Hungry in the ‘Burg
I’m a big fan of the dining halls on campus, mainly because they make it so easy to run into and catch up with friends when school inevitably gets busy. My transfer orientation group ate several meals together at the Caf every week for almost the whole year. But since moving off campus (with some of the same transfer friends) I’ve been taking advantage of different on-campus dining options and the awesome restaurants around Williamsburg. Even if you’re on a W&M meal plan, they’re worth checking out— some accept Dining Dollars (part of the meal plans). The ‘burg has plenty of dining options, but these are a few of my favorite places to recommend to visitors and new students.
- If you want to people watch, get coffee with a friend, grab a bite while doing work, or all of the above, look no further than the Grind. It’s centrally-located by Sadler, employs a bunch of students, and you’re likely to run into a professor there. It has an extensive drink menu with something for coffee-lovers and non-coffee-lovers alike. With a classic coffee shop vibe, it’s easy to forget that you’re still on campus.
- If you’re looking for a low-key but delicious off-campus experience head over to Aroma’s on Prince George St. It has a similar feel and menu to the Grind, but has more options for dinner and dessert. Just thinking about their barbecue chicken over mac and cheese is making me hungry. Though Aroma’s has made our lives easier by opening a satellite location in Swem Library, I still enjoy strolling to the original CW location to listen to open mic nights on Thursdays.
- Williamsburg seems like the breakfast capital of the world, with more pancake houses and diners than I’ve ever seen, but Five Forks Cafe is by far my favorite. It describes itself as a “traditional American diner” and that’s exactly what it is, with everything from corn cakes to breakfast sandwiches. If you or one of your friends has a car, it’s totally worth the short ride from campus.
Which are your favorite spots in Williamsburg?
– Cassidy Fazio
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Havn’t been there before but already been looking forward. I am from China so I guess from time to time I’m gonna miss Chinese food. Are there any Chinese food restaurants in Williamsburg? Or if I want to cook myself and buy materials, is a car very necessary?
Hi Jiaxi! I’ve been to a couple Chinese places that are pretty close to campus, and I’m sure there are others. Peter Chang is a few minutes from campus and easy to walk to. If you take the bus or have a friend with a car, there’s a great place about 10 minutes away called Ichiban that has a mix of Chinese, Thai, and Japanese. Like I said, I’m sure there are lots of other options!
You should also definitely check out the Chinese House. It’s on-campus and though it’s a dorm, it hosts many events open to the public, including cooking classes! https://www.wm.edu/as/modernlanguages/chinese/chinesehouse/index.php
A car isn’t necessary, but I’m sure you’ll also make some friends with cars that would be happy to take you shopping. There is a little shop on campus that has some groceries, and a regular grocery store within walking distance from campus. You can also take the bus (free with your W&M ID) to some further places.