The restaurant is the recipient of 3 Michelin Stars, a James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award and ranked by Le Liste, a French based food guide as #6 in the world. The inn has a 5 Star rating from Forbes Travel guide and a 5 Diamond rating from AAA, You won’t find it in Europe or New York as it is tucked away in a little town located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park. A treasure for travelers and foodies alike. Can you guess what destination this is ? Before I tell you , let me share a little bit about the humble beginnings of this little gem.
A former garage converted into a catering business opened as a restaurant in 1978. The Chef had no formal training but with a $5000 investment they were able to convert the small catering business to a 30 seat restaurant in Washington, VA. Within a few months, after rave reviews, it was considered the best restaurant in a 150 mile radius of Washington D.C.
In 1984, the first guest room opened and in 1987 the 23 room inn became part of the Relais & Chateaux luxury hotel chain. I have only known about it for a few months but I have been dreaming about it ever since. Let’s pretend we are headed there this weekend.
When we arrive at the Inn at Little Washington , we are greeted with a specialty cocktail. The lovely front desk agent informs us of the events of weekend including afternoon tea. Our reservations for dinner have been confirmed for 7pm on Saturday night. “The Chef is delighted that you will be joining us”
We open the doors to our beautiful room, the Julia Child suite. The suite designed with beautiful French blues and yellows by London set designer Joyce Conwy is enchanting. Every detail of the room is designed to invoke the elegance of a room you would find in a French Chateau.
Early Saturday morning ,we head to Sperryville, just a short drive from the Inn. The day will be filled with antiquing and shopping. The first stop, Before & After Coffee, for a croissant and latte. A walk around town takes us to Cooper Fox Antiques. A delightful store with the most unique items. I am certain that I would a set of French blue dessert plates that I would have to have. Several hours and stores later we pop into the Sperryville Corner store for a snack, not wanting to ruin our appetite for tonight’s special dinner.
The moment has finally arrived. We are shown to our table in a quaint corner of the room. The Wine Director brings over the extensive wine menu- they have over 2400 wines from all over the world. After a brief discussion, he recommends a Segla Margaux Bordeaux from Chateau Rauzan. The main menu is then presented to us. Our eyes widen as we hear the details of each course, this will be a meal to remember. The hours pass as we are presented with culinary works of art. The dessert does not disappoint as it is a chocolate lover’s delight. The evening has exceeded our expectations. We will be talking about this for years!
I hope that someday you will make this dream a reality. Thank you to my dear friend Ashley for letting me know that such a place exists.
For reservations and more information-https://theinnatlittlewashington.com
*photos courtesy of Inn at Little Washington Instagram.
Travel is My Passion 
Very nice information, how small place converted to big hotel chain
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