The Inn at Little Washington
The Inn at Little Washington
Middle and Main Streets, Washington, VA 22747
theinnatlittlewashington.com
Eat AND Drink: If you're anywhere near Washington, DC, add the Inn to your itinerary.
The Inn at Little Washington was recommended to us by a good friend who had gone there to celebrate graduating from law school. He and his soon-to-be wife were enamored with the fact that they were the youngest people in the dining room so I was expecting a lot of blue hair when I arrive. It was not to be.
"The Inn at Little Washington opened on January 28, 1978, during the worst blizzard of the decade with no liquor license, insufficient electrical power, and a staff of three." That is a pretty shaky start to one of the best restaurants in the nation. But from that blizzard rose Patrick O'Connell, one of our country's premiere chefs and over time, he and Reinhardt Lynch have built their inn around this very small town. The entire town is essentially the inn. They don't even have an actual address, just the cross streets of the two roads in the center of Washington, VA.
We only stayed over one night, just enough time to make our dinner reservation and drift off to sleep. We brought our kids and my parents came along too - just to see what all the fuss was about. The food was scrumptious. The service was beyond - like seriously beyond. Just before dessert, the staff asked if they could take our twin 8-year-olds back to our room for hot fudge sundaes. I'm pretty sure they were very well-behaved so I don't think they were trying to get them out of the dining room!
When we were fully stuffed, beyond tired, and ready to wander to our little part of the inn, they asked if we'd like to tour the new kitchen. We couldn't say no to that! Delightful. If you ever have the chance, please visit Little Washington - but stay a bit longer and wander through "town".