7 Best Restaurants in Virginia, USA

A 90-minute drive from the District takes you past hills and farms to the English-style country manor that is the site of this well-regarded hotel restaurant. The service matches the setting, and diners can choose items from two menus: Gastronauts (contemporary endeavors) or Good Earth (vegetarian), both of which have dishes that rotate daily. Wine pairings are offered for an additional price. Desserts are fanciful, and the smart cheese selections are overseen by a maître de fromage. There’s also a new, more casual restaurant, Patty O’s Café and Bakery, across the street.

The inn also offers 23 sumptuous guest rooms created by Joyce Evans, a London stage and set designer.

Tucked away in the small town of White Post is a slice of Provence in a historic inn. L'Auberge Provencale is the epicurean getaway of choice for Washingtonians, and it's true that Chef Alain Borel has been on the gourmand radar for years. Borel and his wife Celeste grow their own herbs, vegetables, and fruit, and source their other sustainable foods locally from the bounty of the Valley. L'Auberge features not only an excellent list of French vintages, but many of Virginia's top wines as well. Reserve way ahead of time for the authentic Provencale five-course prix-fixe dinner ($90 per person).

Grab a seat outside of Can Can and people-watch in the heart of Carytown while enjoying French comfort food at affordable prices. From the croque monsieur to steak frites, to a simple croissant and café au lait, this restaurant has the cuisine and feel of a Parisian brasserie.

Set in the Virginia countryside, this sprawling restaurant serves the German-influenced cuisine of Alsace. The decor is romantic—a fireplace dominates the main dining room, and red-jacketed waiters courteously guide you through the all-inclusive six-course meal. Choucroute (sausage, duck, smoked pork, and foie gras served atop sauerkraut), and Le Chateaubriand de L'Auberge (beef served with fresh vegetables, béarnaise, and truffle sauce) are just two of the generously portioned entrées. You are asked in advance whether you'd like a soufflé. Say yes, unless the Alsatian plum tart is calling you instead. Make dinner reservations up to a month in advance.

Housed in a pre--Civil War brick general store, this white-tablecloth restaurant actually has three dining rooms decorated like a French garden, with numerous paintings by local artists for sale. For more than two decades, this has been a Fredericksburg favorite for its consistently good food and service. The interesting menu changes with the seasons, and the chef sources his products locally. Specialties like house-cut beef, French onion soup, and seafood are all served with a Continental accent. A fixed-price ($25) four-course dinner is served from 5:30 to 7 Monday through Thursday.

At this local favorite, run by Jean François Chaufour and his wife, Françoise, for more than 40 years, lovingly prepared French country fare is served with beaucoup flavor. Popular selections include trout, bouillabaisse, garlicky rack of lamb, frogs' legs, and beef Wellington. Polish it all off with an order of profiteroles or crème brûlée.

A mall of small boutiques is the unlikely location for this French-country restaurant. The dining room has soft pastel colors, hardwood floors, candlelight, and a central open fireplace. The menu is arranged in the French manner, with prix-fixe menus and additional entrées, including whole duck breast with peach-and-pepper sauce, leg of lamb with rosemary-garlic sauce, bouillabaisse, and fresh scallops and shrimp with Champagne sauce. Consider making reservations for weekend dining.