The Brandy Awards

Since we are in the throes of Hollywood’s awards season, we thought it might be fun to hand out our own little “awards,” a list of the places in our hometown and beyond that are our favorites to frequent. First up, the winners that get our vote here in Williamsburg….

Best Park: Waller Mill Park. We enjoy stopping by on a spring day for a hike, a picnic, or to go fishing or kayaking on the reservoir. It’s so peaceful and quiet on the water.

Best Place for a Bike Ride: Virginia Capital Trail. The Virginia Capital Trail starts at Jamestown Settlement and continues up into Richmond. We typically ride between mile marker 0 and 6, a nice stretch that is great for spotting wildlife, especially at dusk. Occasionally, we’ll drive into Charles City and park at the courthouse, then ride our bikes on the trail for a bit and follow that up with a yummy lunch at Cul’s Courthouse Grille.

Best Beach: Jamestown Beach. Jamestown Beach is only a ten-minute drive from our house and it’s shallow enough for little ones to splash and play with no worries. My kids are 15 and 13 and we still all enjoy going here to float on the river in our inner tubes. It’s one of our favorite summer hangouts.

Best Museum: Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center. Yes, I’m in love with Colonial Williamsburg, but I also enjoy going to the Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center downtown and seeing all the talent from local artists. It’s small, it’s free, and right now they are showcasing artwork from local high school students, so go check it out. I am envious of the amazing talent these young adults have!

Best Place for Lunch: Opus 9 Steakhouse. Please skip the chain restaurants and visit the local establishments. They are so much better in quality and service, and, in the case of Opus 9 Steakhouse, they are even better in prices. Opus 9 has the best lunch deal in town, 10 dishes for $10. You can’t beat it.

Best Chinese Food: Peter Chang’s. This is our daughter’s favorite restaurant, hands down. She takes her Dad here for their “date” days and we go here every year for her birthday. Our daughter recommends the bubble pancakes and the chicken lettuce wraps.

Best Tacos: Casa Pearl. This place hits the spot for fresh ingredients and unique flavors and combinations. We went recently for lunch and my husband had the swordfish taco. It’s known for its oyster tacos, but the chicken and pork tacos are just as delicious.

Best Mexican Restaurant: Taqueria Maria Bonita. I am picky about Mexican food. We went to Taqueria Maria Bonita for lunch at the recommendation of a friend. The owners are from Mexico City, so the food is genuine. The portions are huge, the prices are cheap. It’s the best kept secret in Williamsburg.

Best Place for Date Night: Amber Ox Public House. On a rare Friday night out, we like to stop at Hair of the Dog bottle shop for their free beer tastings and then pop over to Amber Ox for a drink. It just has a cool vibe and one of the managers is a fellow Penn State alum, an added bonus.

Best Dinner for a Special Occasion: This past year, we discovered the gem that is Café Provencal at Williamsburg Winery. The food, service, and ambience are excellent. We loved it so much we went twice, for our anniversary and my birthday.