Headed for Culpeper? The town's Visitor's Center at the Depot is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 888-CULPEPER, see http://www.visitculpeperva.com/. For the restaurants and food stores in the center of the historic district, it's always best to call ahead for reservations or place orders in advance. Might be a good idea to bring a cooler for perishables.
1. ALA HEART CAFE A small, casual eatery with an emphasis on vegetarian, low fat, low carb and low sugar salads, wraps and sandwiches. Bestsellers are the curried chicken salad wrap, taco salad and black bean soup.
106 W. Cameron St.; 540-727-9332. Open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Sunday.
2. CALHOUN'S HAM HOUSE & COUNTRY DELI Tom Calhoun's cured, uncooked, whole country hams (15 to 18 pounds) are $2.99 per pound; for an additional $23.95, he will cook and slice a purchased ham. Cooked, center cut, sliced ham is $12.95 per pound. Also available: ham hocks and cured side meats for seasoning soup and bean dishes.
211 S. East St.; 540-825-8319 or see http://www.calhounhams.com/ . Open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Sunday.
3. CAMERON STREET COFFEE HOUSE An old warehouse is now a beautifully restored, light-filled cafe for fresh coffee roasted on-site as well as sandwiches and pastries.
110 E. Cameron St.; 540-829-9581. Open Monday through Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
4. CHATEAU DU REAUX A small wine shop with selections from 14 countries and 23 European beers as well as wine racks and gadgets.
219 E. Davis St.; 540-829-9463. Open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday.
5. CLARKE HARDWARE The housewares section has more than 30 pieces of Lodge cast-iron cookware as well as canning supplies, meat grinders and six types of pressure cookers.
201 E. Davis St.; 540-825-9178 or see http://www.clarkehardware.com/ . Open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed Sunday .
6. COPPER KETTLE SOUP BAR This small cafe, with a 14-seat counter, serves seasonal soups such as venison cream, clam chowder and roasted red bell pepper ($2.50 per cup) as well as focaccia made in-house.
