This Virginia Restaurant Is Worth the Trip, Says Our Dining Critic

After an easy 2½-hour jaunt down I-66 and I-81, a fellow foodie friend and I recently found ourselves in Staunton, where we checked into Maude and the Bear, a charming two-suite inn (plus a separate 750-square-foot cottage) and fine-dining restaurant that chef Ian Boden and his wife, Leslie, opened in April 2024. Maude is the middle name of the couple’s daughter, Lila, and “The Bear” is a nickname for their son, Lucian.

Open for dinner Thursday through Saturday, plus Sunday brunch, the inn is tucked inside a 1920s house, originally built from a Montgomery Ward home kit, that Leslie lovingly restored. Welcome treats in our suite included a bottle of Virginia’s Thibaut-Janisson sparkling wine, rosemary shortbread and cheese straws. 

The 24-seat restaurant, adorned with local artwork, serves seasonal tasting menus at two seatings, with the option of enjoying four or seven courses ($90-$140). We upped the ante and went for the Kitchen Table seating ($300), which allowed us to watch Boden work his magic. Twice nominated for a James Beard Foundation award in the “Best Chef Mid-Atlantic” category, he is known for dishes rooted in Appalachian bounty and his own Russian and Hungarian Jewish roots. Some 80% of the offerings emanate from a wood-fired oven, and the menu changes daily. 

In our case, the highlights included white asparagus with Osetra caviar; dry-aged hiramasa (yellowtail) with pickled nectarines and toasted black walnuts; lamb tartare with Meyer lemon and charred leek vinaigrette; pastrami beef heart with cured foie gras and sour cherries; Rush Creek Reserve cheese with roasted blueberries; and bergamot posset (a custard-like dessert) with satsuma oranges. 

Breakfast the next day was just as elegant, with a feast of bananas and sour cream; yellowtail gravlax over roasted sweet potatoes; and matzo brei with smoked whitefish roe.

To cap off a perfect Staunton weekend, go for dinner at the Bodens’ sister restaurant, The Shack, where chef Mike Skipper’s casual menu features terrific house-made pastas. 

Rooms at the inn start at $500 per night and include breakfast.