India Born – Virginia Inspired

When traveling overseas, it's nice to connect with the familiar. Travelers to Virginia from India will find easy opportunities to embrace a sense of place while still feeling wrapped in the welcoming comforts of home.

With Air India direct flights from New Delhi to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, visitors can enjoy the amenities and service they have come to expect during their journey.

Upon landing at Dulles International, travelers will find it is a short ride to offerings that India-born entrepreneurs have launched, keeping their traditions alive while weaving in the charm of Virginia for experiences that are truly distinctive.

It may be 8,000 miles from India to Loudoun County, but subcontinental visitors will feel right at home in what is referred to as DC's Wine Country. At the sumptuous Bhai Sahab restaurant in Leesburg, Udaipur-born Chef Deepak Sarin creates authentic north Indian cuisine, including a traditional Rajasthani "thali" each week that has local foodies lining up around the block. Deepak, who owns the restaurant with his 18-year-old son Dhruv, once helmed the leading Indian restaurant chain in London.

A few miles away is The Conche, the upscale restaurant and chocolate lab of celebrity chef Santosh Tiptur. Santosh channeled the boyhood memory of eating chocolate candies in rural India in the 1970s to become a world-renowned pastry chef and at his fine-dining restaurant you can purchase hand-crafted chocolates, sip chocolate-infused whiskey cocktails, take chocolate making classes and enjoy a menu where even the rack of lamb and rib-eye steak come with a cocoa crust.

As for relaxing and stylish accommodations, head for the gorgeous 1905-built Stone Manor Bed & Breakfast, the eight-bedroom boutique country inn of Mumbai born Manisha Shah and her husband Prashant. The Shah's bought the antique-filled property in 2018 and on top of hosting overnight guests, cater as many as 45 weddings a year on the grounds, with Manisha and her son preparing delectable Indian dishes alongside Western cuisine. Here, you're in the heart of Virginia countryside surrounded by stone-fenced country lanes, wineries, farm breweries, restaurants and historic 18th century towns, making it easy to explore much for which Virginia is known.

Take a side trip to Alexandria, Virginia, nestled on the famous Potomac River, directly across from Washington D.C Here visitors will find cobblestone streets, 17th and 18th century architecture, a historic and artsy waterfront district, and numerous independent boutiques for a uniquely Virginia shopping experience.

Then dine at Kismet Modern Indian, recently opened in Old Town Alexandria, which showcases the Michelin recognised cuisine of Chef Ajay Kumar, already known for his elevated Indian fare at his sister restaurant in Washington, D.C Chef mixes traditional and new flavours for a novel approach to Indian dishes. He combines traditional time-honored Indian cooking techniques with unexpected ingredient combinations and forward-thinking flavor profiles, presented in a contemporary style. The Washington Post's food critic gave the restaurant an outstanding review and says, "Kismet Modern Indian delivers art on the plate."

A vacation to Virginia is about spending time doing what you love with the people you love. Plan your vacation today at Virginia.org.