Restaurants in Williamsburg

At El Taco Loco's three locations, including their newly opened location in Chesapeake, kitchens bustle with chefs sizzling meats on the grill, bubbling pots of soup, and rolling tortillas into handheld Mexican entrees. Chefs stuff burritos, tacos, and enchiladas with stomach fillers such as spanish rice, pulled pork, grilled chicken, and house-made hot salsa. Platefuls of fajitas can be enjoyed solo or ordered in a size to share with a date or chef.

Cancun Fiesta’s team of chefs whips up traditional Mexican dishes amid a culinary orchestra of steaks sizzling on the grill and the savory scents of simmering rice and beans wafting through the air. The staff operates three locations, including one next to Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach. Firm believers that fresh ingredients make the tastiest meals and the best friends, the chefs assemble a menu of authentic eats using mouthwatering constituents such as fresh mexican cheese, ripe avocados, and Angus beef. Affable servers whisk plates out from the kitchen into the vibrantly hued dining room, the décor of which features bold artwork and cacti that sidle up to tables to be petted and fed bites of burritos.

Som Bao Cafe is a family business that's run by the seven grown children of Somdee and Bao Phoutasen, who lent their names to the eatery's moniker and their passion for food to the kitchen. On any given day, guests may meet siblings Bo, Fonsi, or Kelly as they drop off plates of coconut-infused curry or steaming pad thai. Kam or Pennee may appear at the register, and Monk or Susan might share the spicy details of their favorite rice or noodle dish in exchange for a winning lotto ticket.

Whether quenching a TV fix at the black lacquered bar or noshing on a veggie stir-fry at a casual table in the dining room, each patron plays a role in making this family's American dream come true, even without disturbing the sleeping genies hiding in every soy-sauce bottle.

In a village, even a small business can be called upon to fill several different roles. To serve the area's demand for a casual lunch café, an upscale but still deeply southern dinner spot, and a kid-friendly family restaurant, Erin's decided to become all three. During weekdays, light streams into the snug brick house with a chimney at each end as families stop in for salads topped with seasonal fruit, sandwiches bearing Virginia bacon, and kids' meals that add healthy touches to hands-on favorites. Later in the week, evenings unlock a smaller menu of southern standards gussied up to suit any special occasion, surrounding pork chops and crab cake sandwiches with cheddar grits and fresh produce.

The restaurant is attuned to its community in other ways, too: “We take our menu cues by what’s going on in the community like Movie Night, Farmer’s Market, and the Festival of the Grape Wine Festival,” manager Suzanne Cline told Powhatan Today, adding that they'll also scour farmers' markets for unusual heirloom tomatoes and even pick their own berries from Casselmonte Farm. When the weather's warm, guests enjoy this bounty from tables dotting a front patio, flanked by enormous shade trees and a leisurely gravel drive. Occasional live music drifts through the café while helping diners chew more rhythmically.