Rheingarten Restaurant
Rheingarten Restaurant is located in a beautiful house in upstate Virginia. Rheingarten strives to maintain old-world Germany in everything it does, from its hand-painted murals of "Til Eulenspiegel," "Der Gestiefelte Kater" or "Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten" from "Grimm's Fairy Tales" to its authentic cuisine.
Start off with a bowl of goulaschsuppe--hearty beef soup made with onions and peppers--and move on to its rheinischer sauerbraten--slices of marinated beef in sweet and sour sauce with raisins, served with apple red cabbage and potato dumplings. Enjoy a Hofbräu dunkel beer from their German beer menu to wash it down with. For vegetarian diners, try the für den vegetarier, zucchini schnitzel served with steamed rice and broccoli florets. Finish off with its famous schwarzwälder kirschtorte--Black Forest cake with sour cherry filling, Kirschwasser liquor, fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
While in Stafford, take a break and enjoy George Washington's childhood home or the soon-to-be-opened Government Island, a rock quarry that provided the sandstone for the U.S. Capitol that is now being developed into a park with a hiking trail to go completely around the island.
Rheingarten Restaurant
3998 Jefferson Davis Highway
Stafford, VA 22554
(703) 221-4635
zumrheingarten.com
Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre
Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre is a German-themed dinner theater located in the Appalachian mountains of southwest Virginia. Virginia's only all-musical theater provides Broadway musical productions after a delicious dinner of food styles from all over the world.
Wohlfahrt offers entree items like steak and chicken esterhazy--grilled chicken and steak topped with carrots, onions and mushrooms in a sour cream sauce over hash brown potatoes, or grilled knockwurst and bratwurst atop sauerkraut, grilled peppers and onions served with German potato salad. Burgers, Philly cheese steak sandwiches and pastas are also offered.
Wohlfahrt also offers a beautiful outdoor "bier garten" with dunkel (dark), pilsner, weisse (wheat), ales and lagers straight from Germany and an extensive wine list. Try the Weihenstephaner Korbinian, a dark, full-bodied beer, or the Hirsch-Brau Neuschwansteiner lager.
While in Wytheville, the adventurous mountain biker can challenge themselves on the nearby Seven Sisters Trail. This difficult 7.3-mile trail will take a rider up and down seven different peaks, topping out at a 3,700-foot elevation. The highest peak is a 2.6-mile uphill climb, with a 1.7-mile downhill to help you rest after a strenuous workout--not for the novice biker.
Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre
170 Malin Drive
Wytheville, VA 24382
(276) 223-0891
wohlfahrthaus.com
The Rhein River Inn
This German bed-and-breakfast has been around since the 1840s, when a naval commodore and his family lived during the Civil War. It once held the town's women, children and slaves in a hand-dug underground cellar when under attack from the federal troops. This beautiful and historic home has since been renovated and is on the Civil War Trail, where visitors can come and revisit part of America's history.
Enjoy authentic German food like the classic rouladen--beef steak pounded thin and rolled around in dill pickle, mushroom, sweet onion and mustard, with sour cream mushroom gravy served over the top, or the jägerschnitzel--a pork cutlet pounded thin, breaded and pan-seared and served under mushroom gravy.
The Rhein River Inn also offers a beer menu with Gewurztraminer, a German beer from the local Blue Ridge Vineyards and German white wines like the Liebfraumilch and Riesling.
After a stay at the Rhein River Inn, take in a drive on the Virginia Scenic Byway from Buchanan to Blacksburg. This 70-mile drive takes you through Jefferson National Forest, following Craig Creek and the Allegheny Mountains, then passes through farming valley into Blacksburg. Enjoy the scenery and take in some recreational activities or spend the night camping.
The Rhein River Inn
19391 Main St.
Buchanan, VA 24066
(540) 254-2455
therheinriverinn.com
