Wild game for lunch or dinner, in northern Virginia, USA?

score:5

Accepted answer

I do not believe it is legal for hunters to sell their wild game directly to restaurants in the surrounding states, so even though "wild" game and poultry are available on many Washington, D.C.-area menus, a farm-to-table arrangement is usually advertised. Chowhound and, to a lesser extent, MenuPages, is a good resource.

Bison, duck, quail, and rabbit are relatively widely available, and you can even get elk and deer venison burgers at the Fuddrucker's hamburger chain. There are a couple of restaurants in the Washington area known for their wild game offerings (bolded below), but note that such dishes are often seasonal and that menus change often. It's always good to contact the restaurant to confirm a particular dish is available.

Great Falls has two restaurants featuring wild game on their regular menu. Serbian Crown in Great Falls offers emu, antelope, rabbit, venison, wild boar, and assorted wild game dishes." L’Auberge Chez François, an Alsatian restaurant, has deer and quail dishes, and has offered pheasant and elk in the past. In Arlington, there is Copperwood Tavern with venison, rabbit, and bison dishes, and in Falls Church the well-regarded 2941 Restaurant offers a venison chop and has offered guinea hen and pheasant in the past.

In Washington, Café Berlin offers a separate wild game menu, and many restaurants offer the occasional seasonal or special dish featuring (farm-raised) quail, venison, bison, rabbit, or boar.

Upvote:5

Assuming you'll be in the Fredericksburg area, there are certainly a few.

Virginia.org has a section on 'Farm to table' so you know it won't be roadkill ;)

They list several restaurants in Fredericksburg, Lovettsville and others nearby with fresh fish, wild game, duck , quail, seafood and more.

Examples:

  • Bistro Bethem (Fredericskburg) is a hip atmosphere where fresh fish, wild game, house-made charcuteries, breads and desserts are specialties.
  • The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm (Lovettsville) - serves elegant, organic, modern European cuisine by way of fresh-picked local vegetables from their own farm or other local farms. All of their meats are organic and free-range, while the seafood is wild.

In addition, in Alexandria there's the French restaurant La Bergerie. Their menus specifically lists venison. Indeed another review of the restaurant indicates that sometimes there can be " wild boar atop whipped heavy cream". Perhaps the menu is seasonal though, as it's not on their current one, as far as I can see.

More post

Search Posts

Related post