♪ SERVER: Welcome to King's Arms Tavern, table for two?

LAURITA: Yes.

LAUREN: Thank you.

LAURITA: Thank you.

LAUREN: Wow, it really feels like we've just walked into somebody's home.

SERVER: Taverns would have been someone's house, and you would've eaten downstairs, and then stayed upstairs during the night.

LAUREN: Oh, wow.

IVEY: King's Arms Tavern is very unique.

We do period-type food, uh, but we put a 21st-century spin on it.

We're on Duke of Gloucester Street.

King's Arms Tavern was opened by Jane Vobe in 1772.

She fed all the dignitaries that would come through, because Williamsburg was the capital at the time.

They would always stop and eat at Mrs. Vobe's tavern.

She was well known for having great food.

Mrs. Vobe was the owner of slaves, and as her business grew she needed more of a workforce, so she brought in her slaves.

One of her slaves was Gowan Pamphlet, who became the pastor of First Baptist Church, one of the first Black churches in Williamsburg.

During that time period, 45 to 55% of the population was of African descent, and to have that workforce really helped her business thrive.

LAURITA: We learned so much today!

LAUREN: And I know, a lot of the times when you think about slavery, you only think about people on plantations... LAURITA: Right, farms.

LAUREN: Or like, right, just like in the house, but cities were really built on the backs of slaves.

LAURITA: Right, and how about that beautiful tree?

LAUREN: I know.

And they do things for Juneteenth?

LAURITA: And they do things for the community, so I thought that was nice.

And I've gotten that sense since we've been here, a real sense of community.

SERVER: Have you decided on your meals?

LAURITA: Yes, we heard so much about a certain type of soup.

SERVER: Yes, the peanut soup is our specialty.

LAUREN: And I think I also want to try the soup of squash as well.

SERVER: Okay.

IVEY: Laurita got the peanut soup, it's been a staple at King's Arms.

We've had guests that've been here 40, 50, 60 years, and they come looking for the peanut soup.

SERVER: Okay, we have your peanut soup, and your squash soup.

LAURITA: Oooh.

LAUREN: That looks good.

SERVER: It comes with sippets, sippets would have been stale bread during the time period, but we use toasted bread instead.

(laughing).

LAURITA: Waste not, want not back in the day.

Got it, got it.

LAUREN: How's yours?

LAURITA: You know, it's good.

I've had peanut soups before, and this one is not as spicy, so I like it.

Let's try these "snippets".

LAUREN: Mm, I like the little crunch.

LAURITA: What a cute little name, "snippets".

(laughing).

(sizzling).

IVEY: Colonial food is anything you can catch, eat, or grow.

For real, they threw away nothing.

Lotta soups, lotta stews.

Lotta smoke-cured meats.

Rabbit, squirrel, deer, whatever they could raise, Mrs. Vobe was putting it on the menu.

Lauren had the butter shrimp, with the Jefferson idea of the French-Virginia cooking, to add your cream-based sauces.

Laurita had the Cornish game hen, and it comes over Carolina gold rice.

It's very tasty, very nutty.

LAUREN: These are good shrimp.

LAURITA: It's very savory, and the gravy's very creamy which I like.

LAUREN: I'm so excited, after this we'll get to go take a load off at the Marriott's Manor at Ford's Colony, that's where we're staying tonight.

LAURITA: Oh, I'm looking forward to that.

LAUREN: I know, me too.

IVEY: Here at the King's Arms Tavern, it's not a typical restaurant.

We really give you the whole colonial experience, from your waiter or waitress taking your order in costume, to balladeers playing different selections and interacting with the guests as well.

And it all adds to the Colonial Williamsburg tavern experience.

LAURITA: Happy holidays my dear.

LAUREN: Happy holidays.

(playing instrument).

LAURITA: Beautiful!

(cheering).

BALLADEER: Thank you.

(camera shutter).

♪