Eating Colonial Williamsburg

Visiting Colonial Williamsburg is like stepping into a time capsule and traveling back to the 18th Century life in colonial America. Being the world’s largest outdoor museum this mile worth of historical buildings and interpreters living and working in the style of the period is a favorite place for me to travel to with tour groups. Once I grow tired of dodging road apples from the horses giving carriage rides, I transition back into modern times by shopping and eating at Merchant’s Square.

Merchant’s Square is a dining and shopping complex that sits adjacent to Colonial Williamsburg. There are 4o merchants in total but there are four that I love most for food, spices and gifts! Read on to see the best places for cheese and local goods!

Grown, roasted and spiced locally, the peanuts of The Peanut Shop will delight the pallet of anyone who tries the huge variety of samples! I love the traditional peanuts but also vibe with the double dipped dark chocolate and wasabi flavors too! Don’t like peanuts? Have a gluten allergy? They have mixes for that too!

Stepping into The Cheese Shop is like walking into foodie heaven! They sell cheese, charcuterie, wine, pasta, gourmet sandwiches and have a wall of locally made Virginia goodies that are to die for!

My ritual during each visit is to purchase a glass of wine or sparkling water and pick up a variety of cheese from the Odds & Ends bin! I then take my edible treasures to the window seating or the outdoor patio if the weather is manageable then savor each morsel!

Look for Ames’ Hot Southern Honey when visiting The Cheese Shop! I use it on salmon, roasted veggies & chicken!

Aromas is more than a coffee house where they roast their own beans, it is a cherished family-owned business that sells local art, serves locally sourced meals for all three meals of the day and supports musicians at night who play to the mix of students, locals, and tourists who grace the seats.

I always enjoy a great Americano or coffee while here and typically sit here long enough that the nibbles from my other stops have worn away and my hungry grows. In this case, I order the salmon salad! Delicious!

There are not words to describe how much I love the Spice Exchange! They have so many wonderful teas and spices from across the globe in small and large serving sizes! I truly feel as if I am circling the globe when I move throughout their space!

I always buy a blend while here and love the Espresso Steak Rub the most!