not such a bright idea to eat here and other Williamsburg, VA Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Candle Light Kitchen

Candle Light Kitchen is conveniently located on Route 60 East (Richmond Road) in Norge just north of Williamsburg proper at the shopping centre where the old Candy Factory was. It is a no-frills restaurant with a standard American menu. The service was fast and accommodating. For example, what I ordered came with mashed potatoes (which I hate). The waitress gladly substituted fries for the mashed potatoes.

Favorite Dish: I ordered the open-faced turkey sandwich with fries and coffee to drink. The fries were above average, but in most open-faced turkey sandwiches I've had, they toast the bread. The turkey was mediocre and the gravy was saltier than it needed to be. Furthermore, the coffee was terrible. There are plenty of better places to eat along Route 60.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: (757) 564-0803
Address: 7521 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, VA 23188
Directions: FROM I-64: Take the VA-607 EXIT 231A- toward VA-30 / NORGE. 0.3 mi. ; Turn RIGHT onto VA-607 S / CROAKER RD. 1.0 mi.; Turn LEFT onto RICHMOND RD / US-60 E.

Restaurant Name: Hog Wild Smokehouse

Most people from out of town visit Williamsburg via Interstate 64, but they often miss the treasures on the back roads. Hog Wild in nearby Toano is one of them. It is not an old established favourite- it opened in 2005. Many of the previous occupants of this location were bars or roadhouses. One of Hog Wild's predecessors boldly admitted to serving moonshine. Locals were relieved when the owner took out the bar and put in a family-style restaurant. Outside, Hog Wild has the feel of a roadhouse and you can smell the smoked meat from the parking lot. Never call it a "barbecue joint". Hog Wild offers a lot of seafood and Creole items. The owners consider it more of a smokehouse. Everything there is homemade including five barbecue sauces served in boxes intended for beer bottles. They offer a North Carolina style vinegar based sauce, a South Carolina style mustard based sauce, a St. Louis style sweet and spicy sauce, a New Orleans style tomato based sauce, and a Tabasco based extremely hot sauce called Cajun voodoo. The decor on the inside is a little mundane and drab, but the smoky aromas outside the restaurant and in provide all the atmosphere I need.

Favorite Dish: I had the chicken dinner which consists of a half chicken with a mildly spicy dry rub. All entrees come with cheesy cornbread and either a salad and one side dish or two side dishes. I had the barbecue beans and the collard greens. The chicken was outstanding, the cornbread was better than most, the beans were a little too sweet (a bit more dry mustard would balance it out), and the collard greens were served as whole leaves, but were great just the same.

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Theme: Barbecue
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: (757) 741-2515
Address: 8864 Richmond Road West, Toano, VA 23168
Directions: From Williamsburg: West on Rt. 60, 2 miles (3 km.) past Toano Middle School to Anderson's Corner, left on Rt. 60 West toward Providence Forge, 1.5 miles (2.5 km.) on right side.
Website: www.hogwildsmokehouse.com

Restaurant Name: Shields Tavern

Shields Tavern is supposed to be the best of all the taverns of Colonial Williamsburg.

Favorite Dish: The Shields Tavern sampler changes from time to time (most recently, it consisted of mixed baby greens with a honey roasted shallot and Virginia Riesling vinaigrette, duck and sausage gumbo, two carrot fritters, chicken friccassee in a halved out roll, and potted Virginia ham in a mini biscuit). The food was exceptional and the presentation was something you would see on "The Food Network". The real surprise is that it wasn't that terribly expensive. For some reason, colonial style food tends to be expensive. This food was presented well in authentic atmosphere, and it tasted well.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Duke of Gloucester Street near the capitol.

Restaurant Name: Das Festhaus

If you didn't know you were in Williamsburg, you would swear you were at the Oktobestfest in Germany.

Favorite Dish: The German sampler: bratwurst, knackwurst, German potato salad, red cabbage and a Kaiser roll with Black Forest cake for dessert. The German sampler platter tasted authentic enough, but it is not even the freshest German food in town. Das Festhaus still does very, very much better than all other amusement park food.

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Theme: German/Austrian
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Directions: The 'Germany' section of Busch Gardens, Williamsburg.