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Yorktown Serves Up More Than Just a View!
Enjoy Craft Cocktails, Delicious Seafood, and Scratch-Made Desserts
Planning a romantic dinner for two or looking for a pizza to share on the beach with your family? Historic Yorktown has several locally owned restaurants with amazing culinary talent and the menus to showcase it. You're bound to find something for even the pickiest of palates in your group. Our food isn't all that makes our destination unique. Whether you grab a seat overlooking the York River, or get your meal to-go and set up a picnic—you'll find yourself surrounded by beautiful panoramic waterfront views. Be on the lookout for dolphins, stingrays, and a variety of impressive military ships that pass through the channel every day!
Water Street Grille
Speaking of views, the Water Street Grille patio has some of the best, especially at sunset. Their streamlined single menu features everything from seafood and brick-oven pizzas to gourmet burgers and pasta.
To start with, you'll find mouthwatering appetizers like the Mac N' Cheese Egg Rolls, "Big Island" Locally Harvested Oysters, and Ahi Tuna Nachos. The Scallops Casino definitely caught our eye. It's a serving of jumbo scallops served over bell peppers, onions, roasted corn, and smoked bacon! No matter what you order, you're going to get a platter full of deliciousness!
For your main dish, consider one of Chef B's Favorites, like Bouillabaisse, Fried Shrimp Baja Tacos, and Eggplant Lasagna. The restaurant also serves Po'boys, Burgers, Chicken Sandwiches, Salads, Soups, and even Brick Oven Pizzas, including The Anthony which is topped with grilled chicken, smoked bacon, sliced tomato, caramelized onions and Manchego cheese.
Craving a drink? Their bar menu features specialty cocktails like the Yorktown Sunset, a scrumptious concoction of mango or peach vodka, passion fruit puree, and orange and pineapple juice. Other drinks include the Water Street Grille Crush, Lavender Empress, and Yorktown Tea Party. You'll also find 20 craft beers on draft, as well as white and red wine.
Oh, and have you heard? Water Street Grille now offers weekend brunch! Stop in Saturday or Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Pork Belly Benedict features slow cooked Virginia pork belly, baby spinach, a sunny side up egg, buttermilk biscuit topped with a decadent hollandaise sauce and a side of fresh fruit. If you're yearning for something from the sea, order the Smoked Salmon Breakfast Bowl, a mouthwatering dish wish savory smoked salmon, sautéed baby spinach, diced breakfast potatoes, wild mushrooms and scrambled eggs. Pair either with a chilled carafe of Bloody Marys or Mimosas!
Ben & Jerry’s
One of the busiest shops—no matter the time of year—is Ben & Jerry’s! It’s no wonder with 36 different flavors and the ability to personalize your order. Get your ice cream scooped into a chocolate-covered waffle cone with sprinkles. Go for a vegan Non-Dairy flavor made with almond milk or sunflower butter! Or ask for an added pump of caramel to go with your hot fudge sundae.
The hardest decision is going to be choosing your flavor, especially with their expanded selection. If you haven’t visited lately, they’ve got some sensational flavors worth trying. And of course the names are as clever as they are delicious: Phish Food, The Tonight Dough, Triple Caramel Chunk, and Coffee, Coffee, Buzz, Buzz, Buzz.
If you're feeling super adventurous - pile the family into the car and head down to Ben & Jerry's to order a Vermonster Mash. Are you ready for this? It's a bucket filled with 20 scoops of ice cream, 4 bananas, 3 chocolate chip cookies, 1 chocolate fudge brownie, 4 ladles of hot fudge, 10 scoops of walnuts, 2 scoops of your favorite toppings... and loads of whipped cream. We can't think of a more memorable way to celebrate a special occasion!
Historic Yorktown's favorite ice cream shop is open from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. every day of the week. You can also order online to save you time!
The shop is also home to Green Mountain Coffee Café which serves espresso, cappuccino, café latte, café mocha, and specialty coffee drinks—all organically grown and freshly ground.
Yorktown Pub
Known to us locals simply as "The Pub" - this beloved spot has been serving some of the best seafood to the community for more than 30 years. You’ll find freshly shucked oysters, amazing crab cakes, and an always delicious "fish of the day" which you can order blackened, broiled, or fried. That's in addition to other specials like their Blackened Ahi Tuna Bites, South of the Border Nachos, and the Gonzo Burger.
As we head into fall and cooler temperatures, be sure to stop in for a warm bowl of the Pub's New England Clam Chowder, Shirley's Seafood Gumbo, or Clint's Famous Chili.
The Pub has a delicious partnership with Carrot Tree down the street. So even though the bakery closes at 4 p.m. - you can still satisfy your sweet tooth with a slice of carrot cake, checker board almond cake, chocolate peanut butter cake, and seasonal pies.
Carrot Tree
Life is short; eat dessert first! That’s the motto at Carrot Tree Kitchens where owner Debi and her staff bake cakes fresh from scratch, daily. While they're probably best known for their signature triple-layer carrot cake filled with decadent cream cheese frosting—the bakery serves up a variety of delicious desserts for every palate. With so many options from which to choose, why pick just one? We certainly never do!
Sweets aren't all you'll find on the menu. This small restaurant serves up scrumptious sandwiches, soups, salads, and wraps. Each wrap is named after the history in the area or a local attraction within it like the Alliance, 1776, and U.S Grant. The Yorktown Onion comes with mixed greens, hummus, carrots, olives, cucumbers, and red onion. And The Bellfield is filled with chicken salad, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. See what they dish up here.
On beautiful days, Carrot Tree always has a seat waiting for you on the patio, or you can choose from their grab-and-go options and enjoy your lunch on one of the many benches along the Riverwalk. They are also offering limited seating inside. Need to pick up your food? Call ahead or order online.
Umi Sushi
This adorable locally owned Japanese corner shop and restaurant offers authentic oriental dishes such as sushi, salads, and a signature Korean dish known as Bulgogi Dup Bap.
Sushi can be ordered a la carte from selections of tuna, salmon, eel, shrimp, tilapia, octopus, and other seafood variations. The menu also features Avocado Rolls, Cucumber Rolls, the California Roll, Philadelphia, Spicy Tako, and more.
Traditional dishes include Seaweed Salad, Sunomono, Kimchi, Edamame, and Miso Soup. For dessert, there's Mochi Ice Cream in green tea, mango, and red bean flavors.
If you're looking for a unique way to celebrate a special occasion, call Son and Michael! They love doing custom orders. And don't forget about their selection of sake (hot, cold, and sparkling), Japanese beer, and plum wine. They also sell soda and a variety of teas.
The dining counter is very small so customers are asked to please place to-go orders in advance at 757.989.6464 and wait outside until their meal is ready. There's a bench beside the restaurant as well as a little patio area and small courtyard directly behind the building.
Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters & Petite Café
Up on Historic Main Street is a quaint little building with white-washed bricks and teal shutters that serves up so much more than just coffee! Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters & Petite Café also sells a selection of Harney & Sons Tea, wine by the glass (and bottle), beer, and 18th-century "drinking chocolate."
The Petite Café is Historic Yorktown's own little hidden gem dishes out delicious baked goods, sandwiches, and desserts. Oh... those desserts. You'll love the Vegan Bread Pudding, Chocolate Buttermilk Pie, and homemade ice cream sandwiches.
