🍲 Where to Eat · Williamsburg, VA
Restaurants in Williamsburg
73 real, currently-operating restaurants across every category — 18th-century colonial taverns, Chesapeake seafood, and Merchants Square dining.
🏙️ Colonial Taverns to Chesapeake Seafood
✅ Verified Open
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🍽️ Fine Dining
🦀 Seafood
🥩 Steakhouses
🍖 BBQ
🍕 Pizza & Italian
🍔 Casual American
🥞 Breakfast & Brunch
🌍 International
☕ Bakeries & Coffee
🍺 Bars & Breweries
🥪 Delis & Chains
Williamsburg’s dining scene runs from Colonial Williamsburg’s own 18th-century taverns — costumed servers, balladeers, and period-inspired menus — to Merchants Square bistros, Chesapeake crab cakes and seafood, and a full range of national chains along Richmond Rd. We checked each restaurant directly against its own official site rather than a generic aggregator list.
7 Restaurants
Christiana Campbell’s Tavern
18th-century seafood tavern once frequented by George Washington, known for crab cakes and she-crab soup.
King’s Arms Tavern
Genteel colonial chophouse on Duke of Gloucester St serving period-inspired prime rib and game pie with costumed servers.
Chowning’s Tavern
Rustic 18th-century alehouse on DoG Street offering Brunswick stew, BBQ, and outdoor garden-bar fare with nightly gambols.
Terrace & Goodwin Rooms
Upscale contemporary-American breakfast and dinner at the AAA Five-Diamond Williamsburg Inn.
Restoration Bar
Refined cocktail lounge at the Williamsburg Inn featuring rare wines and spirits with light contemporary-American bites.
Sweet Tea & Barley
Casual Southern-inspired restaurant at the Williamsburg Lodge blending traditional dishes with modern twists.
Traditions
Breakfast and lunch buffet-style venue at the Williamsburg Lodge with gluten-free and vegetarian options.
5 Restaurants
Fat Canary
Upscale New American fine dining in Merchants Square from chef Thomas Power.
Blue Talon Bistro
French-inspired bistro and comfort food in Merchants Square, popular for brunch and steak frites.
Le Yaca French Restaurant
Long-running authentic French restaurant since 1980, known for its rack of lamb and prix-fixe lunches.
Cochon on 2nd
New American, French-influenced restaurant in the Second Street corridor.
Ember
Steak, seafood, and sushi fusion restaurant in Merchants Square on DoG Street.
7 Restaurants
Berret’s Seafood Restaurant & Taphouse Grill
Merchants Square seafood institution with an oyster and raw bar and an adjoining taphouse patio.
Waypoint Seafood & Grill
Tidewater and Southern-inflected seafood restaurant known for its raw bar and Chesapeake specialties.
Casa Pearl
Oyster bar and taco spot in the Edge District blending coastal seafood with Mexican flavors.
Oceans & Ale
Seafood-focused brewpub pairing Chesapeake seafood with craft beer.
Fat Tuna Grill & Oyster House
Richmond Road seafood restaurant and raw bar.
Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant
Large all-you-can-eat seafood buffet, a Williamsburg-area chain staple.
The Whaling Company
Long-time family seafood and steak restaurant near the outlets on McLaws Circle.
2 Restaurants
Opus 9 Steakhouse
Upscale chophouse billed as Williamsburg’s premier steakhouse, with a popular lunch and brunch menu.
Aberdeen Barn
Long-standing steakhouse on Richmond Road since the 1960s, known for prime rib.
5 Restaurants
Pierce’s Pitt Bar-B-Que
Iconic pit-cooked pork BBQ stand, a Williamsburg institution since 1971.
Route 60 Barbecue Market
Richmond Road barbecue market and restaurant.
Rocco’s Smokehouse Grill
Smokehouse and BBQ restaurant with private dining options.
Two Drummers Butcher & BBQ Provisions
Butcher shop and BBQ provisions concept in the Edge District, sister to Two Drummers Smokehouse in nearby Toano.
7 Restaurants
Anna’s Brick Oven Pizza & Pasta
Wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza and Italian fare.
Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant
Longtime Italian restaurant on Olde Towne Rd.
Sal’s By Victor
Italian restaurant and pizzeria on Richmond Rd.
Maurizio’s Ristorante Italiano
Family Italian restaurant near the outlets on McLaws Circle.
Mellow Mushroom
Stone-baked pizza chain location in Merchants Square.
College Delly & Pizza Restaurant
Longtime pizza and deli spot popular with William & Mary students.
10 Restaurants
Second Street American Bistro
Longtime local favorite serving elevated American comfort food and craft cocktails.
Food For Thought
Eclectic American restaurant with vegetarian and vegan options.
Amber Ox Public House
Farm-to-table Southern gastropub with an in-house bar concept.
Green Leafe Cafe
Classic William & Mary-area pub and cafe open since 1974, known for its beer selection.
Ol’ Dominion Burger
Smashburger concept operating out of Precarious Beer Project.
Super Chix
Fast-casual chicken sandwich chain; its first Virginia location opened in Williamsburg’s Midtown Row.
Longboards
Casual coastal-style eatery at Williamsburg Premium Outlets.
4 Restaurants
Mama Steve’s House of Pancakes
Longtime local pancake-house favorite.
Colonial Pancake House
Classic Williamsburg breakfast institution.
Capitol Pancake House
Another of Williamsburg’s well-known pancake houses.
9 Restaurants
Amiraj Modern Indian Kitchen
Modern Indian kitchen on Monticello Ave, a rebrand of the former Nawab Indian Cuisine location.
Anatolia Bar & Grill
Turkish and Armenian restaurant in New Town.
Kyoto Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar
Hibachi and sushi restaurant on Richmond Rd.
Kephi Greek Kitchen, Market & Bakery
Greek restaurant, market, and bakery.
Saudade Tapas & Wine Bar
Mediterranean and Portuguese-inspired tapas and wine bar on Jamestown Rd.
7 Mares Mexican Grill
Mexican seafood-forward grill on Richmond Rd.
La Terraza Mexican Grill
Mexican grill with multiple area locations.
Plaza Azteca
Regional Mexican restaurant chain with a High St Williamsburg location.
Peking Restaurant
Chinese, Mongolian, and Japanese buffet-style restaurant.
6 Restaurants
The Cheese Shop
Merchants Square gourmet cheese shop and sandwich counter, a Colonial Williamsburg-area classic since 1978.
The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg
Historic gourmet Virginia-peanut shop in Merchants Square, since 1946.
Wythe Candy & Gourmet Shop
Merchants Square candy and gourmet gift shop.
Point 5 Williamsburg
Dessert and donut concept at Williamsburg Premium Outlets.
Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters
Local coffee roaster with a cafe.
4 Restaurants
Alewerks Brewing Company
Williamsburg’s original craft brewery, with a taproom near the Premium Outlets.
The Virginia Beer Company
Craft brewery and taproom in the Village at Quarterpath.
Precarious Beer Project
Independent craft brewery and beer hall in Merchants Square.
Gabriel Archer Tavern
On-site New American restaurant and wine-country tavern at The Williamsburg Winery.
7 Restaurants
Paul’s Deli & Neighborhood Restaurant
Local deli and restaurant with Williamsburg and New Town locations.
The Jefferson Restaurant
American neighborhood restaurant.
Cracker Barrel
Family restaurant chain with a Williamsburg location.
Outback Steakhouse
Steak and seafood chain restaurant on Richmond Road.
Bonefish Grill
Seafood-focused chain restaurant on Monticello Avenue.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Italian chain restaurant on Richmond Road.
Planning Tips for This Area
- Reserve ahead for the colonial taverns. Christiana Campbell’s Tavern, King’s Arms Tavern, and Chowning’s are all Colonial Williamsburg-operated and book up, especially for dinner during peak season.
- Merchants Square is the walkable dining hub. Fat Canary, Blue Talon Bistro, and The Cheese Shop are all steps from the Historic Area entrance.
- Look for Chesapeake blue crab. Berret’s, Waypoint Seafood & Grill, and Captain George’s all specialize in the region’s signature seafood.
- Richmond Rd has the area’s national chains. If you want a familiar option, most major chains sit along this corridor a short drive from the Historic Area.
What’s it like to eat at a Colonial Williamsburg tavern?
Christiana Campbell’s Tavern, King’s Arms Tavern, and Chowning’s Tavern all serve period-inspired menus with costumed servers inside the Historic Area — reservations are recommended, especially for dinner.
Where’s the best seafood in Williamsburg?
Berret’s Seafood Restaurant & Taphouse Grill and Waypoint Seafood & Grill are two of the area’s best-known spots for Chesapeake blue crab and a raw bar.
How does NME choose which restaurants to feature?
We verify each restaurant directly against its own official site and current operating status rather than relying on aggregator lists, and we exclude anything we can’t confirm is still open. Read more on our methodology page.
Know a Restaurant We Missed?
If you know a great restaurant in Williamsburg we’re missing, email us and we’ll take a look.
Heading to Williamsburg?
See the full trip guide — where to stay and what to do, organized the same way, by category.
