Many believe that Abe Doumar, founder of Doumar's Cones & Barbecue, gave the world its first ice cream cone. Doumar was a traveling salesman retailing paperweights at the famous St. Louis World's Fair in 1904. When an ice cream seller exhausted his stock of paper dishes to hold the ice creams, he got a nearby waffle maker to roll his waffles into cones and thus invented the waffle cone. While not all hold this story true, he certainly popularized the ice cream cone widely. Doumar created this ice cream parlor in Norfolk in 1907, and it continues to roll the cones by hand using the original four-iron waffle machine that he invented. While it shifted premises to the current location in 1934, it still sells ice creams that use early 20th Century recipes and hand-rolling techniques. You can also enjoy delicious hot dogs and vinegar-soaked pork barbecue with desserts like Hawaiian Sunset Sundae and refreshing limeades. This diner feels old-fashioned, complete with a drive-in parking area where you can order and eat in your car. The prices too are from another era and leave you feeling satisfied. You can actually watch them roll the waffle cones by hand, just like in the past. Indeed, you haven't really been to Norfolk until you've eaten at Doumar's.
The Dirty Buffalo is one of Norfolk's favorite casual spots to get a drink and a bite to eat and unwind. The restaurant is known for its Buffalo wings, but it also serves other American fare like subs and hot dogs. The quick-service restaurant is open late on weekends to satisfy all your midnight wing cravings.