Tidewater (region) in the context of "Cuisine of the Southern United States"

Norfolk (locally /ˈnɔːrfək/ NOR-fək) is an independent city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia and 100th-most populous city in the United States. The city holds a strategic position as the historical, urban, financial, and cultural center of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area (sometimes called "Tidewater"), which has more than 1.8 million inhabitants and is the 37th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S.

Norfolk was established in 1682 as a colonial seaport. Strategically located at the confluence of the Elizabeth River and Chesapeake Bay, it quickly developed into a major center for trade and shipbuilding. During the American Revolution and War of 1812, its port and naval facilities made it a critical military target. Norfolk's prominence grew in the 20th century with the expansion of the U.S. Navy, particularly through the establishment of Naval Station Norfolk in 1917, which remains the world's largest naval base.

Hampton Roads is a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James, Nansemond, and Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's Point near the point at which Chesapeake Bay flows into the Atlantic Ocean. It also gave its name to the surrounding metropolitan region located in the southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina portions of the Tidewater Region.

Comprising the Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC, metropolitan area and an extended combined statistical area that includes the Elizabeth City, North Carolina, micropolitan statistical area and Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, micropolitan statistical area, Hampton Roads is known for its large military presence, ice-free harbor, shipyards, coal piers, and miles of waterfront property and beaches, all of which contribute to the diversity and stability of the region's economy.

Southside, or Southside Virginia, has traditionally referred to the portion of the state south of the James River, the geographic feature from which the term derives its name. This was the first area to be developed in the colonial period.

During the colonial era, Southside was considered the area where entrepreneurs settled, as opposed to some of the more established and wealthier families in the Tidewater counties. Many early Southside settlers were younger sons of established Tidewater families. A major portion of the territory was formed in 1703, when Prince George County was organized from Charles City County. Four other counties and three independent cities were formed from this territory, the counties in the 18th century and some of the independent cities in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Hampton is an independent city in Virginia, United States. The population was 137,148 at the 2020 census, making it the seventh-most populous city in Virginia. Hampton is included in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area (sometimes called "Tidewater"), which has more than 1.8 million inhabitants and is the 37th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S.

Hampton traces its origins to Old Point Comfort, the site of Fort Monroe, named by English explorers led by Christopher Newport in 1607 during the founding of Jamestown. Following the American Civil War, Hampton University was established on the opposite bank of the Hampton River to educate newly freed African Americans and local Native Americans. In the 20th century, the city became home to Langley Air Force Base, NASA's Langley Research Center, and the Virginia Air and Space Center.

York County (formerly Charles River County) is a county in the eastern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia, located in the Tidewater. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 70,045. The county seat is the unincorporated town of Yorktown.

Located on the north side of the Virginia Peninsula, with the York River as its northern border, York County is included in the Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.