Wrapping up my visit to Colonial Williamsburg are some odds and ends I wanted to share.



Prentis Store had the first American cookbook; the Prentis Store showcases wares constructed using techniques of the 18th century. Available items include handcrafted leather goods, iron hardware, tools, reproduction furniture, pottery, writing instruments, and Native American crafts. Papers, ink, and seals are also available at Prentis Store.



William Pritt Store is a children's boutique and games shop.



Dubois Grocer is the ideal place for a mid-afternoon break while exploring Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area. Take a few minutes to grab a refreshing cold beverage and freshly popped popcorn, or satisfy your sweet tooth with 8 flavors of mouth-watering ice cream or with a bountiful selection of candies. Located across the street from the Brickhouse Tavern, next to the Post Office and printer, Dubois Grocer is just what you need to refuel your group.



Raleigh Tavern Bakery - Looking for a light bite, fresh sandwiches, or freshly baked goods, then Raleigh Tavern Bakery is your next stop. Nestled behind the Raleigh Tavern, across the street from King’s Arms Tavern, stop in to delight in a fresh Ginger Cake, baked daily in our Authentic Wood Fire Ovens. Served hot out of the oven each morning, they pair perfectly with a fresh cup of coffee. Or enjoy them in the afternoon with soft serve ice cream, additional baked goods, cold drinks and other snacks.



Blueberry muffin for the win!



Charlton's Coffeehouse - Step back into the time of the Stamp Act and learn about the fashionable world of the coffeehouse, where Williamsburg's citizens and visitors met to share news, transact business, and debate politics.



Chowning's Cider Stand - The cider stand will run daily 11 am-5 pm (weather permitting) and will have our favorite items available for our guests. Cookies, sandwiches, chips, cold drinks, Chownings Root Beer, Kings Arms Ginger Ale, cold drinks, and more.



JOSIAH CHOWNING - Little is known about Josiah Chowning. When the tavern was reconstructed, Colonial Williamsburg believed it was located on this site, but we now know that a store and dwelling were here and that the tavern was somewhere nearby. Chowning’s business lasted less than two years, but its twentieth-century counterpart has accommodated travelers and locals for over fifty years. Chairs, benches, and tables represent the sturdy furniture found in colonial taverns catering to the middling sort. Excavated fragments show that the blue and yellow peacock on the dinnerware was one of several colorful bird motifs used by early Williamsburg residents. Utilitarian stoneware tableware, plain tin sconces, and simply framed maps and prints accentuate the informality of Chowning’s Tavern.

Originally opened by Jane Vobe in 1772, King's Arms Tavern authentic reproduction public house serves up a transporting experience for the senses in Colonial Williamsburg. Everything is true to the time period at King’s Arms Tavern, from the fashion sported by servers to the pewter candlesticks—all adding to an air of colonial elegance.



The location, though, was actually serving Chowning's menu. Chowning’s Tavern in Williamsburg, Virginia, is a historic-style alehouse that recreates the colonial dining experience with period-appropriate food, drinks, and décor. Originally established in the 18th century by Josiah Chowning, the tavern offers hearty fare like Welsh rarebit, trenchers, and locally brewed ales. With costumed staff and candlelit ambiance, it provides an immersive glimpse into colonial tavern life.



Here's what we ordered: Crock of Cheese - (A Chowning's Tavern Original) - Fine cheese mixed up with red roasted bell peppers and chives. Served with pickles and good bread.



An Onion Pye - (The Kitchen Garden Desplay's - Dr. Lobb's, 1767) - Pare some potatoes..apples...onsons and slice them...make a good crust. Lay in a layer of potatoes, a layer of onions, a layer of apple, and a layer of eggs until you have filled your pie, strewing seasoning between each layer. Close your pie and bake it an hour and a half.



Snow Eggs - (James Hemings, Chef d' Cuisine to Thomas Jefferson, 1787-1794) Beat the whites as you do for savoy cake, till you can turn the vessel bottom upwards without their leaving it... put in two spoonfuls of powdered sugar and a little orange water... dish up your whites with custard. A little wine stirred in is a great improvement.



These were all tasty interpretations of those recipes. The first was like a pimento cheese appetizer. The second was like a pot pie. And the third was like airy meringue. Again, fairly simple flavors. But good.



Grade: A

Christiana Campbell’s Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg is a carefully reconstructed 18th‑century tavern originally owned by entrepreneur Christiana Burdett Campbell, who welcomed luminaries like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Today it continues to serve a locally sourced, colonial‑inspired menu—seafood favorites such as crab cakes, spoon bread, and shrimp—within its historic ambiance and even hosts tavern performers for an immersive period experience.



Christiana Campbell’s Tavern evokes an intimate 18th-century ambiance, with white-washed walls, dark wood-paneled dining rooms, and candlelit tables set beneath brass sconces and pewter decor. Servers dressed in colonial-era garb move quietly through the rooms, while live period musicians drift between tables. The overall effect is warm, historic, and immersive—a cozy step back in time.



Christiana Campbell’s Tavern offers a historically inspired seafood-focused menu featuring locally sourced shrimp, scallops, fish, and their signature jumbo lump crab cakes served alongside creamy spoon bread and sweet potato muffins. Guests can also enjoy hearty colonial-era dishes such as a savory Seafood Pie with fish, scallops, shrimp, and lobster in a rich gravy, as well as classic Southern-fried chicken and flavorful chowders. Seasonal desserts like rum laced custard, lavender shortbread, and trifle round out the menu for a true taste of 18th-century cuisine.



We were treated to some spoon bread to start. Made from cornmeal, milk, butter, and eggs, the spoon bread is rich yet light, baked until golden, and is soft enough to be eaten with a spoon.



Next up was a libation, which was quite strong if memory serves me correctly. You can also do punch bowls, which is nice for sharing.



My entree was "TO BUTTER CRABS" - heat it in a little wine, some pepper, salt and nutmeg a few crumbs of bread, a good piece of butter (The Lady’s Assistant, Charlotte Mason, 1777). This was a bit different, but I did enjoy the hunks of crab meat. Simple and very lightly seasoned.



Dessert was A RUM CREAM TART - Served with cream...whipped up to stand strewn with a double refined sugar and American Heritage Classic Chocolate dusting. (A Christiana Campbell’s Classic).



It, too, was fairly simple with light flavors.



I think the appeal of this place lies more in the connection to history and the resurrection of old-timey recipes. But, with staying true to that, there aren't a ton of bold flavors and rich, hearty sauces. Things are seasoned minimally and simply.



Have you been?



Grade: B

Second Street Restaurant is a modern American bistro with rich and vibrant decor, al fresco dining on the patio with a fire pit and Koi pond. It gives upscale yet casual vibes.



Kayla and I were ready to chow down after a busy day. So, up first: an appetizer, followed by an entree. I was more excited by the descriptions, as the execution was more middling.



Fried Duck Rangoons: Duck Bacon, Cream Cheese & Corn inside a Crispy Wonton with Sweet Chili Sauce




Crab Piles: Duo of Jumbo Lump Blue Crab Piles/Smoked Gouda Grit Cake, Vegetable du Jour/Remoulade

Grade: B