License plates are the first thing you see when you come into K & L Barbecue in Hopewell. Hundreds of them are hanging on the walls. “The customers bring them in, you know,” says Linda Purdie, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Kenneth (K & L stands for Kenneth and Linda). “That one’s from Iraq,” she remarks about a license plate in Arabic. “So the flag on the wall, that was brought by a customer who had been to Iraq.”

It’s easy to see why so many people from so many places visit K & L when they pass through Hopewell. Their succulent, tangy Virginia-style barbecue is some of the best in the area, the waitresses serve it with a smile, and they’re always quick to strike up friendly conversation with guests. Even the sides are spectacular. “A lot of the vegetables we serve, we get fresh from our customer’s gardens,” Linda says. Everything at K & L is about you, the customer, so come on down and be a part of their restaurant family!