Ron Kirkland is a board member for Visit Williamsburg and the executive director of the Williamsburg Hotel & Motel Association, which owns the Williamsburg Visitors Guide. As a tourism professional and professional tourist, Ron (& friends) gives the Visitors Guide readers some tasty and valuable local insights each year.
Photos By Eileen Sperry
I love the United States of America and everything about it. As you can imagine, 2026 is a BIG year for me. A few of my friends joined me for an adventure seeking to quench our patriotic palate and enjoy a taste of history seasoned with celebration. For us, and many of you, there is no place quite like Williamsburg, Virginia. In the City, where the spirit of 1776 still echoes along brick sidewalks and beneath the flutter of colonial flags, every bite tells a story. From taverns inspired by the era of independence to modern kitchens crafting cuisine worthy of 2026’s 250th anniversary, Williamsburg serves freedom with a side of flavor.
Here, the past and present sit at the same table. In the shadow of colonial landmarks and within steps of living history, chefs honor America’s beginnings while embracing bold, contemporary tastes.
Capitol Pancake House (Photo above)
Is there anything more quintessentially American than a diner? I asked my friends Ruth Larson, chair of the VisitWilliamsburg Tourism Council, and Executive Director Ed “George Washington” Harris to dive into diner delights with me. Ruth challenged Ed and me to a little foodie trivia. #1: What country makes and consumes the most “French” fries? A: The good old USA. The folks at the Capitol Pancake House certainly make my favorites in town. These beauties are hand cut and soaked daily to remove the starch, and then fried golden brown for all of us to enjoy. #2 How did Belgian waffles become popular in America? A: Walter Cleyman introduced them at the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle and Belgian immigrant Maurice Vermersch perfected them for American tastes at the New York World’s Fair in 1964. As you can see, Ruth prefers hers with toppings that would make any patriot proud. #3 Are English muffins English? A: Ole George (Ed) popped off instantly. “Heck NO! I want everyone to know that Samuel Bath Thomas created them in his New York City bakery in 1880.” George likes his breakfast sandwich with bacon, eggs and cheese. Yumm!
Raleigh Tavern Bakery
Gingerbread originated from Greek and Egyptian recipes that are over 4500 years old. Based on how hard the cookie version is, I think most of them were made back then and stored in Pyramids, distributed in modern times to help support the world’s dental repair complex. Historically, we know that George Washington had bad teeth, and his dear sweet Mother Mary created for her son a soft and delicious ginger cake that was among his favorite things. So good in fact that when the Marquis de Lafayette visited Mary in 1781 during our Revolution, she served him tender, warm ginger cake, just as she did for her own son. The fine bakers at the Raleigh Tavern Bakery in Colonial Williamsburg bake their version of these American originals fresh every day. Williamsburg Mayor Doug Pons and I certainly enjoyed ours, and you can too, just like George and the Marquis. I am not sure how many other places in this great nation exist where you can enjoy such a historically simple and thoughtful experience, but for me, it tastes like independence with every bite.
The Liberty Lounge
The mayor (Douglas Pons) and I picked up a couple of uniquely American Chowning’s Tavern Root Beers, which evolved from a more than 200-year-old colonial recipe, and headed over to the Liberty Lounge. The Liberty Lounge offers a dedicated, complimentary space for active-duty, retired military, veterans and their families to relax. It honors a WWII-era tradition supported by John D. Rockefeller Jr. The lounge provides refreshments, Wi-Fi and a very stress-free atmosphere. The mayor’s father, Don, and uncle, Philip, both served in Vietnam and I’m a veteran of Desert Storm. We enjoyed our time reminiscing. I shared my fond memories of something ridiculously common, courtesy of the Mars family, who are also big-time supporters of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. During my time in the desert, we ate a LOT of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s) and they were at best, basic, until the war department produced the second generation of MRE’s, which included a small packet of Mars Inc. M&M’s. It may sound silly and sentimental but let me tell you, when you have been living in minimal spartan conditions in the middle of the desert for an extended period, waiting for the day to come that you might actually have to go fight and possibly die, a little thing like a handful of M&M’s sure did provide this young soldier a real treat and at least for a few moments made me feel human again. I brought a big bag of assorted Mars candy with FULL-SIZED M&M’s and left them for some other old guy and his family to enjoy, and maybe remember, how much it meant to them like it did to me 35 years ago.
Christiana Campbell’s Tavern
Apple pie is without question a symbol of what it means to be American. As our day came to a close, I told the mayor that we were going to find a made-from-scratch apple pie. Fortunately, Christiana Campbell’s historic dining tavern, where George Washington himself once dined, did not let me down. Stephanie came to our table and was delightfully pleasant and entertaining as she guided us through what seemed to be a never-ending list of hard-to-choose delicacies from a time gone by. I exclaimed, “Oh fair maiden of the Tavern, surely this is the most superb fare of colonial times, but we have come seeking the one decadent treat that has yet evaded men such as we. The finest apple pie in all of the land.” Within moments a manager, the head chef and, for some reason, a lady with a guitar gathered with us at the table. We explained why we had come and what we were in need of. The musician started to play and sing, and I realized she was there to distract us with song as Stephanie brought us spiked punch and we were entertained. The chef sprang forth from the kitchen with our treasure in her capable hands. A small crowd gathered as Stephanie knowingly asked, “would you like it a la mode?” The mayor and I toasted heaping spoons of ice cream and warm apple pie. We did not speak for what seemed an eternity. This was a most excellent apple pie and does not require a string of adjectives and lofty rhetoric. We simply rose and shook their hands with smiles of gratitude on our faces.
Mobjack Coffee Roasters and Petite Cafe
I met our Senior Account Executive Eileen Sperry at Mobjack Coffee for a breakfast meeting, and wouldn’t you know it, Yorktown tourism queen Kristi Olsen-Hayes just happened to pop in. As we were discussing our favorite patriotic places, she noted that everyone remembers the Boston Tea Party, but did you know that Yorktown had its own tea party? On November 7, 1774, local citizens boarded a ship and dumped two half chests of tea into the river, joining our Bostonian friends in defiance of the crown. Speaking of tea, sweet iced tea is an American classic that was invented right here in Virginia. Patrick Henry’s (yes, that Patrick Henry) granddaughter Marion Cabell Tyree’s recipe was published in the 1879 cookbook Housekeeping in Old Virginia. While that’s interesting, we all agreed that we’re Americans and we love coffee, over 400 million cups a year, by far the most of any nation. So, we all ordered various iterations of Mobjack’s satisfying 250th declaration blend, which I highly recommend for any coffee connoisseur.
Sportsman’s Grille
I was chatting with my friend Heidi Hume, marketing and sales manager at the Greater Williamsburg Sports and Events Center opening June 24, about where I might find baseball, hot dogs and apple pie. We had already covered apple pie, so Heidi suggested we visit one of her favorite’s, the Sportsman’s Grille for baseball and hot dogs. She gets me. I love the sports themed décor in the place and as I perused the menu, there it was, all wrapped up in a toasted bun, the all-beef ¼ pound Major League Hot Dog. I added chili and onions to mine with onion rings for good measure. Sometimes when you bite into something it’s just perfect, and washing it all down with a beer did it for me.
Craft 31
Sometimes elected officials and their titles don’t sound like much fun. For instance, the honorable and distinguished gentlelady from the right and good council of the City of Williamsburg, Virginia, Colonel Stacy Kern-Scheerer, Esquire. You could rightly presume that such a person would never in a million years be caught in public with an Ozarks hillbilly dressed head to toe in patriotic regalia. Absolutely not join in a quest for the great American cheeseburger, and unequivocally never under any circumstance let her picture be taken with such a reprobate…and you would be wrong. Stacy was more fun than a day at Busch Gardens as we sampled the best that Craft 31 had to offer, including what we felt was arguably one of the greatest American cheeseburgers to be found in all of the “Burg!” Fun fact: She’s actually a commissioned Kentucky Colonel. I’ve seen the signed by the Gov’nuh honorific with my own eyes! How about that?
Axe Republic
I’m not 100% sure if having a competition to see who is better at throwing various axes, knives and spears while stuffing food in your face and enjoying a cold beverage is the most American thing ever or not. But it has got to be pretty close. My new friend Dana Youst, executive director of the Historic Triangle Recreational Facilities Authority, accompanied me to find out. While mildly disturbing, the force with which Dana hurled the primitive weapons of war clearly suggested she may have been experiencing a little stress that needed be dealt with, and I think she felt a little better when we were through. All of that released aggression must have sparked a deep hunger and thirst in both of us. We hit the Pretzel Bites, Franks in a Blanket, and Churros pretty hard before finishing it all off with a few local brews from Aleworks, Billsburg and The Virginia Beer Company. A must do for any Patriot!
Emily’s Donuts and Café
VisitWilliamsburg Community Relations Specialist Josue Ayala invited me to Emily’s so we could check out her special assortment of donuts decorated and adorned just for the Semiquincentennial, which I knew from past experience to be delish. What I didn’t know was that donuts are an all-American original. Maine Mariner Captain Hanson Gregory is credited with inventing the modern ring-shaped donut in 1847 at age 16 by using a tin pepper box to punch out the raw, doughy centers of fried cakes while aboard a ship. Thus, establishing the colonial version of Emily’s modern delight AND unknowingly giving us the equally delightful donut hole. To top it all off, Josue suggested I try Emily’s preposterous blueberry fritter, which as you can see is the size of my head and comes in its own special box. Paired with a cup of coffee, that’s a combination that’s hard to beat.
Big Foot’s Ice Cream Shack
Williamsburg Hotel & Motel Association President Preet Shah has a severe sweet tooth, and on this particular day he needed satisfaction. So we headed over to the Williamsburg General Store and found Big Foot’s Ice Cream Shack. Few things feel more American than ice cream on a warm Virginia afternoon, and at the shack, that sweet tradition feels as timeless as 1776 itself. Nestled in the heart of Williamsburg, this hometown favorite serves up shakes and towering cones of classic flavors with the same bold spirit that built our nation. Each swirl of vanilla, chocolate or strawberry is a celebration of simple freedoms—family nights, summer laughter and the joy of gathering together. In every red, white and blue sunset over Williamsburg, a trip to Big Foot’s is a delicious reminder that the American dream may best be enjoyed one scoop at a time.
Daddyo’s Tavern
In 2003, the late great Toby Keith gave the world a most precious gift, the fittingly titled song “I Love This Bar.” Rick Hibbett, client engagement practice leader at Clark Nexsen, has been meeting with me for years trying to get the Greater Williamsburg Sports and Event Center going. (The grand opening is June 24, 2026. See page 109 for more details.) Our far and away favorite is Daddyo’s Tavern. Some might call it a dive bar; we call it the “meetin place.” It makes no sense. He doesn’t even drink. When we belly up to the bar and our favorite bartender Amber asks, “what’ll you have?” She already knows the answer, but she wants to hear me say, “the usual for me, and my friend will have a double coke with double lime!” This always makes Rick chuckle. Sometimes they’ve got trivia, karaoke or occasional live music. Wings are good, Taco Tuesday satisfies and let me tell you about pizza. One time I ordered a pizza and somehow the kitchen folks were running late. Unbeknownst to me, in between drink orders, Amber was running back to the kitchen and rolling out some dough and making my pizza. She apologized because it wasn’t perfectly shaped. Man let me tell you, the effort alone made that one of the best pizzas I’ve had. If you’re in the neighborhood around 4 p.m., stop in for the 4 o’clock shot and gather around with the regulars for the pledge of allegiance. Who does that in 2026? Amber and Daddyo’s, that’s who.
As the nation celebrates our Semiquincentennial, Williamsburg invites visitors to raise a fork—and a flag—in tribute to the enduring spirit of the USA.
