauro jason

Santé at the Ritz

Pentagon City hotel delivers Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. (Photo by Greg Powers) On the menu at Santé, the new Mediterranean restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City, grilled Virginia oysters happily coexist with shrimp saganaki and chickpea fries. “It’s an experience that transports, yet feels familiar all the same,” says Matthew Felix, the hotel’s […]

by Constance Costas

Dinner with a View in Old Town

Ada’s on the River heats up Alexandria’s waterfront. Is it someone’s birthday?” our server asks when she bounces up to our table. My family is dining at Ada’s on the River, on the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria. We look at each other and laugh. We are celebrating life, and Ada’s feels […]

by Staff

Let Them Eat Cake … Doughnuts

These homemade delights are the perfect bite-sized indulgence. Tyler Darden Lynchburg donuts, gluten-free Tuesday Apple cider and doughnuts at Mama Crockett’s. Photography by Tyler Darden They don’t call it Fat Tuesday for nothing. The day of revelry before the austere Christian observance of Lent is known as much for its merrymaking as it is […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Seasonal Roots

The newest way to eat healthy and support local. Looking for healthy, seasonal eating options while simultaneously supporting Virginia farmers? Seasonal Roots is an online farmers market started in 2011 that delivers products created and grown by 75 Virginia farms (like Deer Run Farm in Hanover or Saunders Brothers Orchard in Piney River) […]

by Staff

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Events

June 21, 2025

Family Arts & Barks Festival

Bay School Community Arts Center/Art Speaks Gallery

June 21, 2025

Shrub Drinks and Cheesy Bites

Carlyle House Historic Park

June 21, 2025

Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace

Carlyle House Historic Park

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

Eight Virginia schools received the National Blue Ribbon 2024 award for their high performances. The Exemplary High Performing Schools are Spring Hill Elementary in McLean, Green Run Collegiate in Virginia Beach, Bethel Manor Elementary in Hampton, and St. Andrew the Apostle School in Clifton. The Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are Central Academy Middle […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

UVA Claims Top Spots Among Public Universities

The University of Virginia has climbed to No. 4 among public universities in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges rankings, advancing one position from last year. The university maintained its No. 24 overall ranking, tying with Emory and Georgetown universities. UVA’s commitment to accessibility and student success stands out in several key metrics. […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Small Town, Big History: The Stories of Abingdon

Long before the first European settlers ventured into the American wilderness, the Delaware and Catawba tribes tracked a buffalo trace through the Shenandoah Mountains. Abingdon—once known as Wolf Hills—emerged along this trail, today’s Route 11. Frequented by westward expansionists on the Great Valley Road, Main Street grew. Today, the city of 8,336 residents hugs Route […]

by Michael C. Upton

Food

Eat Your Way Along the Shenandoah Valley Food Trail

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Family Arts & Barks Festival

Shrub Drinks and Cheesy Bites

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The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

UVA Claims Top Spots Among Public Universities

Small Town, Big History: The Stories of Abingdon

Food

Eat Your Way Along the Shenandoah Valley Food Trail

Current Issue

Events

Family Arts & Barks Festival

Shrub Drinks and Cheesy Bites

Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace

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Most Popular

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

UVA Claims Top Spots Among Public Universities

Small Town, Big History: The Stories of Abingdon

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weekly newsletter: VL Today

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