About groceries … if you are coming from D.C., Wegmans in Gainesville is excellent. There are other good grocery stores in Warrenton — Harris Teeter and Safeway, among others) — and an excellent local bakery — but once you leave Warrenton, the pickings are slim.
If you are grocery shopping from the cabin, the closest full grocery store is Food Lion, about 25 minutes away in Madison. For more extensive options consider Culpeper, which is about 35 minutes away and a much larger city.
There are some lovely local markets, each with various amounts of local produce, eggs, dairy, meat, bread, and beer. Just a couple of miles to our east is the The Little Country Store in Etlan. Down the hill to the west is the Syria Mercantile. To the north is the Sperryville Corner Market (if you come from D.C. you will drive right past it) and to the south, Yoders Country Market (with a petting zoo, too!). The Rappahannock County Farmers’ Market is open seasonally on Saturdays in Sperryville; find it near the parking lot for Pen Druid Brewing.
5338 South F. T. Valley Road
Etlan, VA 22719
(540) 923-4805
Just a couple of miles from the cabin, this is a good place to grab last-minute items you forgot. You can also get made-to-order pizza and deli sandwiches. BBQ is sometimes available. A better-than-expected selection of beer.
3626 Old Blue Ridge Turnpike
Syria, VA 22743
(540) 923-4212
Similar selection as The Little Country Store. They also sell fishing equipment and licenses (they are in the heart of trout fishing).
3710 Sperryville Pike
Sperryville, VA 22740
(540) 987-8185
Upscale deli with local beef, chicken, eggs, cheeses, some great pre-made foods, and good beer and wine selection. Adjacent to Rappahannock Pizza Kitchen.
64 Old Hollow Road
Sperryville, VA 22740
(540) 987-8636
Best source for local produce and food. It’s also an orchard and you can pick cherries, peaches, pears, or apples when in season.
53 Waterpenny Lane
Sperryville, VA 22740
(540) 987-8567
Owners Rachel and Eric grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers and also have eggs. You’ll see a sign for the farm from the road — drive 1/4 mile up the lane to the green barn. Pull into the covered area of the barn to shop. You calculate the cost of your produce and leave money on an honor system! The 10-acre vegetable farm uses sustainable farming methods, with all organic inputs and no chemical pesticides or fertilizers. The greens are excellent.
2105 South Seminole Trail
Madison, VA 22727
(540) 948-3000
Fresh bread, a great deli, and fresh donuts on Saturday morning. And a petting zoo!
46 Madison Plaza Drive
Madison, VA 22727
(540) 948-5182
The closest grocery store to the cabin, about a 25-minute drive.
5338 South F. T. Valley Road
Etlan, VA 22719
(540) 923-4805
Closest food to the cabin, call ahead to order to-go pizza or sandwiches; sometimes there’s BBQ. Good place to grab last-minute items you forgot.
205 Graves Mountain Lane
Syria, VA 22743
(540) 923-4231
Country fare in a family-style restaurant, served from mid-March to Thanksgiving. It doesn’t hurt to call ahead and make reservations. In the summer you can sign up for hayrides after dinner Friday and Saturday evenings ($5 per person, sign up by 7 pm).
20 Main Street
Sperryville, VA 22740
(540) 987-5105
Fine dining, reservations fill up months in advance but you could try to score a table from a last-minute cancelation.
11836 Lee Hwy
Sperryville, VA 22740
(540) 987-1006
Coffee sampling bar — not so much a sit-down coffee shop.
5102 South Seminole Trail
Madison, VA 22727
(540) 948-6505
The Thalwitz family has owned and operated The Bavarian Chef since 1974. Sip and savor the authentic flavors of Germany.
659 Zachary Taylor Hwy
Flint Hill, VA 22627
(540) 675-3227
Elevated tavern fare in historic house; the shepherd’s pie is fantastic on a cold day.
30-minute drive.
116 South Street
Front Royal, VA 22630
(540) 631-0300
Frozen custard and burgers; convenient if your adventures take you northbound on Skyline Drive to the Front Royal park entrance.
1 to 2-hour drive depending on your route.
9576 US-11
New Market, VA 22844
(540) 740-3514
Old-school diner with Southern comfort food — try the peanut soup!; convenient if your journey takes you to I-81; it’s a 20-minute drive from Luray Caverns
1-hour drive from the cabin
117 South Main Street
Edinburg, VA 22824
(540) 325-3738
Great BBQ and you get more than your money’s worth; convenient if you’re heading north on I-81
1 hour, 15-minute drive
309 Middle Street
Washington, VA 22747
(540) 675-3800
One of the best restaurants in the mid-Atlantic, The Inn was the first establishment in the Washington area to earn a coveted three-star Michelin designation. Reservations are a must.
Last updated April 30, 2020