Austin’s, a new restaurant inside The Inn at Warner Hall, will open for business this evening, offering seasonal American cuisine. Hours are 5:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, by reservation only. The Inn is located at 4750 Warner Hall Road, Gloucester.
On Sunday afternoon, innkeepers Phil and Laura Hooks, who moved to Gloucester from Orlando, Florida in October to manage the inn, were putting the final touches on the inn’s waterfront dining room as the new chef, Terrence Doyal of Williamsburg, was ramping up dinner preparations for select guests ahead of the official opening.
Phil Hooks comes to the inn with a 20-year background in finance, including bonds and mutual funds, while Laura Hooks has experience in the fields of education, spa management, sales and event planning. They have also led a busy social life with their three young children, often entertaining 40-50 people for dinner. They said they’re excited about the opening of the new restaurant.
Doyal has 20 years of experience in the restaurant business, learning from the ground up. He began as a dishwasher in the kitchen at William and Mary, then moved to a poolside job cooking hamburgers and hot dogs for Colonial Williamsburg. Over the years, he worked in various hotel restaurants, beginning in the pantry where he made cold foods such as salads and desserts, to the breakfast line, the dinner line, omelet chef, sous chef, executive sous chef, and finally executive chef in a 295-room hotel with a 1,700-guest banquet dining room.
Doyal said the menu at Austin’s, featuring a wide range of selections for every course, will change seasonally. A guest might begin the meal with Bay Crab Dip with Boursin, Crystal Hot Sauce, and Old Bay Ritz Crackers as an appetizer, followed by a salad of Leafy Greens with blistered grapes, pistachios, goat cheese, garlic breadcrumbs and balsamic honey vinaigrette.
Main courses include both regional seafood and farm-raised meats, with such offerings as Pan-Seared Halibut with tomato broth, roasted tomatoes, and cannellini beans; Braised Pork with stone-ground grits and Dijon apple cider reduction; and Prime Filet Mignon and Prime Ribeye, served with choice of red wine jus, au poivre, or horseradish cream sauce.
Desserts include a Brown Butter Bourbon Crème Brûlée, Decadent Dark Chocolate Cake, and Virginia Peanut Butter Tart, while the wine menu features both American producers and specialty selections from Italy and France.
Warner Hall is a National Register of Historic Places property established in 1642. Situated on 126 acres along Virginia’s Severn River near Colonial Williamsburg, the estate recently underwent extensive restoration and, in addition to Austin’s, now features 11 luxuriously-appointed guest rooms, an expansive bluestone terrace, a mile-long walking trail, and sprawling grounds with river views.
Guests who book a stay at The Inn at Warner Hall from now through May 15 for stays between April 23 and July 31, 2026 will receive a $25 credit per room per night toward dinner at Austin’s. Daily credits can be combined but must be used during the stay, and have no cash value.
Reservations may be made at warnerhall.com or on opentable.com. For more information, visit warnerhall.com or follow @innatwarnerhall on Instagram.