local spin
Good taste in every Season Seasons Restaurant & Tavern and Stephano’s Pizza and Subs located in Merchants Square offers visitors and locals with a variety of dining options. Noreen Graziano, general manager, recently answered some questions about the popular spot. How long has Seasons been in business? Seasons was opened in 1992. How did the idea for the restaurant get started? The name came from two different things, the seasons changing and the seasoning of food. The restaurant was developed and divided into different areas. Each area was to represent a manor house and different season. The great aspects of this is that each area is able to accompany different size groups. What do people respond to about the restaurant? Guests tend to respond to the different areas and uniqueness.
They like the casual elegance. We have a great Happy Hour in the bar every day and in the dining room Monday through Thursday. We get a lot of regulars for this. What is it that you enjoy most about your job at the restaurant? I love the customer interaction and how it changes each day. I love the fact that we have two restaurants under one roofSeasons and Stephano’s Pizza and Subs. It’s really enjoyable to see how fascinated people are with the area. What are your goals in providing people with a positive experience? Keeping your staff informed of what is going on in restaurant and in the area always results in a positive experience for the guest. Guests want to see smiling, happy faces and they want the employees to interact with them. The guest wants to hear their story
especially if they’re students. You also have to be providing a good, fresh product the guest is going to enjoy. What are some of the comments you receive from guests? Guests usually comment on how friendly the staff is. Over the holidays, many people commented, “this was the best place they’ve eaten since they’ve been in Williamsburg.” Do you have any goals to expand/change in the future? We are updating and changing our menus and wine lists on a regular basis in the restaurant. We have daily specials and features. We’re always trying to stay ahead of the game and keep the staff and guests informed. – Ann Efimetz
Photos by Ann Efimetz WILLIAMSBURG MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2012
45