Top 10 Famous Foods of Virginia: What to Eat in VA

Looking for the foods Virginia is known for and the best things to eat while visiting The Old Dominion? Food lovers, look no further!

While the most famous food in Virginia is country ham, that is just the tip of the iceberg! And there’s more about Virginia ham that you should know. So, if you want to know about the best foods to eat in Virginia, read on!

Famous Foods of Virginia

The food in Virginia is influenced by the state’s history, the good and the bad. In brief, the land was originally settled by native Americans, it became home to the first colonial settlement in the U.S., and Virginia Colony was the first to employ slaves in what was to become the United States of America.

Virginia’s food is also influenced by its geography. Northern Virginia borders the metropolis of Washington D.C., the east abounds with fresh seafood from the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean, and the mountains of Appalachia provide a bounty of traditional foods still popular today.

This list is a combination of foods invented in Virginia, traditional dishes still made and enjoyed in the state, and some foods that are so popular, Virginians think of them as their own. 

1. Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs

Freshly steamed Chesapeake Bay blue crab, one of the most delicious Virginia foods — Freshly steamed Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, one of the most delicious Virginia foods

Chesapeake Bay blue crabs and Maryland blue crabs are the same crabs. Virginians argue that the Maryland crabs are born in VA and get carried with the current to MD, therefore they should rightly be considered a Virginia food.

Because my husband’s family lives in MD, I’ve spent more time there than in Virginia. And although I have eaten the majority of my blue crab feasts on the Eastern Shore of MD at Ocean City crab houses, and tend to think of blue crabs as one of the most beloved foods of Maryland, that never stops me from eating blue crabs in Virginia.

The bottom line: Virginia is one of the best places to eat blue crabs, especially in the towns near the Chesapeake Bay. That also goes for other iconic foods made from the crabs, like crab cakes and the seasonal soft-shell crabs (May–September).

And since Washington, D.C., was formed from lands once belonging to Maryland and Virginia, it’s no surprise that Chesapeake Bay blue crabs are one of the favorite foods of Washington, D.C., too.

2. Oysters 

Oysters Rockefeller, my favorite way to enjoy oysters from Virginia

Fun fact: English settlers were eating oysters from the James River as early as 1607. In fact, they are the oldest documented food in the state. Talk about a traditional food, right?

Moreover, VA is the oyster capital of the East Coast, with over 40 million sold each year. Needless to say, oysters are a huge part of the Virginia food scene.

You’ll find fresh Virginia oysters everywhere from dockside shacks to fine-dining restaurants, and of course, they take center stage at local raw bars.

One of the best restaurants I found for Rappahannock Oysters Rockefeller was Steinhilber’s on the Lynnhaven River in Virginia Beach. I can’t wait to return on my next trip! 

3. Virginia Peanuts 

Whether it’s peanut pie, peanut soup, or peanuts from the can, peanuts are a must-try food in Virginia.

Prized for their large kernels, Virginia peanuts are one of the four types of peanuts grown in the United States.

As a gourmet peanut, the Virginias are usually not ground into peanut butter. Most often they are reserved for snacking and making some of the traditional dishes of Virginia cuisine, like peanut soup and peanut pie.

Purchase cans of Virginia peanuts at specialty food shops like Taste with locations throughout Virginia. Taste also makes a mean pimento cheese.

4. Cured Country Ham

Ham from Surrey County is some of the best Virginia ham available.

What food is Virginia best known for? The official food of Virginia is cured country ham. Country ham is salt-cured for 1 to 3 months and usually hard-wood smoked with hickory or red oak.

Although the bordering states of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky are, with Virginia, all part of America’s Ham Belt and vie for bragging rights among themselves, there is no doubt in Virginia that Virginia country ham is the best of all.

Country ham is one of the most popular menu items in Virginia. Local restaurants serve country ham alongside eggs at breakfast, ham biscuit sandwiches for lunch, and sliced portions as an entrée with southern sides for dinner. You will not find a Sunday brunch in VA that doesn’t offer country ham.

What is the best Virginia ham? Two brands consistently compete for the title of the state’s favorite: Genuine Smithfield Ham and Edwards Virginia Smokehouse.

5. Sweet Potato Biscuits

Sweet potato biscuits with ham are one of the most popular foods at Leaping Lizard, in Virginia Beach.

Since its neighbor to the south, North Carolina, is the greatest producer of sweet potatoes in the US, you may guess that the orange spuds grow well in VA too. Even George Washington grew sweet potatoes on his plantation at Mount Vernon in the 1700s.

Also, since Virginia is a Southern state, it’s not surprising that biscuits are very popular here. The real magic happens when you combine the two Southern staples and make sweet potato biscuits. When my brother-in-law moved to Virginia, he raved about them—and still does.

When I visited, I found what’s become one of my favorite traditional Virginia foods, sweet potato biscuits and ham. I can understand if you’re thinking—ham & biscuits, that’s not exciting. All I can say is trust me, and try the ones at Leaping Lizard Cafe in Virginia Beach with peach jam. 

6. Brunswick Stew 

A simmering pot of the traditional Virginia dish, Brunswick stew. — A simmering pot of the traditional Virginia dish, Brunswick Stew.

The legend of Brunswick Stew in Virginia dates back to 1828 in Brunswick County, Virginia. As the story goes, a camp cook prepared a meal in a black cast-iron skillet over hot coals.

He combined squirrel with onions, tomatoes, and other vegetables, creating a hearty and flavorful stew that quickly became one of the local favorites.

Don’t worry, over time, the recipe for this popular dish evolved and chicken replaced squirrel.

This is the Virginian legend. Both Georgia and North Carolina also lay claim to the stew as one of their state’s original dishes. However, Virginia is the only state whose General Assembly passed a resolution declaring Brunswick County, Virginia, as the "birthplace" of Brunswick Stew. 

7. Apples

Apples are an important part of Virginia’s cuisine and economy.

Apples hold deep historical significance in Virginia, dating back to the early 1600s when colonists first planted the fruit. Thomas Jefferson, an avid horticulturist, played a significant role in promoting apple cultivation in the state, introducing over 18 varieties to his Monticello estate.

The early settlers incorporated apples into seasonal recipes for traditional foods. You can explore the colonial cuisine of Virginia in Colonial Williamsburg, and at the Feasts of Colonial Virginia in Jamestown.

Hundreds of years after they were first grown in Virginia, apples are a popular fruit at local farmers markets and are commonly used in fried pies and apple butter.

Today, Virginia is home to over 100 commercial apple orchards. Additionally, from July to November, u-pick farms that dot the countryside from the Shenandoah Valley up through the Roanoke Valley welcome visitors.

8. Mac n’ Cheese 

Pimento mac n’ cheese, the way to eat macaroni in the South

Mac n’ cheese is often sited as one of the foods invented in Virginia by Thomas Jefferson and his enslaved chef James Hemings. After spending 5 years eating the foods of Paris with side trips to Italy, Jefferson brought a recipe for macaroni back to America.

He particularly enjoyed the cheesy pastas in Italy, with probably the most famous of the time being the Roman dish that is still quite popular today, cacio e pepe.

Upon returning home, Jefferson asked Hemmings to serve macaroni and cheese at numerous Monticello dinners. An original recipe still exists for macaroni written in Jefferson’s hand. If he didn’t invent it, he certainly helped popularize it.

Of course, the American version was adapted to use local ingredients, and over the years, it has evolved into something unrecognizable as any Italian or French food. That’s especially true in the South, where they love to add pimento cheese to the recipe.

Although pimento cheese is also a famous food of South Carolina, we’ve enjoyed pimento mac n’ cheese in many southern states, most recently in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Maryland.

Among the most creative riffs on mac n’ cheese in the US, however, is one of the famous foods of Wisconsin: the state’s Mac n’ Cheese Pizza!

9. The Official State Fishes 

Rockfish sandwiches at Sting Ray’s on Virginia’s Eastern Shore — Rockfish sandwiches at Sting-Ray’s on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, a family tradition on the way to OBX

Virginia has two official state fishes, one for fresh water one for salt. Both fish play a large role in Virginia’s gastronomy and are a favorite catch of the state’s fishermen and fish mongers.

The brook trout is the official freshwater fish of Virginia, known for its vibrant colors and the unique wavy lines on its back. A native of the Appalachian Mountains, it will sometimes be called mountain trout on menus. It can be prepared fried, grilled, sautéed, or baked whole.

The official state salt water fish is striped bass, aka rockfish. The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, such as the Rappahannock River and the York River, are prime locations for catching the lean striped fish.

Like the brook trout, rockfish also features prominently on local restaurant menus in a myriad of preparations, often on a sandwich or in tacos.

Sting-Ray’s Restaurant in Cape Charles is a great place for a rockfish sandwich. You can also pick up some Virginia peanuts and sweet potato biscuits there, and fuel up during the same stop.

10. Shrimp & Grits

Shrimp & George Washington’s Grits at the Mount Vernon Restaurant in Virginia

Shrimp and grits weren’t invented in Virginia, but as with many other southern favorites like fried chicken and coleslaw, it’s a popular menu item in the Commonwealth.

I think I wind up ordering shrimp & grits every time I visit Virginia and have never received the same version twice.

Recipes vary wildly. Some add red pepper, tomato, onion, brown sauce, red sauce, and even field peas.

One of my favorite recipes was at the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant, located on the first president’s estate. The dish uses grits made on site at historic George Washington’s Gristmill. You can’t get much more Virginian than that!

FAQs for Famous Foods of Virginia

1. Is barbecue a Virginia food?

While culinary historians credit the Caribbean with being the cradle of BBQ, it came to the U.S. with slaves, became a fixture of cooking in the South, and remains widely popular there. However, Virginia is not considered one of America’s capitals of barbecue.

Nonetheless, barbecue chicken, pork, and beef are all typical foods you’ll find in VA, and the local barbecue sauce tends to be vinegar based, similar to that used in North Carolina.

2. Is ice cream from Virginia?

No, ice cream was another one of France’s food specialties that Thomas Jefferson decided to serve at his home and helped popularize in America. The description of the Parisian dessert he served sounds most like profiteroles.  

3. Are the famous foods of Virginia the same as those in West Virginia?

Most of the famous foods that Virginia and West Virginia share come from the mountains, as WV is located completely within the Appalachian Mountains. Virginia, on the other hand, has an enormous shoreline along the Chesapeake Bay and more than 100 miles of coastland running along the Atlantic Ocean.

4. Is the Southern Biscuit Company a good place for biscuits?

A word of warning: If you see the Southern Biscuit Company building (also labeled as Interbake Foods) in Richmond, be aware that it is not a biscuit haven, but home to newly renovated lofts.

5. What is Virginia known for besides food?

Virginia is called “the birthplace of the nation,” as it was the first permanent English Settlement in what became the United States. It is also called “Mother of Presidents” as it was home to four of the first five presidents and an additional four in the times since.