Jan/Feb 2007

Foodies, Grab Your Forks

It’s that palate-pleasing time of year once again. We proudly present the 2006/2007 Hampton Roads Magazine Platinum Plate Awards.

By Patrick Evans-Hylton

Food continues to be a common denominator in a region that is spread across thousands of square miles, crossing rivers, streams and even the Chesapeake Bay. As we’ve reminded you before, some 2,000 restaurants feed Hampton Roads (discounting those that have animated characters as spokespersons). We all have our favorite places based on varying criteria, from quality of food and service to ambiance and price.

Food critics have their favorites too, and for the last five years we’ve asked them to share their top spots for a great meal. This article once again presents a perennial readers’ favorite—the 50 restaurants honored with a Hampton Roads Magazine Platinum Plate Award for making the grade.

The list is varied, from casual eateries to upscale dining. There are restaurants represented across the region and across cuisine types. This is one of the most diverse lists we’ve had since we began dishing out the Platinum Plates.

There are restaurants that serve incredible barbecue sandwiches, piled high with sinfully seasoned pulled pork and creamy cole slaw; restaurants that specialize in the flavors of Asia, like pho, sushi and dim sum; eateries with Mediterranean and Old World European tastes; classic American diners and everything in between.

The grouping is geographically diverse as well: our critics located food finds all across Hampton Roads, from Williamsburg and the Peninsula to downtown Norfolk, the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and a few in Chesapeake, Suffolk and elsewhere in our region.

So no matter what HR city you call home or what kind of food fills your plate, grab a fork and get ready to go out and satisfy the appetite. The only hard part is figuring out which top 50 restaurant to try first.

For the rest of this story, including our annual picks for the top 50 restaurants in Hampton Roads, see the January/February issue of Hampton Roads Magazine, currently available on newsstands.