Photo by Eileen Mellon
The Pink Dinghy
609 19th St., Virginia Beach
A Funfetti cocktail, braised lamb shank and roasted carrots at The Pink Dinghy (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Nestled a few blocks from the Virginia Beach oceanfront and combining Wes Anderson-meets-’80s-Miami Beach vibes, The Pink Dinghy is a whole mood. Housed in a tiny, blush-stained shack, the restaurant and its accompanying market are adorned with flecks of personality, from a sign that reads “Damn right we open” to the pink-and-white straw served with cocktails that ignites a strange childlike nostalgia. Just far enough away from the buzz of the boardwalk, The Pink Dinghy is an unexpected — and welcomed — gem. Embracing Latin American influences and a dash of local, the food is thoughtful, interesting and unpretentious. Empanadas, served solo or in trios, are a menu mainstay, as are tacos. But the massive lamb shank and the delicately fried calamari blanketed in a sweet-heat sauce are what caused fellow guests to cast a glance at our table. Inside, the restaurant is light and cheery, doubling as a small boutique wine shop stocked with bottles and proper accompaniments, in addition to a bakery counter with treats ranging from house-made doughnuts to cakes by the slice.
Order a draft beer, sit back and relish the experience along the banks of Locklies Creek and the Rappahannock at Merroir Tasting Room. (Photo by Joanna Marchetti courtesy Merroir Tasting Room)
Merroir Tasting Room
784 Locklies Creek Road, Topping
The vibration of tires along a gravel road is a sign of true adventure, and so ends the journey to the rustic oyster saloon Merroir, the sister waterside outpost to downtown Richmond restaurant Rappahannock. A little over an hour away from the city, the Croxtons have created a quaint respite for seafood lovers on the Northern Neck, with the name of the river shack an ode to the regional distinction of their oysters. Grab a friend and challenge them to go shell for shell while overlooking the waters the bivalves hail from. Whether you go for the trademarked Merroir crabcake, a loosely formed patty deep with flavor aboard a crostini and topped with a dollop of creole remoulade, or the rotating crudo, the menu at this decade-old outpost prizes simplicity and seasonality, with food served two ways: raw or cooked on an outdoor grill. Wear sunscreen, though — we have a feeling you’ll be there a while. Looking for an extended stay? Check out The Oyster Bed at Merroir, the restaurant’s nearby designated Airbnb.
Originally founded 28 years ago, the UVA institution Take It Away now has a location inside Dairy Market. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Dairy Market
946 Grady Ave., Charlottesville
While Richmond awaits a food hall of its own, our Wahoo neighbors have beat us to it with December’s debut of an 18-vendor space in downtown Charlottesville dubbed Dairy Market. Bringing life to the historic Monticello Dairy Building, the space is home to a hand-selected collection of food experiences, from popular lunch purveyors Take It Away sandwiches and Dino’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Rotisserie Chicken to food cart favorite turned brick-and-mortar Angelic’s Kitchen, a plant-based iteration from Citizen Burger Bar, and a forthcoming fine-dining restaurant focused on the flavors of South America called South and Central. Offering patrons a choose-your-own-destiny dining experience, a must-stop is The Milkman’s Bar, a dedicated cocktail lab where spirit scientists experiment with New Age riffs on cocktail classics. For “Parts Unknown” — a spin on a sour — egg whites are expeditiously shaken in a mesmerizing Willy Wonka-esque machine during a theatrical mixologist performance. At the Thai eatery Chimm Street, the cold vermicelli noodle bowl is refreshing and bright, while the husband-and-wife-run operation Bee Conscious Baking Co. churns out decadent macarons and “brookies” — a vegan and gluten-free brownie-cookie creation with crisp edges and a gooey center — alongside produce, eggs and honey from their farm. Pro move? Boxing up some baked goods for the road.
A BLT at The Market at Grelen (Photo by Hank Gregg courtesy The Market at Grelen)
The Market at Grelen
15091 Yager Road, Somerset
Visitors will undoubtedly want to capture the six-scoops-strong flight of homemade ice cream made using local dairy for posterity, but cell service is scarce at Somerset’s Market at Grelen, so the ’gram will have to wait. Instead, the outdoor playground demands visitors revel in nature, and it has evolved over the decades from a family-owned nursery nestled against the Blue Ridge mountains into a multifaceted operation consisting of a market with wine, beer and cider strictly from Virginia; a chef-driven cafe; access to hiking trails; and plenty of chances for picking fruit. In June, blueberries have their seasonal moment, followed by peaches, plums, blackberries and apples. Exuding a Northern Cali aura, The Market at Grelen’s 600-acre garden retreat is calling your name, offering activities that range from sipping wine from Barboursville Vineyards while soaking up the sun, or taking a hike and rewarding yourself with a boxed lunch and a made-to-order ice cream sandwich served on the market’s signature molasses cookies.
