The Inn at Little Washington: Award-Winning Dining with Small Town Charm
Washington, Va. doesn't have the sweeping vistas of the Napa Valley or the high-culture panache of New York City. But it has a small-town charm all its own, and nowhere is this more evident than The Inn at Little Washington, a Luxist nominee in the best romantic restaurant category.
Established in 1978 by Patrick O'Connell, the restaurant and attached inn are contained by a modest building on the corner of Middle and Main streets. George Washington himself named those thoroughfares-and the rest of the roads in Washington, Va.---back in 1749. Thanks to a delicious menu, an unusually courteous staff, and a quaint set of guest rooms, The Inn at Little Washington has earned some of the most prestigious awards in the travel world; it's the first establishment to earn AAA's highest acknowledgement, the Five Diamond Award, in both the food and accommodation categories.
Dinner beneath the Inn's rose-colored silk lampshades is bound to please. The menu changes constantly, but recent offerings included wild Greenlip mussels baked with herb butter and Pernod; crispy Mediterranean red mullet with gazpacho sauce and black olive tapenade; and mustard-crusted Elysian Fields rack of lamb with minted tomato vinaigrette, matchstick potatoes and Tzatziki sauce.
Washington, Va. may not have changed much since the 18th Century, but the prices certainly have. Prix fixe dinner costs $148 per person on weekdays, ramping up to $178 on Saturdays and even more on holidays. For a close-up look at the kitchen, guests can reserve seats at one of two chef's tables for $300-$450 per person.
Vote for the restaurant that you believe is the most romantic. The voting period runs through September 30 and winners will be announced on October 1.
