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Photo illustration by Ryan Rich
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Foodlore Fridays at Oakley Farm with Troddenvale and The Little Cheerful (Photo by Honey Ride & Lace Photography)
1. Warm Springs
Foodlore Provisions at Troddenvale → Warm Spring Pools
Inside the Warm Springs Pools (Photo by Gordon Gregory)
Nestled in the Allegheny Highlands, Troddenvale is committed to producing niche ciders. In 2017, owners and spouses Will and Cornelia Hodges introduced Foodlore Provisions, an online marketplace offering a taste of the region with pickups on the farm. Those Friday pickups eventually evolved into parties, and now the Hodges call on their cadre of friends and chefs to prepare food for guests from an Airstream trailer on the farm. If you’ve made the trek to Warm Springs, a dunk in the springs themselves is essential. The crystal pools have soothed many travelers with their clear, mineral-rich, 98-degree waters dating back 9,000 years. Reservations for pools required. —Stephanie Ganz
2. Sperryville
Asparagus salad with wild nettle cream and locust blossoms from Sumac (Photo courtesy Sumac)
Intrepid hikers are rewarded with breathtaking panoramas of the Blue Ridge Mountains atop Old Rag, a 3,284-foot peak in Madison County. One of the best hiking trails in the South, the 9-mile roundtrip adventure features an exhilarating boulder hop section that leads to pristine valley views. Secure a park pass and day-use ticket in advance. After, mosey over to Sumac in nearby Sperryville. The Friday-Sunday pop-up (reservations needed for the tasting menu) housed at Pen Druid Brewing earned a spot on The New York Times’ Restaurant List in 2024. There, chef Dan Gleason leads a small and ambitious team from a converted Airstream trailer, producing elevated, wildly seasonal dishes bearing the smoke of the wood hearth that anchors the operation. —SG
3. Staunton
Maude & The Bear → Staunton Farmers Market
Chef Ian Boden of Maude & The Bear (Photo by Stephanie Whitehill)
Whether you reserve a table for the tasting menu or book a room in this reimagined 1926 Montgomery Ward kit house, a trip to the James Beard Award-nominated inn and restaurant Maude & The Bear will be a highlight on any summer itinerary. Owner Ian Boden pays special homage to his family’s Jewish and Appalachian roots in meticulously prepared, surprising plates (the multicourse breakfast menu is exclusive to guests of the inn). Five minutes down the road, the Saturday-only Staunton Farmers Market is a pedestrian paradise of producer-only small farms, bakers and artisans. Start with a perfectly spiced cup from Chai Dhaba before strolling the rows of vendors, including dairy darlings Ballerino Creamery and Ukrainian bakery Razumova. —SG
4. Washington, D.C.
Julia Child’s Kitchen → Union Market
Few culinary pilgrimages are holier than going to the National Museum of American History to behold Julia Child’s painstakingly preserved Cambridge, Massachusetts kitchen. The taller than average marble counters, massive six-burner Garland range and iconic pegboard wall lined with pots and pans will appeal to those who dream of baking fluffy souffles or braising fork-tender coq au vin. Following a morning at the museum, make your way to Union Market for a dense selection of dining options and snag a shakshuka croissant from the Bib Gourmand-designated Levantine bakery Yellow. For a slower pace, head to Kwame Onwuachi’s Afro-Caribbean Dōgon, experience Vietnamese fine dining at Moon Rabbit or enjoy Ethiopian specialties at Family Ethiopian. —SG
5. Kinsale
Photo courtesy Lucky’s
Situated in the Northern Neck, Kinsale screams small-town summer. Make stops for local delights at family-owned Garner’s Produce, crispy fried chicken at gas station gem Jack Rabbit Express and rosé at Hague Winery. The season is supremely dialed in at The Slips, a private marina accessed via membership to the Yeocomico Club ($50 a year per person or $120 for families), which also hosts public community events including the Waterman Markets. There you’ll discover Lucky’s. The tiny dockside bar led by Richmond residents, industry vets and spouses Katy Best and Josh Dziegiel, serves up snacks and sips including tropical drinks, orange crushes, mojitos, tacos, sandwiches and local oysters. Pro tip: Grab picnic supplies and hop in a kayak. —Eileen Mellon
6. Charlottesville
Rachel DeJong of Cou Cou Rachou holds a seasonal chocolate hazelnut tart. (Photo by Chime Studio)
Led by Rachel DeJong, this French bakery is a paean to pastry, producing delicate, flaky croissants, custardy canelés and a selection of seasonal treats with local ingredients. Come summer, you’ll find sour cherries making their bold return in tarts, swirls and soft serve sundaes. “We really do cherish our local seasonal fruits,” DeJong says. Next, stomp the brick-paved streets of the Downtown Mall and make your way to Birdhouse, a nook of a restaurant where brined, rotisserie-cooked chicken is the centerpiece of any meal. The Rancho Gordo Marcella beans with garlic and a hint of chile and breadcrumb-topped baked fennel nearly steal the show. —SG
7. Virginia Beach
My favorite part of any beach trip is eating an Italian sub by the ocean, and I’ve found kindred spirits at Yorkie’s, a from-scratch “modern deli” from chef Kip Poole. Their eponymous sub stacks four meats on a sesame-studded roll before getting swaddled in deli paper for easy toting. Grab napkins, you’ll need them. A proper crispy-edged smashburger and an ice-cold martini await at Frank & Patty’s, in Virginia Beach’s trendy ViBe district. Go with a crew so you can sample the loaded Norfolk Snap Hotdog, the big honkin’ wedge salad and a pile of crispy french fries. Expect to wait in line on the weekends; it’s worth every second. —SG
