2 Best Restaurants in Richmond, Fredericksburg and the Northern Neck, Virginia

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Keep in the mind that hotel rooms can be hard to come by during Richmond's NASCAR Nextel Cup races, held over two weekends in May and September. The downtown Broad Street corridor is also crowded during the college school year, since the Virginia Commonwealth University campus is located here. Richmond has a wide variety of restaurants, from Southern comfort food to fine dining, and anything from Thai and Mexican to Dominican and French. Dress is casual at most restaurants; reservations are recommended for most fine dining or during special events. Downtown hotels may be a bit more expensive, but keep in mind that if you stay in an area outside the core, you'll have to pay for parking in the city.

Can Can Brasserie

$$

Grab a seat outside of Can Can and people-watch in the heart of Carytown while enjoying French comfort food at affordable prices. From the croque monsieur to steak frites, to a simple croissant and café au lait, this restaurant has the cuisine and feel of a Parisian brasserie.

La Petite Auberge

$$$ | Historic District

Housed in a pre--Civil War brick general store, this white-tablecloth restaurant actually has three dining rooms decorated like a French garden, with numerous paintings by local artists for sale. For more than two decades, this has been a Fredericksburg favorite for its consistently good food and service. The interesting menu changes with the seasons, and the chef sources his products locally. Specialties like house-cut beef, French onion soup, and seafood are all served with a Continental accent. A fixed-price ($25) four-course dinner is served from 5:30 to 7 Monday through Thursday.