Fresh-Picked Menus

Virginia restaurants offering an emphasis on local foods range from crystal and candlelight to casual neighborhood bistros to trendier, ultra-sleek environs. Many blend fresh picks from the garden with organically raised meats. Virginia’s renowned wines are then paired with dishes for the full regional dining experience.

Cooper’s Landing Inn and Traveler’s Tavern (Clarksville) – This charming 1830s inn located in a quaint lakeside town combines seasonal vegetables and fruits from the area with high quality beef and seafood. (434-374-2866)

Graves Mountain Lodge (Syria) – Made-from-scratch comfort food like pot roast, catfish and country ham is served up with local vegetables at this rustic mountain retreat. (540-923-4231)

Restaurant at the Inn at Little Washington

The Inn at Little Washington (Washington) – Sumptuous and decadent doesn’t begin to describe this world-renowned inn and restaurant. A palette of locally grown produce and meats is always on the artfully crafted menu for an unforgettable culinary experience. (540-675-3800)

Oddfellas Cantina(Floyd) – Serving a fusion of Latin, Southern and vegan cooking, this cozy neighborhood eatery and music spot works with local organic growers, imports Virginia seafood and prepares savory meatloaf and rib-eye steaks from locally raised buffalo. (540-745-3463)

One Block West (Winchester) – The culinary focus of this relaxed, yet elegant, bistro is to seek out the finest Shenandoah Valley ingredients at their peak of freshness and pair them with the best Virginia wines. All ingredients are carefully selected by the chef and prepared to perfection in dishes such as roasted breast of duck with Bosc pear and grilled lamb loin chops with pesto. (540-662-1455)

Millstone Tearoom (Bedford) – Locally grown organic vegetables and Virginia meats are served at this cozy dining room off the Blue Ridge Parkway. (540-587-7100)

Southern Inn Restaurant (Lexington) – The best local ingredients are combined to create contemporary dishes on a changing menu that features everything from rainbow trout to peak-of-season pears to locally ground grits. Nineteen Virginia wines are featured, including four by the glass. (540-463-3612)

Staunton Grocery (Staunton) – The culinary philosophy at this downtown Staunton dining experience is to combine Virginia ingredients at their peak of freshness in adventurous and innovative dishes. Diners can savor local pork, beef, chicken, produce, cheese, herbs, ham, baked goods, tea and even locally roasted coffee in a modern, yet casual, setting. (540-886-6880)

Crab dinner at the Swan Terrace

The Swan Terrace at the Founders Inn (Virginia Beach) – Diners enjoy Smithfield ham, local oysters and seafood as well as seasonal produce throughout this menu inspired by Colonial dishes. (757-366-5700)

Wine Bar at Todd Jurich's Bistro

Todd Jurich's Bistro (Norfolk) – Culinary excellence at this gracious setting is tied heavily to the use of local, seasonal ingredients such as yellow fin tuna, crab and collards. An expansive wine list features many Virginia wines, some by the glass. (757-622-3210)

Tuscarora Mill (Leesburg) – Located in a 19th-century grain mill in Leesburg for more than a decade, the “Tuskies” menu always features seasonal specials tied directly to local produce and meats. (703-771-9300)

Vintage Kitchen (Norfolk) – Stunning views of the Elizabeth River provide the backdrop for old-world cuisine with modern artistic twists capitalizing on Virginia’s freshest ingredients and finest wines. (757-625-3370)