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If you plan December around what to eat, Virginia’s Christmas markets are your holiday sweet spot. Imagine steam rising from cups of mulled wine while you wander past twinkling stalls stacked with gingerbread, oyster fritters, and maple walnut fudge. Every stop dishes out something seasonal and soul warming, from German classics to coastal comforts and vineyard sips. Bring an appetite and a tote bag, because you will want seconds and a few edible souvenirs.
Charlottesville Holiday Market on Water Street
Charlottesville serves a farm-forward feast that tastes like the season got an advanced degree. Begin with apple cider hot enough to hug your hands, then split a cheddar biscuit stacked with country ham and pepper jelly. Nearby, a vendor grills rosemary chicken skewers that drip over roasted root vegetables.
Pie enthusiasts, come prepared. Bakers line tables with bourbon pecan, sweet potato, and pear cranberry galettes, each slice whispering for whipped cream. For something portable, snag a pimento cheese hand pie and a bag of herbed popcorn. Local roasters pour velvety lattes dusted with nutmeg, while a chocolatier offers tiny truffles that punch above their size…