Chef Patrick O’Connell Opens Patty O’s Café

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Patty O’s Café & Bakery
389 Main St.
Washington, VA 22747
(540) 675-3801
https://www.pattyoscafe.com/

American | $$

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20211021_175656Nearly 30 years after purchasing the property Chef Patrick O’Connell converted the old Post Office building into his latest show piece, Patty O’s Café and Bakery.

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The transformation into an elegant corner café is remarkable. From the fanciest outdoor heater I have ever seen to ridiculously comfortable custom made wooden chairs, no expense was spared.

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From the dinning room looking into the bar area we caught a glimpse of Chef Patrick, in his signature Dalmatian print chef pants, watching over even the smallest detail. There is a wonderful fire place in the dinning room and the lighting is spectacular. Too many restaurants feel a “fumble around in the dark” light setting is key to ambience then complain when all the pictures on Yelp are dark and look like crap.

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For my first course I had a wonderful Crock of Pimento Cheese with paper thin Carraway Flatbread. Some of the finest Pimento Cheese in Virginia can be found at White’s Wayside Restaurant in Churchville, this is on par with that. The super thin flatbread was perfect, anything thicker would be too much.

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For my entrée I chose the Half Pound Angus Burger with Tomato Jam, Crispy Onions, and Comte Cheese. The beef is from the renowned Ovoka Farm in Paris, VA. Ovoka is one of the few Virginia farms raising Angus and Wagyu beef.

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For dessert I had the Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse. It was super smooth and not overly chocolate.

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If you haven’t been to Washington, VA at night it’s a magical sight year round. The Inn and sounding area, which now includes the Café, is lit up. The Café is open for lunch and dinner Friday through Tuesday. The Bakery is located on the side of the building and opens early in the morning offering specialty coffee drinks and pastry.

The wait staff was professional and attentive. The noise level was low. The menu prices are reasonable considering the quality of the food.  If you want an “Inn at Little Washington” type experience at a fifth the price be sure to visit soon.