7 Best Restaurants in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads, Virginia

This former church near the historic business district has been drawing customers for a long time, and not without reason. It has cathedral ceilings and large windows, making for an airy and dramatic dining experience. You can sit upstairs, in the large choir loft, or in the main part of the church downstairs. Beside the bar just inside the entrance is an informal sort of "diner" area, but with the whole menu to choose from. Regular appetizers include artichoke dip and crab-stuffed mushrooms. There's a dinner special every weeknight, such as lobster, prime rib, and wild game (wild boar or alligator, for example). Vegetarian fare is also offered.

The last freestanding restaurant on the beach not inside a hotel, this aqua-painted clapboard building houses a family-owned seafood grill. Inside, the ocher walls heighten the sun rays penetrating the ceiling-to-floor windows. Awnings shade the outdoor patio where live musicians perform in season. A local menu favorite is the Crab Ripper, a crab-cake sandwich topped with mozzarella and crisp bacon. A fried seafood sampler, fish and steak platters, steamed fish, appetizers, salads, burgers, and other sandwiches fill out the menu. Banquet facilities are available, and the Beach Nut Gift Shop is also on the premises. It is home to the original "Orange Crush," an alcoholic drink made with fresh-squeezed oranges, vodka, Triple Sec, and Sprite—the drink of locals. The website also has a webcam, great for people-watching and checking out the weather. Valet parking saves the hassle of difficult-to-find parking.

A reconstructed 18th-century alehouse, Chowning's serves casual quick fare for lunch, including traditional pit-style barbecue, beef brisket sandwiches, and Smithfield ham and Gloucester cheese on a pretzel roll. You can eat either inside the tavern or under a grape arbor behind the tavern. After 5 pm, Chowning's becomes a true Colonial tavern where Gambols (18th-century entertainment), a program presented for 25 years, operates throughout the evening. Costumed balladeers lead family sing-alongs, and costumed servers play popular games of the day. From 8 pm until closing, Chowning's caters to a more mature audience.

Not a grill in name only, this restaurant has an open-grill kitchen in the dining room. It can be noisy on the bar side when live bands play in the evening. Locals get comfortable in padded chairs and booths as they relax with happy-hour specials nightly or order from the extensive wine vault. The California-inspired fusion menu offers a variety of price ranges, with excellent homemade pizza from wood-burning ovens, sandwiches, pasta, chicken, steaks, and seafood, followed by sinful desserts such as homemade bourbon chocolate-chip pecan pie. Try the yellowfin tostada rare, with black-bean-and-corn salsa, guacamole, and goat cheese, a manager's favorite.

The Down East architecture of this local favorite with double-deck porches hints at the seafood that's available. The restaurant has a bar, a raw bar, and alfresco dining in good weather (in cool weather, the large window wall still gives you a view of the water). Seafood, pasta, chicken, and beef share the menu with salads and sandwiches. Rockafeller's (and several others) are on Rudee Inlet. Go on a Thursday night for the lobster special, the best their menu has to offer. To get here, go south on Pacific Avenue and turn right on Winston-Salem immediately before the Rudee Inlet bridge. The street ends at Mediterranean Avenue.

Fresh seafood is the drawing card at this large wooden building, which wouldn't look out of place in a New England fishing village. Despite its out-of-town look, the restaurant has an authenticity sometimes hard to find in touristy towns. Locals come in for the fresh Virginia scallops, shrimp, fish, and other seafood. Steaks and lemon herb chicken are available for the non-Whalers. The restaurant is off U.S. 60 near the Route 199 interchange.

The Vintage Kitchen focuses on local foods, artisanal cheeses, and microbrews. It's a place where you can order five-spice duck breast and also a superb cheeseburger. All the spices and sauces come from an outdoor herb garden. A special seven-course tasting meal is available by appointment Monday through Wednesday. Huge windows with tables facing the Elizabeth River make for great ambience.