Image courtesy of Bread & Butter
A dish from Bread & Butter, Onancock, Va.
New restaurants and bars are coming to Virginia in 2026, according to the Virginia Tourism Corporation. If there's a weekend getaway or daytrip in your future, take a sneak peek of recent openings and other spots that will be opening within driving distance of Alexandria this year across the Commonwealth:
- R Kohls Winery will open in Stanardsville in May 2026. The family-grown winery plans to utilize grape varietals including Albarino and Chardonnay. (two hours south of Alexandria)
- Downtown Hopewell welcomed its first brewery when Good Ship Brewing & Eatery opened in the first week of January 2026. The converted space includes fire pits, a spacious beer garden, and area for live music. (2.5 hours south of Alexandria)
- Combine history and bourbon tasting on the Elijah Craig History and Cocktail Trail, new to Orange County in May 2026. The trail will feature historic sites, distilleries, and restaurants with drink specials. (two hours south of Alexandria)
- With its grand opening set for Feb. 21, Bread & Butter is an Onancock restaurant under new management, from Executive Chef and Owner Shannon Andes, a classically trained chef with nearly two decades of experience. The restaurant will bring internationally inspired cuisine to the Eastern Shore, offering globally influenced dishes rooted in thoughtful, elevated cooking. (3.5 hours south of Alexandria)
- The former head chef of The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm in Leesburg is opening a new restaurant, farm and eight-room boutique inn. Waverly Springs will situate diners inside a cozy, 1600s stone farmhouse to enjoy true farm-to-table fare sourced from the surrounding 17-acre farm at 16001 Old Waterford Road in Paeonian Springs. (one hour northwest of Alexandria)
- Restaurant Forged. at Patowmack Farm is expected to open this year after The Restaurant at Patowmack closed last summer in Lovettsville after 21 years of operation. James Beard Award-nominated Chef Chris Amendola is the new chef/owner. Keep an eye on the website for an opening date. (one hour northwest of Alexandria)
- The Commonwealth’s first winery to focus exclusively on sparkling wine opened in Loudoun County in October 2025. Petit Domaine and Estate features a beach club-esque property and will start selling its own bottles in 2027. (one hour northwest of Alexandria)
- Stone Ledge Cider will introduce a new tasting room and craft cider production facility on the grounds of its 20-acre farm in Augusta County. This year will also see the reopening of the on-site Cider House Bed and Breakfast, which has been undergoing restorations due to a fire. (Less than three hours from Alexandria)
- Sip your way through Front Royal, Warren County, Berryville and Clarke County on the all-new Bottoms Up Beverage Trail. The digital passport experience includes 12 local breweries, wineries, cideries, and meaderies where visitors can earn digital stamps to win fun prizes. (About a 1.5 hours from Alexandria)
