The sun is out, not a cloud in the sky. You can almost hear the summer breeze welcoming the cool change of autumn just around the corner.

Let's Walkabout, Shall We?

An ideal day sets the stage for exploration. The wide array of culinary delights and historical anecdotes buried in the buildings and streets of downtown Norfolk are ready to be discovered. I think I’ll go on a walkabout.

A little before 11 am, a very excited gentleman in white shorts and a blue shirt approaches a group of us who have gathered with that same goal in mind, near the Waterside Fountain Park. “You guys here for the Walkabout?” he asks. Indeed we are. Zack Mansell, the founder and director of Norfolk Walkabouts–a company that offers guided tours of Norfolk, highlighting its food and history–rounds us up and leads us near the water’s edge. “Invisible Touch” by Genesis lightly fills the air from a nearby restaurant as we introduce ourselves. I feel like it is the first day of class at a new school–the exception is in this class you get to drink a beer!

Stomachs grumbling, we anxiously anticipate our first stop on the trip, The City Dock Restaurant on the waterfront. As part of the Sheraton Hotel at Waterside, the tastes of this beautifully arranged restaurant could stand on their own. “We want people to know this is more than just a hotel restaurant,” explains Christopher Setting, our master of ceremonies and manager of City Dock. With just coffee sloshing around in our bellies, we seat ourselves in the grand dining hall, napkins on our laps, fork and knife in hand, as the food makes its way.

A seafood trio full of rich salty ocean flavor now arrives, perfectly matching the view of the water just behind us. Our plates are comprised of a mini crab-cake with mango salsa, a fried oyster on rock salt, and she-crab soup so rich and creamy, you look around to see if anyone hasn’t finished theirs perchance to steal a bite. This was the start of something wonderful, already a great trip and we have only just begun.

Tea Selection at Bean There

With a good long walk and some interesting bits of history swirling in our minds, we find ourselves parched and at the steps of our next tasting destination: Bean There Café on City Hall Avenue. With traditional and modern brewing styles available, welcoming antique furniture, and local art hanging on the walls and from the ceiling, Bean There offers a unique coffee experience. Their bite-sized blueberry and cinnamon scones match those of a New York Deli, and their iced mint green tea leaves you feeling cool and refreshed. The coffee, which fills the air with its exotic aroma, seems to be a crowd-pleaser as the buzz of  ”mmm’s” and “ahhh’s” spread throughout the store. With our refreshments settling, we pioneer on toward Granby Street.

As we approach our next stop, Granby Bistro, we know we are in for something exceptional. The outside tables are full of people in good spirits, drinking and eating merrily. A Mediterranean smorgasbord waits on deck to engage our palates. Hummus, baba ganoush, and piled high pita bread is passed around among the fellow foodies. The only thing missing is a slice of baklava and a panoramic view of houses on the Med. Grape leaf wrapped rice and meat hors d’oeuvres are eaten by hand and finished all too soon. Not too worry, as our next stop is only an arm’s length away and just as ready to present us with a full plate of delicious.

Remember that beer I mentioned?. The Irish have mastered the art of salty food making you thirst for a good local brew, which is readily available on tap at Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub. A golden brown fried piece of cod and banger (traditional Irish sausage) is already plated and waiting for us as we walk in. Taking a seat at the bar, you get the feeling you don’t want to leave anytime soon.  Jack Quinn’s is completely decorated with wood fixtures and furniture flown in from Ireland herself. Originally, the bar served as a furniture-on-credit depot and still holds the grand elegant look of the early 1900’s. Our stomachs betraying us, our minds screaming for more, we are full; and after a quick tour of the bar we are on our way, hoping to work off enough calories to be hungry again in the very near future.

The last stop for eats on our journey brings us to York Street. A local favorite burrito bar, Machismo’s will be the final anchor in our stomach. Being in a place with award winning burritos, you know that no matter what they feed you, it is going to be good. Pork quesadillas piled high (with sides of salsa, guacamole, and sour cream) test our ability to be true gluttons. We oblige. We are not let down. You know they were good, as the women at our table start out saying “No, you guys go ahead,” adding moments later after seeing the looks of comfort on our faces, “Oh, why not, I guess I will have one.” Before too long our plates are all emptied and our culinary expedition has come to an end. Our legs tired, our stomachs full, and our taste buds singing as we set off for one final afternoon stroll in the sun.

Revolutionary, Civil, and World Wars may not be the first thoughts that cross your mind when you enter downtown Norfolk.  But interwoven throughout our tasty trip from one delectable hot spot to the next were sprinkled highlights in history. As if food was not enough to make you excited for a day out on the town, there was also an overabundance of factoids bestowed upon us.

Hidden Treasure: Norfolk's Pagoda

Talks of pirates and naval battles just offshore, to the once popular and happening red-light district, were both intriguing and humorous accounts of Norfolk’s rich past. Tales of a city set ablaze to smolder and ash continued as we made our way to St. Paul’s Church. The bravery of naval battles steered us past the MacArthur Memorial and into the old town square. And to our surprise, tucked away in the midst of the city, a Pagoda fully adorned with a coy fish pond and a stunning garden sprang to life.

We roamed the Cannonball Trail to visit war Generals’ homes and to see the influence of New Orleans on Norfolk’s architecture. With our faces worn from the sun and our bodies and minds at capacity, we strolled along the streets of Ghent allowing our feet to finally rest at the stairs of the Chrysler Museum. We said our good-byes and were left to our own reflections as we made our way back home. The city I had lived near for most of my life was suddenly reinvented in my head. It was no longer just a hot spot for late night hangouts or a place that only lights up when the Tides are in town. A pirate ship sailed next to the car as we pulled out of the parking garage and a fire in the distance spelled trouble on the horizon. The echoes of memories from times long ago painted their battle cries across the skyline. This was the Norfolk I had longed for, and to my surprise, it had been here all along.

Currently, Historic Tours are being held Wednesday through Sunday 10am -1pm.

Food tasting and Historic Walkabout on Saturdays from 11am-3pm.

Tour can accommodate vegetarians upon request.

For a photo journal of this glorious day, click here.