If you’re seeking destination dining, Staunton must be part of your pilgrimage. Hop in the car from Richmond or Charlottesville, book your train ticket from Washington, DC, or even check flights. However you get here, you’ll thank yourself for coming.
According to locals and visitors alike, two places in Staunton are on the must-dine list — The Shack and Zynodoa.
The Washington Post writes “The Shack’s Food is Sublime”. The Shack’s Chef Ian Boden, a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist, offers up a menu inspired by the food traditions of the South. Menus often rotate but can include items like heirloom tomato salad and grilled peaches, kale bucatini with brown butter poached NC shrimp, and beef short rib with Carolina gold rice grits. For dessert, top it off with Nutella pudding and sweet cornbread with whipped buttermilk.
The Shack serves up lunch and dinner. If you opt for lunch, your dinner dining destination should be none other than Zynodoa. This intimate restaurant aims to “know and respect our farm partners, by honoring their food and their labor.” Autumn Olive Farms Sorghum Glazed Pork or Polyface Farms Grilled Chicken Breast make the work of independent and local farmers more than worth it. The LA Times knows what to start your meal off with – the West Coat publication featured the art of making Zynodoa’s brûléed cast iron cornbread.
QUICK TIP
If you are in for the full retreat-yourself-experience, end your day by checking in to the Blackburn Inn, a boutique hotel situated on a sprawling 80 acres of well-manicured grounds, offering easy access to downtown Stuanton (5 minute drive). Don’t forget to try the pastries in the morning, baked fresh daily by Reunion, an acclaimed French-inspired bakery. Rooms start at $170.
