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Chef and owner Dan Gleason garnishes a dish at Sumac.
Sumac, a food truck tucked in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, has been named one of the 50 best restaurants in America by The New York Times.
“We would just like to say a huge thank you to all of our supporters, our staff, and we just have huge, huge gratitude to our Sumac community,” said chef and owner Dan Gleason last Wednesday.
New York Times reporter Melissa Clark wrote that it was “one of the most elegant bites” she’s eaten all year. To see the full New York Times restaurant list, visit: rappnews.link/9fw
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The Sumac food truck in Sperryville, Va.
“The setting may be rustic, but Abigail and Dan Gleason’s cuisine is fiercely refined, with a menu that changes as the hyperlocal ingredients come into season,” Clark wrote.
Gleason said he hasn’t considered moving Sumac from the grounds of Pen Druid Brewing in Sperryville and into a brick and mortar restaurant. “We absolutely love what we do,” said Gleason, adding that the business is a collaborative effort with his wife and partner, Abigail.
“People are pretty satisfied with what they get at Sumac,” he said. “And I think a lot of it is because of the casual model that we have — we can still be gourmet and offer high quality food and product, but people do it at their own pace.”
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Dan Gleason and his wife Abigail are also proprietors of The Black Twig, a southern-style diner and bar just down the road in Sperryville.
Gleason said the food at Sumac is “anything that can be cooked over a fire.” He uses locally-sourced ingredients from farm partners, and the menu changes depending on the seasonality of the food and what farmers are able to sell.
“Our farm partners are 100% our inspiration,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Sumac — or a Rappahannock eatery — has been in the national spotlight. In May 2023, Sumac was named by Washingtonian magazine the 25th best restaurant in the Washington, D.C. area.
Before & After cafe in Sperryville has also been mentioned in a few national publications, such as The Washington Post and Washingtonian, and owner Kerry Sutten said they always notice a bump in first-time visitors.
“It happens almost immediately after publication of the article, like it generated the idea for a road trip,” Sutten said. “They come into the cafe, admire the chandelier, and are eager to try the drinks or food highlighted in the article. I’m excited for Dan and Abby and hope they stocked up on supplies.”
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Joseph Baker works the wood-fired grill at Sumac in Sperryville, Va.
Another eatery not too far from Rappahannock County, Red Truck Bakery in Warrenton and Marshall, had a similar experience when it received a rave review from a food writer at The New York Times.
“My fledgling website visits went from two dozen to 57,000 in one day, and suddenly everyone needed a baked good that they didn’t even know about the day before,” said Brian Noyes, founder and former owner.
“I knew not to be overwhelmed by the demand; and anything rushed out the door wouldn’t have been a good introduction to those wanting to taste my work. I’d suggest the same for Sumac—just plod along at your comfortable speed and your new visitors will understand,” Noyes said.
Sumac accepts reservations for the chef’s Tasting Menu on its website, sumac-va.com. A la carte orders are welcome on a first come, first served basis.
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