best local fare in williamsburg

Are there any truly local type restaurants in williamsburg? What is the best kind of food to order there? If you go to virginia beach, will you get better seafood choices? I am sure there are more but we would like better. Thanks for your suggestions.

Are you asking about food that would have been local to Colonial Williamsburg or are you talking about local mom and pop places?

I guess I mean what is local or fresh and wonderful in that part of the country. Like you cannot go to the coast without eating seafood or San Francisco without sourdough etc.

Given your response, I'd say that you really need to eat a tavern in Colonial Williamsburg.

Williamsburg, like other southeastern towns has great seafood, BBQ, hams (Smithfield), and other offerings.

Food for Thought.

1547 Richmond Road near Cap'n Jacks. Wi-Fi. Good food. MMM Good!

But you really do have to do the ones in Colonial Williamsburg too. And Pierce's Barbecue.

Jim Ricks

We really enjoyed Christiana Cambell's for dinner in Colonial Williamsburg. Shields Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg (I believe that was the name) was great for lunch a couple of times.

Check tripadvisor.com too. I'm looking forward to soft-shell crabs. I wonder how they compare to dungeness?

I guess I mean what is local or fresh and wonderful in that part of the country.

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Seafood is available equally any place you can drive within 2 a few hours. The area is home to most of the Atlantic sea Scallop catch so fresh scallops (the big ones) are easy to find. They are bit tricky to cock but since they have them all the time most places can serve a good plate.

As for crabs they are not anything like dungeness crabs other than they are called crabs. Soft shell crabs are seasonal though there are methods that stretch the season out. Steamed crabs take some work to eat. Small but tasty and you have to smash your way through the shell. You will find many dishes served "imperial" with lump crab meat. Many prefer to eat crab that way. Crabs are slow starting this year and the catch does not look promising. Oysters seem to be available.

Bay clams are not as good as New England clams for steamers but the chowder clams are quite good. Hatteras and Maryland style chowder is popular. She crab soup is also popular.

Flounder is a good local Chesapeake Bay fish. Fall brings Rock fish. Tuna is commonly available but are not local as are shrimp as well.

Close places include the Yorktown river walk with three places in the low, medium and fancy range all on the water. Water front dinning is not easy to find even though there is a lot of both just not always together.

On the north side of the main drag, western end of the commercial strip, there's a locally run home-style buffet...seems to be run by some colored folks, leans towards the soul food....ham, grits, BBQ, cornbread...I think it's called the Country Kitchen or something along those lines. It's right near a miniature golf course.

Absolutely tremendous homestyle cooking. Very fresh for a buffet type arrangement. Very very very affordable.