"I've read about this in a really old dining guide," I told my husband, "and I've always wanted to go there."
"Well let's go," he said, and, before long, we were on Main Street in Middletown, Virginia about to enjoy the early American ambiance of the famous Wayside Inn.
This charming restaurant, which used to be known as Wilkerson's Tavern, opened in 1797, and was a popular stagecoach stop and relay station where people could get fresh horses. The history of the Wayside says that during the Civil War, soldiers from both sides were served. It must have been interesting to have dined there at that time.
After the Civil War, the tavern was purchased by a Jacob Larrick, and was renamed Larrick's Hotel and he ran it until the early 1900's when Samuel Rhodes purchased the property, added to it, and gave it its present name, The Wayside Inn. In recent years, despite a devastating fire in 1985, Leo Bernstein, a Washington, D. C. financier and antique collector, purchased the Inn and has been enthusiastically restoring it to its present 18th century atmosphere.
Here we found true Southern hospitality as charming hostess Miss Gretchen offered us our choice of tables. We selected a cozy table for two by the window overlooking Main Street. The window has received so many coats of paint over the years that surely it could not have been opened, and a small table lamp that looked like a candle added a quaint charm. We loved the fact that our table was old and worn, because it let us feel the past and the numerous diners who sat here before us, enjoying the tradition of eating here.
As we sat, we imagined stagecoaches pulling up, with the Inn staff running out to help travelers carry in their suitcases. After having a bumpy ride in a cold, drafty stage coach, it must have been most pleasant to come into the warm inside, smell the aroma of Oak burning in the fireplace, and sit down to a hot, home cooked meal.
When we learned that travelers have been coming to the Inn since 1797, we really felt as if we were part of history. And the Colonial architecture and setting definitely added to the charm. By dining here, we felt as if we were becoming a part of the great hospitality tradition of Virginia. While we were surrounded by the past, we enjoyed the elegance of today, and the service was pleasant and professional.
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