WINTER 2023-24
OUR CUP RUNNETH OVER
Taste is everything.
70+ wineries, breweries, and cideries to fill 'er up P.36
STACK ’EM UP
OUR FAVORITE LOCAL DINERS ARE STILL SERVING IT UP OLD SCHOOL
IMBIBE!
LET THESE MOCKTAILS QUENCH YOU THRU DRY JANUARY
MANGEZ!
GORDONSVILLE'S GOT A NEW HUB FOR FRENCH CUISINE
CHEW!
TWO SCRUMMY SANDO SPOTS AND A Q&A WITH THE KING
NOW OPEN! KOREAN BBQ + RESTAURANT
Authentic Korean BBQ at the heart of The Shops at Stonefield serving the unforgettable dining experience infusing traditional Korean cuisine. Authentic Korean BBQ at theVA heart of The Shops at Stonefield 2075 Bond St. Ste 180 Charlottesville, 22901 serving the dining experience infusing traditional Questions? Call us unforgettable at 434-442-4488 Korean cuisine. Reservations and Menus : bulpanbbq.com 2075 Bond St. Ste 180 Charlottesville, VA 22901 Questions? Call us at 434-442-4488
826 Hinton Ave • tavolavino.com
please r u st ic call • 434.972.9463 it a l i a n to• reserve fo o in d advance • wi ne c r aft co ck t a i l s • c i c c he t t i b a r
now accepting reservations for holiday parties in our new private dining room new private dining room You Charlottesville! forThank holiday parties in our now accepting reservations WINNER
BEST RESTAURANT • BEST ITALIAN BEST RESTAURANT WINE LIST BEST FANCY DINNER SPOT
We are a mobile farm pizzeria that uses produce from our farm Olive Branch Gardens. All pizza’s feature our handcrafted sourdough crust and local and pasture raised meats from other farms.
We are a small family farm that grows seasonal vegetables using organic practices. Sign up for our 2024 home delivery & flexible CSA.
Contact us for events!
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please call 434.972.9463 to reserve in advance
Reservations at tavolavino.com • 434.972.9643 826 tavolavino.com 826Hinton HintonAve Ave •• tavolavino.com
www.olivebranchgardens.farm Find us at the Farmers Market at IX park on Saturday Mornings Stay up to date and sign up for our newsletter
V i n e y a r d a n d W i n e r y. F i n e D i n i n g . P r e m i e r e We d d i n g Ve n u e . 540.456.8000 | contact@veritaswines.com | veritaswines.com |
@veritaswinery
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Amuse Bouche 9 New eats CroZeli gets inspo from the Big Easy.
10 Chew and chat On the air with CVille Sandwich King.
11 On a roll Do your research at the Wich Lab.
The Dish 13 Mais oui! Gordonsville’s new French eatery.
15 Dinner to go Greenwood rolls out a supper club.
16 Not forgotten 18 Moving on A longtime local chef ’s new gig.
21 All hail Bar Botanical’s drinks and drag.
The Last Bite Orange you glad it’s winter? PAGE 38
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
Liquor-free mocktails for dry-drinkers.
Order up PAGE 22
From French fries to flapjacks, and burgers to barbecue, these old-school eateries have it all. ON THE COVER: You know what they say: The higher the stack, the closer to your mouth. Find these at The Villa. PHOTO BY: Tristan Williams KNIFE & FORK, a supplement to C-VILLE Weekly, is distributed in Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the Shenandoah Valley. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Knife & Fork Editor Caite Hamilton. Copy Editor Susan Sorensen.
308 E. Main St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 817-2749 n c-ville.com c-ville.com/knife-fork
Contributors Carol Diggs, Mary Esselman, Shea Gibbs, Maeve Hayden, Rachael Kesler, and Susan Sorensen Art Director Max March. Graphic Designer Tracy Federico. Account Executives Lisa C. Hurdle, Brittany Keller, Gabby Kirk, Stephanie Vogtman. Production Coordinator Faith Gibson. Publisher Anna Harrison. Chief Financial Officer Debbie Miller. A/R Specialist Nanci Winter. Circulation Manager Billy Dempsey. ©2023 C-VILLE Weekly.
Knife&Fork 5
Annie Gould Gallery
A unique art gallery located in the heart of historic Gordonsville. 109 S. Main Street, Gordonsville, VA • (540) 832-6352 anniegouldgallery
We focus on curating a small, overperforming selection of wine, beer and gifts!
WINE • BEER CHOCOLATE
GOURMET • GIFTS • TASTINGS We offer 1 hour parking validation at The Corner Parking lot!
7 Elliewood Avenue • thegray.shop •
@the_gray_shop
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Everything for the professional cook to the gourmet home cook to caterers, churches, c-stores... OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Everything the professional something forfor everyone!
FINALIST
cook to the gourmet home cook to caterers, churches, c-stores... something for everyone!
15% OFF
all in-stock smallwares through the end of February. Must present coupon.
4200 sq.ft. showroom Tues.-Fri. 4200 9am sq.ft.- 5pm showroom
540-943-9543 Mon - Fri 9-5, Sat 9-1
1221 West Main Street Waynesboro Va. 22980
540.943.9543
Celebrate Your Next Event with Us Dine-In • Take Out • Delivery • Catering 1966 Rio Hill Center, Charlottesville, VA 22901
1221 W Main Street
Waynesboro, VA 22980
AUTHENTIC AND MODERN Korean Food S E RV I N G L U N C H A N D D I N N E R
TAKE OUT / PATIO SEATING
Monday/Thursday: 11:30 AM to 3PM; 5PM to 8:30 PM Tuesday/Wednesday: Closed FRI/SAT: 11:30-3; 5-9:30 Sunday: 11:30AM to 8:30PM
412 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902 434-956-4110 maru.cville@gmail.com
FREE 1st hour parking Market and Water Street Garage
Making people happy with cheese & wine since 2017
2025 Library Ave, Suite 204, Crozet, VA 22932 434.989.2645 | crozeli.com
406 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall www.tilmanscheeseandwine.com • (434) 566-0777
For more information visit www.charlottesville.org/parksandrec
AmuseBouche
[Sandwich edition]
Get in mah belly, CroZeli New shop continues
Compass space in Crozet come available. The building had suffered a flood and was gutted, but the remaining facilities were serviceable. A small, seasonal sandwich list is the best way to use the space, Rannigan says. CroZeli keeps it interesting between menu changes with inventive specials. One of the most popular was a chopped cheese with Big Mac vibes. Rannigan’s also done a chicken chopped cheese, a take on a cordon bleu, a turkey Rachel, and a Sloppy Jersey with turkey, Swiss, and cole slaw on marble rye. Apparently, that’s what Jersey folks call a “sloppy Joe.” “Google it,” Rannigan says. “We couldn’t label it as a sloppy Joe because
EZE AMOS
WHEN MASON HEREFORD opened Turkey and the Wolf to widespread critical acclaim in the city of New Orleans, it was like a butter knife to Charlottesville’s back. It was like Dave Matthews saying he got his start in Nashville. Hereford, a Charlottesville native and University of Virginia graduate, has won scores of awards for his playful Big Easy sammie shoppe. Charlottesville, meanwhile, couldn’t score a fried bologna sandwich stacked with potato chips (Hereford’s specialty) to save its life. Until CroZeli Sandwich Shop opened on August 14. Service industry lifer Chase Rannigan and his wife Paige created CroZeli with the intention of doing “fun takes on classic sandwiches with wellsourced ingredients.” “Mason has set the bar. I would never compare myself to him—he has a James Beard Award,” Rannigan says. “He was definitely on my radar when we were opening. That was the inspiration for a lot of the menu.” Rannigan, who’s done stints at Pizza Bella, Shebeen, Fardowners, and private catering outfits, got the James Beard part somewhat wrong. Hereford was a 2019 semi-finalist, not a winner. But he’s getting the whimsical sandwiches part totally right. That starts with CroZeli’s bestseller, the Turkey Crunch, featuring turkey, provolone, shredded lettuce, potato chips, pickles, onions, and dill aioli on a sub roll, and folds right into the Italian Fried Bologna, with mortadella, provolone, shredded lettuce, mustard, mayo, and—you guessed it—potato chips. “The menu is fairly small, but we’ll revise it and add stuff, look at the numbers and see what has sold and what hasn’t,” Rannigan says. The limited menu is by design. Rannigan and his wife decided to open CroZeli when they saw the old Morsel
EZE AMOS
tradition of C’ville sandwiches that never was
CroZeli Sandwich Shop takes inspiration from New Orleans sando spot Turkey and the Wolf, but the resulting creations are all the brainchildren of owner Chase Rannigan.
no one would’ve known what it was.” Other top CroZeli sellers are the cheesesteak, festooned with both Cheez Whiz and provolone, a traditional Reuben, and a muffuletta with mortadella, ham, salami, provolone, and olive tapenade towered on ciabatta from Carter’s Specialty Breads. CroZeli also keeps it simple with counter service and no dining room, so your Kitchen Sink with turkey, salami, ham, Swiss, and hot peppers will have to be to-go. “There’s definitely no one else in Crozet doing what we’re doing,” Rannigan says. “We’re a specialty sandwich shop. There’s not really anything to compare it to.”—Shea Gibbs
Knife&Fork 9
AmuseBouche
[Sandwich edition]
The one and only king C’ville’s own social media sandwich royalty speaks out
Knife & Fork: How did you ascend to the local sandwich throne? CVille Sandwich King: I’ve lived here for four years—I came down from northern Virginia. I’m originally from Philadelphia, a great spot if you like sandwiches. So when I moved to northern Virginia, I thought sandwiches were kind of a blindspot. I would be frustrated by people willingly eating at Subway. My affinity for Charlottesville sandwiches started in 2006 when I visited my girlfriend (now wife, known as the Queen on Instagram) and tried a different Littlejohn’s sandwich on each visit. When we moved here, I started trying other places and keeping a diary. My wife said, “You should start a food Insta.” I kind of rolled my eyes but started doing it, mostly as a joke. Then it gained momentum. How often do you eat sandwiches, and how do you choose? I don’t go out as much as I’d like, but recently as I’ve gained more followers, I’ve tried to keep them coming. I try to get out twice a week, once during the week and once on the weekend. If you look at my feed, there are places I go time and again for convenience—a lot of Dürty Nelly’s and The Market at Bellair. I’ve also started to get inbound recs from people. What are your favorite local sandwiches? One place that I think is just incredible is Chickadee. They make their own brioche and these amazing hoagie rolls. The steak frites is sort of a glammed-up
10 Knife&Fork
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
THE SELF-ANOINTED CVILLE Sandwich King would rather not tell you his name. But he’s happy to tell you—not to mention listeners to his “Sandwich Minute” on WTJU and 1,000-plus Instagram followers—where to get a good sammie.—Shea Gibbs
cheesesteak: shaved beef, sharp provolone, caramelized onions, garlic aioli, and demi glace, then they take these thinly fried potatoes and call it a “nest.” Another one—La Michoacana. They have a bunch of tortas, and I love the classic Torta Michoacana; it’s steak, chorizo, and smoked sausage all on a huge roll. At Dürty Nelly’s, my favorite is the Blue Ridge, with roast beef, beer cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and horseradish on a kaiser roll. I guess I’m a steak and beef kind of person. Oh, here’s a tip: Mona Lisa Pasta has some really good sandwiches, and most people don’t think of it.
This guy loves sandwiches, and he posts to tell you about it. Follow the CVille Sandwich King on Instagram @cvillesandwich king.
I see you go to Bodo’s often. What’s your order? I love Bodo’s, but who doesn’t? I had a follower recommend what’s become my go to: a breakfast bagel with pastrami. Pastrami didn’t register with me at first for breakfast, but I guess it’s just another fatty meat. The way they do it—I think they put it on the flattop—it comes hot and charred a little. I get the pastrami with a deli egg and cheddar on everything, but I mix it up from time to time. If you like breakfast, Multiverse Kitchens has a pancake sandwich that’s sort of a gourmet McGriddle, and I love the tasso ham biscuits at JM Stock.
AmuseBouche My affinity for Charlottesville sandwiches started in 2006 when I visited my girlfriend (now wife) and tried a different Littlejohn’s sandwich on each visit. CVILLE SANDWICH KING
Know of any healthy sandwich options? I don’t know if they’re healthy, but for healthier sandwiches, I try to eat some vegetarian options. Greenwood Grocery has a sandwich called the Beauregard with grilled sweet potatoes and kimchi on sourdough with cilantro-chili spread. It’s super delicious and not one of those vegetarian things where you’re still hungry afterward. I’ve only been to Botanical Fare once, but I had the chickpea “tuna” sandwich, and it was really good. I don’t naturally seek healthy options out. If I’m in that mood, I just pop for a salad. You’re from Philly. Any good cheesesteaks around? There are a few places that call sandwiches “cheesesteaks,” but they’re not what we would call a cheesesteak. The one place that does it is Lucky Blue’s Bar; they basically do what we call “Whiz with”—just beef, grilled onions, and Cheese Whiz on an Amoroso’s roll. But honestly, I don’t like to be a guardian of the cheesesteak. I can appreciate something outside the traditional. What is it about sandwiches? For whatever reason, sandwiches seem to sort of shape a lot of people’s perceptions of a geography. They give them a culinary connection to where they live or where they’re from. With sandwiches, there’s this appreciation and connection that people have with one another, and I don’t know why that is. But every time I post, I have people message me and say “you should try this” or “get it this way.” People just want to chat about sandwiches and connect.
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
[Sandwich edition]
The Wich Lab’s Aris Cuadra says his CODE Building spot is a chance to flex his culinary muscles.
Between the buns Highly credentialed chef turns attention to turkey (and roast beef and ham)
ARIS CUADRA’S BEEN RACING around the local restaurant scene for more than a decade, from The Clifton to Tavola, Pasture, and Cafe Bocce. But these days, he’s content just to loaf. That’s right, the Puerto Rican native went all in on sandwiches when he opened the Wich Lab in the CODE Building a few months ago. “I’ve been a chef my entire adult life,” Cuadra says. “I wanted to do something simple using great ingredients and my experience as a chef.” At the Lab, that means carefully crafting hot and cold sandwiches running the gamut from the traditional to the outside-the-breadbox. Cuadra’s got classics like Reubens, Cubans, Italians, and chickens, but they’re all done his way. The one-time New York City chef prides himself on technique—little things like making sure his buns are always buttered and toasted just so. Cuadra says the Wich Lab’s Reuben is popular, along with his breakfast sandwiches and the best-selling Gobble Gobble, featuring turkey, bacon, avocado, everything spread, tomato jam, and arugula on homemade focaccia.
Cuadra buys ciabatta and rye from Albemarle Baking Company; the focaccia is his chance to flex. The Wich Lab’s Cubano is a Tampa take, with salami added to the traditional toppings and grilled focaccia providing the base. Cuadra makes bread every day, but he says day-olds are actually better for the pressed sandwich. “I’ve had people say it was the best sandwich they’ve ever had in their life,” Cuadra says. “That’s not my goal, but it’s nice to hear.” One change Cuadra’s already made to his menu is eliminating stuff he thought he had to have. And while the obligatory vegan option got the hammer, the Lab still cooks up an off-the-wall vegetarian option with charred broccoli, pine nuts, pecorino cheese, potato chips, roasted garlic aioli, and pickled cranberry. “We had a group of older people come out, and they were blown away with potato chips on a sandwich,” Cuadra says. “I have fun with menu writing. I’m creative in every aspect of what I do, from menu writing to the menu itself, the atmosphere, the music.”—Shea Gibbs
Knife&Fork 11
BROUGHT T O YOU BY HARMONY WINERY & C AS TLE HILL CIDER
The Dish T R E N D S, TAST E M A K E R S, A N D F O O D S W E LOV E
Renewing STEPHEN BARLING
a
tradition
Près des Prés revives
French dining in Gordonsville Knife&Fork 13
STEPHEN BARLING
The Dish
By Carol Diggs
14 Knife&Fork
STEPHEN BARLING
A
ndrew Pearson is Virginia born and bred, and always thought he would return to his home state one day. When the COVID shutdown found him and his family quarantined in Birmingham, Alabama, he decided it was time. “I’ve always had my Virginia bag packed,” he says, and soon the family had bought a farm between Gordonsville and Cismont. Soon after, on a stroll through Gordonsville, Pearson passed the recently closed Restaurant Rochambeau, once a highly regarded draw for the town. “I looked in and saw the tables were still set,” he says. “Everyone here wanted the restaurant to reopen.” With a background in hospitality as well as farming—while he was growing up, his family owned an inn that his grandmother ran—Pearson had a conversation with the restaurant’s owners. “I expected a long discussion,” Pearson admits, “but within 10 minutes Jacqueline Gupton and her husband said okay.” His new restaurant opened a month later, in August 2023, under a new name: Près des Prés, meaning “near the meadows” (the Pearsons’ farm is called The Meadows). Pearson was drawn to the idea of bringing fine French dining back to the Main Street site of Rochambeau and its nationally known predecessor, Pomme. While many people may think French dining features stereotypical French dishes, he says, “French cooking is
With Près des Prés, Andrew Pearson aims to bring fine French dining back to the Main Street site of Rochambeau and its nationally known predecessor, Pomme.
more about ingredients and techniques.” Beyond that, he was really excited at the prospect of “doing something good for Gordonsville and the wider community.” Luckily for his suddenly short timeline, Person found the perfect chef close to home—actually, at his house. Abby Duck, a graduate of Johnson & Wales University’s noted culinary program, had worked her way up to chef du cuisine at the Tasting Counter outside Boston, and when she decided to move closer to her family in this area, she took a job as chef for Pearson’s family. And, as it turned out, she was his first choice to help him launch the new venture.
When it comes to preparing French food, Duck says she starts “with what I would like to eat, and then make it French. I like to use lesser-known French ingredients, things that people aren’t as familiar with.” Working from a list of seasonal vegetables, Duck designs each month’s menu to include three vegetarian dishes and three protein-based dishes. She looks for ingredients from the area (including from the Pearsons’ farm and garden), and is working on building relationships with local suppliers. For now, Duck makes every dish from scratch, including the desserts: “I do all the baking, except the bread—that’s from Albemarle Baking Company.” For now, Près des Prés is open for dinner Wednesdays through Saturdays. Service is limited to 10 tables or a maximum of 26 guests, with a three-course prix fixe menu of the month posted on the restaurant’s website. As an example of Duck’s mix of tradition and originality, November’s menu featured pistachio soup with squash, crème fraîche, and tuile or Brussels sprouts with yam, lemon, Dijon, and blood orange as starters, followed by fresh spaghetti with yuzu, chive, sea urchin roe, and cream or pommes darphin with chili oil, crème fraiche, and watercress. Entrées were scallops with risotto, hazelnut, sage, and pomegranate, or venison with sunchoke, green peppercorns, and broccoli rabe. “We want dining here to be an experience,” says Pearson—but not the intimidating one some people associate with fine French cuisine. The restaurant still looks much like Rochambeau, warm and inviting, a place you want to linger over a meal. Families are welcome, says Pearson, who makes sure to be a visible host. Reactions from patrons have been very positive, says the new restaurateur: “It’s a real honor to have people come from D.C., Fredericksburg, and Richmond. We even had a couple come here as their honeymoon treat.” In response to that positive interest, the restaurant will be open for one Sunday this year, on December 31, for a special five-course New Year’s Eve tasting menu. But Pearson also wants Près des Prés to be a gathering point for locals, and he hopes to be open more days as the business settles in, and wants more people to stop by the restaurant’s bar (open from 5 to 9 every night the restaurant is open). Duck’s bar menu includes crêpes, frites, and French onion soup (naturellement!), as well as desserts and a grazing board. A recent addition is the newest gourmet treat: artisan tinned fish. It goes very well with Champagne.
The Dish
Supper’s ready
Two kitchen managers bring culinary creativity and collaboration to Greenwood Grocery By Maeve Hayden
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here’s something special about family-owned establishments. The storied buildings contain years of history, the owners are always hard at work alongside employees, and regulars come back year after year for recipes that are passed down and tweaked through the generations. In Crozet, Greenwood Gourmet Grocery has been a roadside staple since 1999. Owners Nina Promisel and David Atwell built the shop on the foundations of a traditional fruit stand, and they’ve worked hard to build it into the sandwich and wine emporium that it is today. The shop is bustling year-round with Route 250 roadtrippers looking for a snack, and regulars who stop by to grab fresh bread from Albemarle Baking Co., local produce, or a cold can of craft beer. On the weekends, the kitchen churns out sandwiches like the Blue Slate (smoked turkey, havarti, lettuce, tomato, and ancho lime mayo) and Italian (soppressata and Genoa salami, provolone, diced peppers, lettuce, and housemade Italian vinaigrette) faster than you can count. Promisel and Atwell’s kids, Zeke, Amos, and Ella, have been instrumental in Greenwood’s success over the years—one of them could usually be found manning the register, managing the kitchen, or moving one of the many impressively large pots that live outside. Nowadays, the kids aren’t working in the store as much, and an ever-growing customer base meant Promisel needed to bring in some extra hands. Reggie Calhoun and Nathan Hatfield joined the Greenwood team as kitchen managers at the beginning of the year, and they’re helping usher the store into a new chapter of culinary creativity. Their journey to the Greenwood kitchen is almost unbelievably coincidental. Some might chalk it up to fate. “I was in D.C. up until five years ago,” says Hatfield. “I moved here and was working at Mount Ida until November of last year.” After leaving Mount Ida, Hatfield was hired at former West Main Street restaurant Little Star, where Calhoun had been working for
Greenwood Grocery’s new kitchen managers, Reggie Calhoun (pictured) and Nathan Hatfield, have launched Supper Club, a $45 dinner that feeds two people, with a menu that changes every two weeks.
four years. Before Hatfield’s first day of work, Little Star closed. So the two went job hunting, and both landed at Greenwood. Hatfield started just after Christmas in 2022, and Calhoun soon joined him. “Nina asked if I would be okay if Reggie came on, I was like hell yeah,” says Hatfield. They’ve been tag-teaming Greenwood’s kitchen ever since. Their easy collaboration is obvious watching them move about the space, and their new items fit in perfectly alongside Promisel’s tried-and-true favorites. Calhoun’s pizza Sunday special is a big hit for customers looking to grab-and-go, and on the weekends, the limited Reggie Burger appears on the menu, featuring local in-house ground beef, housemade pickles, a relish spread, bacon, and havarti. One of their largest undertakings, though, is the Supper Club, a $45 dinner that feeds two people. The menu changes every two weeks, and you can add desserts, sides, and wine pairings. Calhoun and Hatfield collaborate on the menu, with Calhoun usually tackling the savory side and Hatfield making the breads and desserts. Past Supper Clubs include the Greek Goodness dinner, which featured housemade pita and hummus, with grilled mushrooms and a black-
eyed pea stew and a grilled half chicken with lemon, garlic, and za’atar. The Breakfast for Dinner meal had a bacon and potato tortilla española with tomato jam, biscuits, and house sausage gravy, chickpea cakes, and a panna cotta with granola and a fall fruit compote. “It’s going awesome. It’s the first time we’ve done anything like this,” says Promisel. “They’ve mastered the stuff that we are already doing and they’re building on it and enhancing it. It’s a great way for these guys to do more interesting and creative stuff than we can offer out of the deli case.” Hiring two kitchen managers might seem unconventional, but Promisel says it’s been the best decision she’s made. “It wouldn’t have worked with other people,” she says. “But between their personalities it’s worked out beautifully and really well.” The KMs have a ton of ideas up their sleeves that they can’t talk about yet, but in the meantime they’re enjoying sharing their ideas with the Greenwood community. “I’m mostly just trying to preserve [the legacy] and add my touches,” Hatfield says. “Nina is open to all of it. I know almost everyone who walks through that door has been here before and I want to make it a good experience for them.”
Knife&Fork 15
The Dish
Glass half full
Dry January doesn’t have to leave you feeling empty By Rachael Kesler
Sidle up to the bar at Public Fish & Oyster House for mocktails made with Lyre’s NA spirits. We love the Spritz N’ Giggles because it’s really fun to say and, with its mix of Lyre’s NA Campari, seltzer, grapefruit cordial, and lemon, it’s a tart and tantalizing treat. Duck into Maya and choose from five different mocktails including the Fleur de Nie. We loved the combination of elderberry syrup (yay, immunity booster!), lime, and soda. Maya’s menu also features Heineken Zero beer, a good near beer option for those craving the hoppy refreshment of a cold lager. Further down West Main Street, grab a nonalcoholic margarita at Continental Divide
16 Knife&Fork
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s the holidays wind down, many of us start to question our copious alcohol consumption. For some, the best way to counter a wet holiday season is with dry January—a month-long hiatus from drinking alcohol. If the thought of giving your body and mind a break from alcohol appeals to you, but you’re worried about missing out on the yummy libations all your friends will be imbibing when you go out, fear not. Charlottesville’s bar scene has developed a surprisingly broad menu of NA cocktails and beer. And guess what? Taking a break from alcohol—even if only for a few weeks—can help improve your body and mind almost immediately. In addition to a clearer head (alcohol consumption is linked to memory trouble, slowed reaction time, difficulty controlling behavior, poor concentration, and even long-term depression and anxiety), you may notice clearer-looking skin, more sound and restful sleep, and better-fitting pants. As you dive into a dry January, try one of these.
(extra salt, please!) to go with your Red, Hot N’ Blues and Santa Fe Enchilada. Kanak Indian Kitchen at Fifth Street Station serves some of the best Indian food we’ve ever had stateside, along with a selection of nonalcoholic beverages to wash down your Sabjiwala. The Cacaowali Thandai mixes milk, cardamom, saffron, iris, and black tea for a spicy, satisfying sip. At The Bebedero on the Downtown Mall, enjoy modern Mexican cuisine and let the bartender mix up a mocktail to suit you. When we visited, the bartender customized a mocktail for us (slightly sweet and tropical) that perfectly complemented our tacos al pastor. Just off the mall, Tonic offers several zero-proof cocktails, like the Pom Pom Spritz,
Pleasing pints In addition to the array of mocktails you can find in Charlottesville’s restaurants, many craft brewers have also started offering NA beer, or near beer. Three Notch’d brews some stellar NA options, while Random Row sells Athletic Brewing Company beer at its tap room on Preston Avenue. Kardinal Hall also offers NA beer and kombucha, as does Beer Run, where you can take a wide variety of NA beers in six-packs to go.
The Dish
MODERN JAPANESE CUISINE
We are truly humbled and grateful to receive this year’s Best of Cville Award, and for all of the continued support from our guests over the past year. Love, The Team at Ten Open for Dinner Every Tuesday - Saturday at 5:00 PM Reserve your table today by calling us at 434 295 6691 or by finding us on OpenTable
a zingy mix of pomegranate syrup, orange, lemon, and soda. (There’s also NA beer on the menu from local Three Notch’d Brewery.) Down in Woolen Mills, Selvedge Brewing offers two different mocktails, including one that’s perfect for cold winter nights: the Harvest Mule. The Mule combines apple cider, ginger beer, and lime for a spicy and interesting palate pleaser that’s as close as you can get to a Moscow Mule without the booze. Finally, pop into Firefly for a selection of mocktails and other nonalcoholic beverages including kombucha and Crunchy Hydration’s Om grapefruit sparkling water drink with an added 15mg of CBD. Come for the NA drinks, stay for the arcade and board games.
At Public Fish & Oyster, the Spritz and Giggles mixes pomegranate syrup, orange, lemon, and soda. Or sip on a Fleur de Nie at Maya, which combines elderberry syrup with lime and soda.
WINNER
BEST SUSHI
120B E. Main Street on the Downtown Mall
www.ten-sushi.com
Knife&Fork 17
The Dish
Humph’s day
Hospitality mainstay Chris Humphrey gets carte blanche at new seafood restaurant By Shea Gibbs
18 Knife&Fork
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C
hris Humphrey has paid his dues in local kitchens. So when he and restaurateur Stefan Friedman officially open their new seafood spot Bonny & Read, he’ll have earned the right to call the shots. Humphrey has experience writing menus going back at least a decade to his time as executive chef at Rapture. But there have always been restrictions to his reign. Even when he bought Fellini’s and installed himself as executive chef in 2017, he “had to do Italian.” Other career stops have been at Maya, Bizou, Metropolitan, Brasserie Saison, and The Whiskey Jar. That last, a soft landing space offered by friend and restaurateur Wilson Richey after Humphrey’s Brasserie travails, ended up being a shorter stay than he’d expected. Just months after going to work at the Jar, Humphrey began talking to Friedman about a concept the chef had been thinking about for 20 years: casual, modern Mid-Atlantic seafood. And just weeks after they started talking, Humphrey had a new job. According to Humphrey, one reason the timeline was short was the need to jump on the Downtown Mall space Friedman found for the restaurant—namely, the one vacated by Brasserie Saison. Friedman, who bought Ace Biscuit & Barbecue earlier this year, saw in the old Brasserie dining room an opportunity to expand his own growing restaurant group, which he’s branded A Moveable Feast. Bonny & Read held a soft opening for friends and family in mid-November, but Humphrey and Friedman aren’t ready to announce a formal opening date. According to Humphrey, when they do open, patrons can expect something other than “your classic seafood place,” with a local beef program running alongside features like flounder and crab. “It’s not a raw bar,” Humphrey says. “A lot of seafood places don’t have many non-seafood options. Being on the Downtown Mall, we want to offer that.” Humphrey points to Public Fish & Oyster to help position Bonny & Read. “They do what they do really
Chris Humphrey’s been in a lot of kitchens around Charlottesville, and soon he’ll add a new venture to his list: Seafood spot Bonny & Read, in the former Brasserie Saison space, will serve up surf and turf.
The Dish well,” he says. “There’s no need for us to replicate that.” Humphrey, who’s been known over the years for creative southern dishes like Rapture’s Hillbilly Egg Rolls and Fellini’s Pimento Cheese Ravioli, said he’ll be true to his roots at Bonny & Read. Going down-coast to the Mid-Atlantic means he can capitalize on ingredients from below the Mason-Dixon and serve dishes like butter bean hummus, she-crab soup, and whole roasted fish. “Really what we are trying to do is modern-feeling but recognizable food in a casual setting,” Humphrey says. Humphrey promises the libations at Bonny & Read will be wine-driven but also feature craft cocktails. He and the Moveable Feast team have made some changes to the Brasserie Saison space, but “it was set up for success.” In addition to the lack of creative restrictions, Humphrey hopes his latest career move comes with some much needed stability. During his three years at Brasserie, he engaged in a public exchange over lack of payment by ownership; that, followed by the quick in and out at The Whiskey Jar, have been difficult. One upshot is Humphrey and Friedman are content to take it slow with Bonny & Read. Humphrey says Moveable Feast has a few other projects in the works (that he’s not free to divulge), and as Friedman works on those, he’s hoping to set a hard opening date and be cooking at least four days a week by early next year. Humphrey’s in the process of hiring a frontof-house manager, sous chef, line cooks, and bar manager—all the while working on the part of restaurants he loves: menu writing. “I’ve got this dessert I’ve been playing around with that I’ve never had the right audience for,” Humphrey says. “It’s an old forgotten dessert I discovered 10 or 11 years ago—think key lime pie but made with lemon, and instead of graham cracker, it has a slightly-sweet saltine cracker crust.” Humphrey’s seen a lot in his decades as a Charlottesville chef, and he says he’s hopeful for the future—and not just his own. He sees the restaurant industry continuing to improve and other kitchens around town bustling. “You know, the last couple of months, I haven’t done a lot of cooking,” he says. “I’m sort of out of the loop, but all my friends keep telling me how tired they are ‘cause they’re so busy. I think Bonny & Read can fill a spot that needs to be filled downtown. There are a lot of great restaurants and variety, but I think we’ll be unique.”
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Thibaut-Janisson was born from a long friendship that began in a Grand Cru village in the Champagne region of France and continues today in Blue Ridge Mountains of Charlottesville, Virginia. Thibaut-Janisson Winery | Charlottesville, Virginia | (434) 996-3307 | claude@tjwinery.com
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The Dish
Dinner and a show
Bar Botanical brings vegan eats and drag shows to Crozet By Maeve Hayden
SUPPLIED PHOTOS
I
f it weren’t for the Blue Ridge Mountains, restaurateur Ryan Becklund might not have brought her downtown vegan eatery Botanical Fare to Charlottesville. A seasoned food service worker with eight years under her belt, Becklund was working at a vegan restaurant with locations in Washington, D.C., and Virginia Beach when the pandemic began. “[The restaurant] was starting to grow and it became a much more full-time role for me,” says Becklund. “It was a career path that I wound up loving. And then COVID hit and it gave me time to reprioritize and think about what I really wanted to do long-term. I decided I wanted to do my own thing.” Becklund had been vegan for years, so she knew she wanted her menu to be entirely plantbased. The challenge was deciding where to go. Becklund and her partner wanted to be on the East Coast, and eventually they were deciding between Charlottesville and Asheville. “The decision to come here was the mountains. That was a big draw,” says Becklund. “I could see in Charlottesville that there was a lack of a fully vegan place. There are some great options in a lot of the restaurants here, but I knew there wasn’t a fully vegan one. So I figured it might be a little easier to get in and hopefully excite all the customers here.” After its March 2022 opening, Botanical Fare quickly solidified itself as one of the city’s most popular new joints, for vegans and carnivores alike. The Crunchy Cauliflower Bowl, a savory dish with sticky rice and garlic ginger cauliflower nugs, has a cult-like following, the seasonal specials are always worth a try, and every now and then the unsuspecting space is transformed into a drag venue. You never know when you’ll see queens dancing between the tables and showing off their moves on top of the coffee counter. It’s no surprise that Botanical quickly outgrew its kitchen, so talk turned to expanding, and this past summer, its sister concept, Bar Botanical, opened in Crozet. Bar Botanical offers the same from-scratch, healthy vegan food that flagship regulars have come to know and love.
At the casual sister restaurant to Botanical Fare, Bar Botanical, expect bar food—and the occasional drag show.
“It’s very similar in terms of the style of food,” Becklund says. “We do a little more ‘bar-style’ food. In Botanical we don’t use meat substitutions, but we use some impossible meats in Bar Botanical. It’s a little more approachable, casual.” Located in Piedmont Place’s coveted rooftop space, Bar Botanical serves up delectable dishes like loaded hash browns, popcorn chicken bites, and wonton nachos alongside craft cocktails, draft beers, and wine. Inclusivity is at the core of Botanical’s mission, so it was always the plan to bring the drag shows out to Crozet, and the performers have even more room to strut their stuff thanks to the larger space. In a small town with little to no nightlife, the drag shows have been a hit. Even without performances, diners can still enjoy dinner and a show thanks to the rooftop views, which perfectly capture the sun setting over the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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WHAT
CAN
I GET
YA?
CHARLOTTESVILLE’S DINERS OFFER MORE THAN EATS BY MARY ESSELMAN, MAEVE HAYDEN, TAMI KEAVENY, AND SUSAN SORENSEN Walking in to a busy diner is an exciting sensory experience. The clang of silverware and dishes banging around, orders called from front-of-house to back, and air laden with the savory perfume of the kitchen. Trays go by filled with warm toasty waffles, deliciously greasy bacon and eggs, chicken-fried steak, Reuben sandwiches, turkey melts, and thick slices of lemon meringue pie. The anticipation builds until you’re seated, a server splashes coffee into a thick china cup, and asks, “What can I get ya?” Charlottesville has plenty of formal restaurants, but lucky for us, the city also abounds with (too many to count!) diners that deliver a nostalgic dream of American mealtime, where the food feeds the soul and the folks feel familiar. Here’s a roundup of some of our favorites. This story first appeared in C-VILLE Weekly.
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TRISTAN WILLIAMS
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WHAT CAN I GET YA? A NEW MOON
Blue Moon Diner has evolved many times since its inception in 1979: owners Laura Galgano and Rice Hall took the reins, a lengthy closure, thanks to years of construction, COVID-19, and now a new service model. But some things never change. Last month, the midtown diner switched to a coffee shop-style service. No more reservations, just walk in and choose your stickered booth (during the weekend brunch madness you’ll still have to put your name on a waitlist), then order through QR codes or up at the counter using a self-serve kiosk—and don’t forget to drop your dirty plates in a bus bin when you’re done. Though ordering looks a little different, it’s still the same heavenly Blue Moon food coming out of the kitchen—like the ever-popular Hogwaller Hash with a side of home fries, or crispy beignets topped with powdered sugar—and the restaurant is full of familiar faces running food and making drinks, including Galgano. Blue Moon’s coffee selection continues to reign supreme, with bottomless Trager Brothers Blue Moon Blend for $3, and canned Snowing in Space nitro cold brew for $5. And, of course, Wednesday evenings are still for Jim Waive. The local musician brings the classic country tunes, Blue Moon shakes the cocktails and not-tails, and diners enjoy eggs all night long.—MH
EZE AMOS
Blue Moon Diner | 606 W. Main St. | bluemoondiner.net
SOUL-FILLING STATION
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Mel’s Cafe | 719 W. Main St.| facebook.com/
Like its longtime proprietor Mel Walker, this legendary Charlottesville landmark exudes an aura of relaxed excellence. Stop by near lunchtime, and you’ll find a line out the door, giving you a chance to peruse the menu taped to the window. Will you opt for breakfast, served all day? Perhaps the George Omelette: ham, cheese, onions, green peppers, and diced tomatoes, topped with chili beans? Or is lunch calling you to the fried fish sub or that BBQ rib sandwich? Your stomach and heart rumble in anticipation of stick-to-the-ribs ecstasy, and already you know what you’ve heard
is true: Mel’s, with its humble, homespun name, offers food for the soul. Community photos cover the walls inside, along with tributes to beloved friends (and to the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins). A sign above the cash register reads: “Family, where life begins, and love never ends.” Life and love never tasted as good as the fried chicken you order once you reach the counter and ask for Mel’s most popular dish. Hot, moist, and crunchy, it’s made to order and worth the 15-minute wait. Creamy mac and cheese, followed by Mel’s famous sweet potato pie complete the outof-body experience.—ME
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SPEAK SHORT ORDER
We can’t guarantee you’ll hear these terms tossed around the kitchen at your favorite local haunt, but just in case you do, it’s more fun if you speak the language. Adam and Eve on a raft and wreck ’em: two scrambled eggs on toast Axle grease: butter Birds in a nest: a fried egg on toast with a hole cut out of the center Blonde with sand: coffee with cream and sugar Bucket of hail: glass of ice Creep: draft beer Drag it through the garden: a hamburger, hot dog, or sandwich with all condiments on it Frog sticks: French fries Fry two, let the sun shine: two eggs fried on one side, unflipped with unbroken, runny yolks George Eddy: customer who didn’t leave a tip Go for a walk: take-out order Love apples: tomatoes Mouse trap: grilled cheese sandwich Pin a rose on it: add onion to a dish Sea dust: salt Throw it in the mud: add chocolate syrup
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
Wax: American cheese
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WHAT CAN I GET YA? THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
Something wonderful is going on at The Villa Diner. And it’s not just the joy we felt when The Wahoo (buttermilk pancakes, eggs, and sausage) and Super Big Complete Breakfast (bacon, hash browns, biscuits, and cheese on the scrambled eggs, please) arrived at our table. We’re talking about an epidemic of paying it forward at the popular Emmet Street eatery. Just ask Mike, a local unhoused man. Or the Albemarle High School track team. Or the random person who’s caught the attention of a couple of UVA football players who regularly buy a stranger breakfast. “It happens all the time,” says Jennifer Beachley, who’s co-owned the Villa with her husband Ken since 2005. One long-time customer buys everything from a veggie omelet to a Philly cheesesteak or grilled turkey melt (three of the diner’s most popular items) for people she’s never met, several times a month. “She says it’s the best part of her week,” according to Beachley, who gave the woman a map of the restaurant so she could give the cashier specific table numbers when paying her bill. As if a Reuben and fries for under 10 bucks isn’t enough, imagine your delight when, after polishing off a plate of steak and eggs, you get to the register and learn that the guy who might score the winning touchdown at Scott Stadium this weekend has picked up the tab for your meal.—SS
EZE AMOS
The Villa Diner | 1250 Emmet St. N. | thevilladiner.com
BUCKS AND PUCKS
Moose’s by the Creek | 1710 Monticello Rd. facebook.com/moosesbythecreek
If you’re looking for the classic country diner experience—with a twist—gather your herd and head to Moose’s by the Creek. Tucked inside an unassuming building off Monticello Road, the family-owned eatery serves breakfast all day, juicy burgers, and specialty sweets for a reasonable price. Loyal patrons stop by every week to tuck into their tried-and-true favorites, like the Maine Moose (eggs, home fries, and your choice of meat and carb for $8) or the CVille Way (French toast topped with whipped butter, eggs, home fries, and a protein for $12). The pancakes are delightfully fluffy, the Mimoosas are bottomless for only $20, and it’s one of the few restaurants in town that serves scrapple as a side.
You can’t talk about Moose’s without mentioning the elephant in the room, which in this case is a moose—and a bear, and a turkey, and a deer. Yep, you read that right. Moose’s multiple dining rooms are tastefully decorated with busts of taxidermied animals. If that’s not your thing, they do offer takeout. In addition to housing racks of antlers (with one that patrons stand under for the ubiquitous Moose crown), the restaurant also has a hockey sports bar in one of its back rooms, complete with foosball, pool, signed memorabilia, and, come hockey season, a room full of Caps fans rooting for Ovi to score another goal.—MH
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ABERDEEN BARN Virginia’s finest steakhouse since 1965. best pizza
1551 E High St, Charlottesville (434) 872-0070 • fabiosnypizza.com
20% OFF CHRISTMAS GIFT CARDS FOR A LIMITED TIME
The Taste of Turkey, Experience a world renowned delicacy from Turkey in the heart of downtown Charlottesville. Our authentic and delicious Döner Kebab is prepared in the Turkish street food tradition with homemade falafel. They are served in pita sandwiches, in wraps and in bowls. It is healthy, affordable and delicious. dine in, take out or delivery options. CATERING AVAILABLE FOR YOUR SPECIAL EVENT!
Also...
LOOK FOR OUR FOOD TRUCK!
111 W Water St, Charlottesville (434) 328-8786
www.otto-cville.com
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Serving award winning Roast Prime Rib, Certified Angus steaks cooked over a live charcoal hearth, succulent seafood, classic cocktails, and exceptional wines. Join us Wednesday Saturday from 5 pm. Reservations 434-296-4630 2018 Holiday Drive www.aberdeenbarn.com
WHAT CAN I GET YA? STACK ’EM UP Tip Top Restaurant | 1420 Richmond Rd. | tiptoprestaurant.com
EZE AMOS
Somehow Tip Top manages to be both a Southern and a Northeastern diner. Head in for breakfast, and you’ll find corn cakes (“a true Southern delight,” declares the menu) and a country ham special that includes two eggs, home fries, and grits. A cheerful waitress greets you with “Good morning, honey!” and a hot mug of coffee (better than Starbucks but not as good as JBird Supply). You might try the popular buckwheat pancakes (“Tastes like you’re in Texas”), or the two biscuits with sausage gravy and two eggs, about as Southern as you can get. Show up for lunch or dinner, however, and you’ll feel the “Seinfeld” vibe of Jerry, George, and Elaine’s NYC diner, Monk’s Café. Owner Terry Vassolous, originally from Greece, has crafted a menu full of Greek and Italian specialties, from grape leaves, souvlaki, and moussaka to lasagna, manicotti, and fettuccini alfredo. The meatballs are sublime, and the pizzas stand out for their Greek-influenced toppings, like the peasant’s feta cheese, fresh tomatoes, black olives, scallions, bell peppers, and pepperoni. There’s even a “big salad” (one Greek, one chef). Any time of day, Tip Top feels sparkling and friendly, a haven for weary families, workers, students, and Route 250 travelers.—ME
TWO TAMMYS AND A SIDE OF LOVE Around the corner from UVA Medical Center, the Korner Restaurant has been feeding Cherry Avenue and Lee Street folks for over 50 years. “A good place to eat, where two streets meet,” proclaims the menu, and that’s what you find at the Korner, from 5:30am to 4pm, hefty, low-cost portions of hearty homemade food, with a side dish of neighborly love. Philip Templeton runs the place that’s been in his family since 1950, arriving at 3:30am to prepare from-scratch dishes like macaroni salad, cole slaw, potato salad, and BBQ. Once the breakfast rush starts, he’s at the counter with his regulars, who show up every day.
Two Tammys and a core Korner crew keep the place humming. Tammy One greets you like your favorite aunt, bringing you heaping portions of home fries and grits, and keeping the strong coffee coming. A Korner mainstay for decades, she lights up describing customer favorites: the juicy burgers (fresh ground beef, never frozen), stuffed subs, tangy wing dings, and homemade chicken salad. Tammy Two handles the griddle, the register, and any diner thing that needs doing. Wahoowa-proud, the Korner loves the community it serves.—ME
MARTYN KYLE
The Korner Restaurant | 415 Roosevelt Brown Blvd. korner-restaurant.business.site
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Breads, Pastries & Cof fee. Breakfast, Lunch & Br unch. MarieBette Café & Baker y 700 Rose Hill Drive, Charlottesville · 434.529.6118 Petite MarieBette 105 E Water Street, Charlottesville · 434.284.8903 mariebette.com
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WHAT CAN I GET YA? THE OG WITH COCKTAILS Waiting in line for a table at The Nook during the weekend brunch rush is one of those quintessential Charlottesville experiences. One of C’ville’s OG diners, The Nook opened in 1951, and offers an elevated diner experience with local and seasonal offerings and specialty cocktails. A Nook brunch is best experienced at one of the coveted outdoor patio seats—just be prepared to wait in line (pro tip: Send one person to the restaurant 20 minutes before you’d like to eat to put your party’s name on the list). Though the wait can sometimes be up to 30 minutes, it’s not unpleasant. The hosts juggle and flip tables with ease, waiters bustle back and forth carrying steaming plates that make your stomach growl, and if you’re lucky, a busker’s accordion rendition of “Toxic” by Britney Spears will drift down the mall. As you peruse the menu and begin sipping on your mug of coffee, keep these three things in mind: the breakfast potatoes, which are perfectly seasoned and served with peppers and onions, are some of the yummiest in the city, brunch pairs best with a boozy cocktail, like the Spiced Apple Mimosa, and you have to try the eggs benny at least once.—MH
ELLIE WILLIAMS
The Nook | 415 E. Main St., Downtown Mall thenookcville.com
SING WITH YOUR SUPPER Holly’s is a nighttime diner, offering comfort food and friendly fun from 5pm to 2am, Tuesday through Saturday. The place is funky and cute, with an industrial-meets-farm chic, and a honkytonk happy soul. An older crowd comes early to claim swivel-stool seats at the long concrete bar, or to grab a spot at the hidden outdoor patio. There they throw back signature cocktails like the Belmont Sweet Tea (Southern tea with a kick), while enjoying Holly’s most popular dinner dishes—homemade meatloaf, chicken poblano pot pie, Brussels sprout hash, and fried green tomatoes.
After 9pm, a younger crowd fills the tables and booths near the small stage that sparkles with live music on Fridays and Saturdays, Thunder Music Karaoke on Tuesdays, Open Mic Night on Wednesdays, Game Night on Thursdays, and, on occasion, Goth Takeovers with DJs. Folks who work and party into the wee hours love Holly’s late-night handheld options, like the catfish po’boy, Reuben sandwich, and the Hangover Burger (gently dressed with bacon, fried egg, pepper, pepper jack cheese, special hot sauce, and lettuce). Even the olds often hang around for dinner and “a show,” just to chat with beloved manager, Morgan, and to soak in the diner’s welcoming vibe.—ME
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
Holly’s Diner | 1221 E. Market St. | facebook.com/HollysDinerCville
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All you can eat Asian Cuisine Akira Level Ramen & Sushi Japanese cuisine. 3912 Lenox Ave., Ste. 320. akirasushiramen.com $ Asian Express Chinese and Japanese with healthy options. 909 W. Main St. newasianexpress.com. $ Bad Luck Ramen Bar A restaurant and bar built directly into North American Sake Brewery. 522 Second St. SE., Unit E. badluckramen.com. $ Bamboo House Korean and Chinese options. 4831 Seminole Trail. 973-9211. $$ Bang! Asian-inspired tapas and inventive martinis. 213 Second St. SW. bang restaurant.net. $$ Chang Thai Traditional and innovative dishes. 1232 Emmet St. changthaicville. com. $$ Chimm Thai Thai street food. 5th Street Station; Dairy Market. chimmtaste.com. $$ Coconut Thai Kitchen Thai favorites from the Monsoon Siam team. 1015 Heathercroft Ln., Crozet. coconutcrozet.com. $$ Doma Korean-style barbecue, kimchi, and more. 701 W. Main St. domakorean kitchen.com. $ Himalayan Fusion Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan cuisine. 520 E. Main St. himalayan fusion.com. $ Kanak Indian Kitchen Offering traditional homemade Indian food, plus cocktails. 5th Street Station. kanakcville.com. $ Lemongrass Vietnam meets Thailand. 104 14th St. NW. 244-THAI. $$ Lime Leaf Thai An upscale Thai experience. Rio Hill Shopping Center. 245-8884. $$ Marco & Luca Chinese snack food, including dumplings, sesame noodles, and pork buns. 112 W. Main St., Downtown Mall; 107 Elliewood Ave.; Seminole Square Shopping Center. $ Maru Korean BBQ & Grill Traditional Korean food with modern additions. 412 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. maru downtown.com. $ Manila Street Filipino food. Dairy Market. dairymarketcville.com. $ Mashu Festival Authentic Asian festival food. Dairy Market. dairymarketcville.com. $ Milan Indian Cuisine Authentic Indian cuisine with all the standards. 1817 Emmet St. milan-indian-cuisine.com $$ Mochiko Hawaiian eats and suggested Hawaiian beer pairings. 5th Street Station. hawaiianfoodcville.com. $ Monsoon Siam Original Thai cuisine. 113 W. Market St. monsoonsiamcville.com. $$ Mashumen Japanese ramen and rice bowls. 2208 Fontaine Ave. mashumen. com. $$ Nguyen’s Kitchen Dim sum, dumplings, noodle soups, and more. 900 Gardens Blvd., Ste. 500. nguyenskitchenva.com. $ Now & Zen Gourmet Japanese and sushi. 202 Second St. NW. nowand zencville.square.site. $$ Pad Thai Homestyle Thai cooking from an experienced chef. 156 Carlton Rd. padthaicville.com. $$
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Pei Wei Asian Kitchen Chinese staples from fresh ingredients. 5th Street Station. peiwei.com. $ Pineapples Thai Kitchen Thai favorites from the Monsoon Siam team. 722 Preston Ave. pineapplescville.com. $$ Peter Chang China Grill Authentic Sichuan cuisine by a renowned chef. Barracks Road Shopping Center North Wing. peterchangcharlottesville.com. $$ Red Lantern Chinese cuisine by the pint or quart. 221 Carlton Rd. redlantern charlottesville.com. $ Seoul Korean BBQ & Hotpot All you can eat Korean BBQ and hotpot. 100 Zan Rd. seoulbbqhotpot.com. $$ Silk Thai Fresh, authentic Thai. 2210 Fontaine Ave. charlottesville.silkthai restaurant.com. $$ Tara Thai Affordable Thai faves, with multiple meat, fish, and veggie options. Barracks Road Shopping Center. tarathai.com. $$ Taste of China Chinese standards from a lengthy menu. Albemarle Square Shopping Center. tasteofchinacharlottesville. com. $$ Ten Upscale second-floor spot serving modern Japanese. 120 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ten-sushi.com. $$$ Thai ’99 II Thai noodle and rice dishes, curries, and stirfrys. Albemarle Square. thai99usa.com. $ Thai Cuisine & Noodle House Traditional Thai food, noodle dishes, and vegetarian specials. 2005 Commonwealth Dr. thaicuisinecville.com. $$ Umma’s Korean and Japanese-American cuisine. 200 W. Water St. ummasfood. com. $$ Vu Noodles Fresh, vegetarian Vietnamese noodles, pho, bahn mi, and more. 111 E. Water St. vunoodles.com. $
Bakeries Albemarle Baking Company Breads, cakes, and pastries. 418 W. Main St. albemarlebakingco.com. $
Paradox Pastry Known for biscuits, European pastries, and the legendary DMB cookies and brownies. 313 Second St. SE. #103. paradoxpastry.com. $ Petite MarieBette MarieBette’s little sister. 105 E. Water St. mariebette.com. $ Praha Bohemian Bakery and Cafe Czech and American pastries. 5778 Three Notched Rd., Crozet. @prahacrozet. $ Quality Pie Ex-Mas chef Tomas Rahal serves Spanish-inspired fare. 309 Avon St. qualitypieva.com. $$ Sliced. cake bar Mobile bakery offering whole cakes, cake flights, cake pops, and buttercream shots. slicedcakebar.com. $
Bars and Grills Alamo Drafthouse Burgers, pizzas, salads, snacks, and desserts prepared fresh from locally sourced ingredients. 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com. $ Beer Run Massive tap and packaged beer offerings, plus food. 156 Carlton Rd. beerrun.com. $$ Bobboo A curated list of whiskeys from Virginia and around the world, with bespoke charcuterie boards and classic, hand-crafted cocktails. 499 W. Main St. quirkhotels.com. $$
The Lobby Bar Playful takes on classic cocktails and mocktails, with a menu of bar snacks. 499 W. Main St. quirkhotels.com. $ Lucky Blue’s Bar Fast-casual bowls, burritos, and cheesesteaks. 223 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. luckybluesbar.com. $ Matchbox Wood-fired pizzas, salads, salmon, steak dinners, and gourmet burgers. 2055 Bond St. matchboxrestaurants.com. $$ Michie Tavern Southern midday fare from an 18th-century tavern. 683 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. michietavern.com. $$ The Milkman’s Bar Led by mixologist River Hawkins, the joint serves creative cocktails that pay homage to the ‘50s. Dairy Market. milkmansbar.com. $$ Miller’s Old-school bar serving up elevated Southern pub fare. 109 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. millersdowntown. com. $ Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ onions and giant steaks. 1101 Seminole Trl. outback. com. $$ Ralph Sampson’s American Taproom An upscale sports bar experience. 973 Emmet St. N. americantaproom.com. $$ Rapture Playful Southern cuisine. 300 E. Main St. rapturerestaurant.com. $$
Bonefish Grill A seafood-centric menu, plus steaks and cocktails. Hollymead Town Center. bonefishgrill.com. $$
Red Crab Seafood Seafood boils, po boys, and more. 905 Twentyninth Pl. Ct. redcrabseafood.com. $
Brightside Beach Pub Bar with appetizers and bites. 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 202-8122. $$
The Rooftop Bar Serving up pizzas, alongside cocktails, locally-sourced craft beers, and local wine. 499 W. Main St. quirkhotels.com. $
Burton’s Grill & Bar Upscale bar and grill chain featuring an extensive menu of American fare. The Shops at Stonefield. burtonsgrill.com. $$ The Château Lobby Bar Creative cocktails, wine, craft beer, and small plates sourced from local purveyors. 122 Oakhurst Cir. oakhurstinn.com. $$
Sedona Taphouse Lots of craft beers and an all-American menu. 1035 Millmont St. sedonataphouse.com. $$ Selvedge Brewing Elevated bar fare from Chef Tucker Yoder. The Wool Factory. thewoolfactory.com. $$
The Copper Bar A sophisticated and chic cocktail bar. The Clifton Inn, 1296 Clifton Inn Dr. the-clifton.com. $$$
Skrimp Shack Shrimp, fish, and chicken tacos, sandwiches, and baskets. 1970 Rio Hill Center. theskrimpshack.olo. com. $
Caked Up Cville Small-batch cupcakes and cakes. cakedupcville.com. $
Dürty Nelly’s Pub—Deli Subs and sandwiches, with a late-night pub menu. 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com. $
South Street Brewery Draft brews, cocktails, wine, and an extensive food list. 106 South St. W. southstreetbrewery. com. $$
Cake Bloom A cake and bubbles bar with freshly-baked treats by the slice or whole. 705 W. Main St. cakebloom. com. $$
Fardowners Local ingredients liven up pub fare like sliders and sandwiches. 5773 The Square, Crozet. fardowners. com. $$
Texas Roadhouse Steaks, ribs, and fromscratch sides. Albemarle Square. texas roadhouses.com. $$
Bowerbird Bakeshop Pastries, breads, and cookies using locally sourced ingredients. 120 10th St. NW, bowerbird bakeshop.com. $
Cou Cou Rachou Croissants, tatins, financiers, danishes, cake slices, muffins, and more. 917 Preston Ave. Suite B; 1837 Broadway St. coucourachou.com. $ Gearharts Fine Chocolates Freshly baked pastries, cakes, cookies, brownies, and chocolates. 243 Ridge McIntire Rd. gearharts chocolates.com. $ Great Harvest Bread Co. Sandwiches, sweets, and bread baked from scratch every day. McIntire Plaza. greatharvest cville.com. $ MarieBette Café & Bakery European-inspired fare. 700 Rose Hill Dr. marie bette.com. $
Firefly Craft beer, burgers, salads, vegetarian- friendly menu. 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com. $ The Fitzroy A kitchen and bar offering updates of comforting classics. 120 E. Main St. thefitzroycville.com. $$ Glass Half Full Taproom A large selection of beers, wines, and spirits. 5th Street Station. glasshalffullbar.com. $ The Good Sport Craft beer and tavern fare. The Forum Hotel, 540 Massie Rd. thegoodsporttaproom.com. $$ Kardinal Hall An extensive list of brews. 722 Preston Ave. kardinalhall.com. $$
Timberwood Grill All-American eatery and after-work watering hole. 3311 Worth Crossing. timberwoodgrill.com. $$ Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery Locally sourced, beer-infused dishes including Southern classics and a kids menu. 520 Second St. SE. threenotchdbrewing.com. $$ The Whiskey Jar Saloon-style Southern spot with more than 90 varieties of whiskey. 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com. $$ Whistlestop Grill American comfort food. 1200 Crozet Ave., Crozet. thewhistle stopgrill.com. $
All you can eat Breakfast Joints and Diners Belle Breakfast and lunch sandwiches, pastries, and coffee. belle-cville.square. site. $$ Blue Moon Diner Serving breakfast and lunch options like pancakes, breakfast burritos, burgers, and BLTs. 600 W. Main St. bluemoondiner.net. $
Hangry Hut American Mediterranean, and Indian food. Pantops Shopping Center. hangryhutva.com. $
Greenberry’s Java, specialty drinks, and fresh baked goods. Barracks Road Shopping Center. greenberrys.com. $
Lazy Parrot Wings and Brews Ribs, chicken, and brisket served in a tropics-themed space. Pantops Shopping Center. lazy parrotwingsandbrews.com. $$
Grit Coffee Espresso beverages, with breakfast and lunch fare. 610 Riverside Shops Way; The Shops at Stonefield; 112 Main St., Downtown Mall; 19 Elliewood Ave.; 1110 Old Trail Dr., Crozet. gritcoffee.com. $
Luv’n Oven Gizzards, livers, fries, and shakes. 162 Village Sq., Scottsville. luvn-oven.com. $
Chickadee Comfort food crafted with care. The Glass Building, 313 Second St. SE. chickadeecville.com. $
Martin’s Grill Hamburgers, veggie burgers, and fries. Forest Lakes Shopping Center. martinsgrill.com. $
Doodle’s Diner Country cookin’ from breakfast to burgers. 1305 Long St. doodlesdiner.com. $
Mission BBQ Pulled turkey, pork, and chicken, plus racks by the bone. The Shops at Stonefield. mission-bbq.com. $$
Farm Bell Kitchen New-Southern cuisine with local farm-to-table ingredients. 1209 W. Main St. farmbellkitchen.com. $$ First Watch Breakfast, brunch, and lunch chain with locally grown ingredients. Barracks Road Shopping Center. first watch.com. $$ Holly’s Diner A locally-owned joint serving food until 1am, with live music and a happy hour. 1221 E. Market St. 234-4436. $$ Mel’s Café Southern soul food, including all day breakfast. 719 W. Main St. 971-8819. $ Moose’s by the Creek All day breakfast and lunch favorites. 1710 Monticello Rd. 977-4150. $ The Nook All day diner classics. 415 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. thenook cville.com. $ Timberlake’s Drug Store and Soda Fountain A variety of sandwiches, soups, salads, and old fashioned milkshakes. 322 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 296-1191. $ Tip Top A wide range of diner staples, including all day breakfast. 1420 Richmond Rd. tiptoprestaurant.com. $ Villa Diner Mainstay with housemade pancakes, biscuits, and more. 1250 Emmet St. N. thevilladiner.com. $
Burgers, BBQ, and Chicken Ace Biscuit & Barbecue Breakfast and lunch spot with BBQ and soul food by the biscuit. 600 Concord Ave. ace biscuitandbarbecue.com. $ Birdhouse Serving chicken and small plates. 711 Henry Ave. birdhousecharlottesville.com. $ Brown’s Fried chicken and sides. 1218 Avon St. 295-4911. $ Burger Bach New Zealand-inspired gastropub. The Shops at Stonefield. theburgerbach.com. $$ Citizen Burger Burgers, salads, and other favorites. 212 E. Main St., Downtown Mall; Dairy Market. citizenburgerbarcville. com. $$ Five Guys Fast-casual hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries. Barracks Road Shopping Center; Hollymead Town Center. fiveguys.com. $$ GRN Burger Griddle smashed burgers, salty fries, and crunchy nuggets, all meat free. Dairy Market. grnburger.com. $
Moe’s Original BBQ Alabama-style pulled pork smoked in-house. 2119 Ivy Rd. moesoriginalbbq.com. $ Multiverse Kitchens A digital food hall home to seven different restaurants— Fowl Mouthed Chicken, Firebox, Brookville Biscuit + Brunch, Keevil Tea Room, Smashing Salads, Long Strange Chip, and Toad in the Hole. McIntire Plaza. multiversekitchens.com. $-$$ Riverside Lunch Smashburgers, dogs, and fries. 1429 Hazel St., 971-3546; 1770 Timberwood Blvd., 979-1000. $ Royalty Eats Soul food staples, including chicken and waffles, plenty of sides, and desserts. 820 Cherry Ave. 9233287. $ Smoked Kitchen & Tap Farm fresh salads, slow-smoked BBQ, sandwiches, and other hand-crafted options. 2291 Seminole Ln. smokedkt.com. $$ Soul Food Joint A homecooked meal made up of your favorite Southern staples, sides, and fixins. 300 E. Market St. soulfoodjoint.com. $ Vision BBQ Meats smoked the old fashioned way. 249 Ridge McIntire Rd. visionbbqcville.com. $ Wayside Takeout & Catering Fried chicken and barbecue sandwiches. 2203 Jefferson Park Ave. waysidechicken.com. $
Coffee Places and Cafés Atlas Coffee Espresso, coffee, tea, and fresh-baked pastries. 2206 Fontaine Ave. atlascoffeecville.com. $ Baine’s Books & Coffee Wide selection of coffee, tea, pastries, and paninis. 485 Valley St., Scottsville. bainesbooks. com. $ C’ville Coffee & Wine Full menu of coffee, sandwiches, and wines. 1301 Harris St. cvillecoffee.com. $
Higher Grounds Serving Trager Brother’s coffee. 1215 Lee St., UVA. hg-uva.com. $ JBird Supply Coffee Roaster Ethically sourced, specialty coffee. 969 Second St. SE. jbirdsupply.com. $ Lone Light Coffee Quality coffee drinks. 119 Fourth St. NE.; 1518 E. High St. lonelightcoffee.com. $ Milli Coffee Roasters Espresso drinks, waffles, paninis, and more. 400 Preston Ave., Ste. 150. millicoffeeroasters.com. $
Feast! Cheese, wine, and specialty foods. 416 W. Main St. feastvirginia.com. $$ Foods of All Nations Sandwiches, deli fare, and salads. 2121 Ivy Rd. foodsof allnations.com. $$ Greenwood Gourmet Grocery Made-to-order sandwiches, fresh soup, and a deli with rotating dishes. 6701 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. greenwoodva.com. $$ Hunt Country Market & Deli Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 2048 Garth Rd. 296-1648. $ Integral Yoga Natural Foods All-natural food, organic produce, supplements, plus a deli and juice smoothie bar. 923 Preston Ave. iyfoods.com. $$ J.M. Stock Provisions Whole-animal butcher shop with sandwiches to go, craft beer, and wines. 709 W. Main St. stockprovisions.com. $$
Milli Second Cafe & Wine Bar An offshoot of Milli Coffee Roasters. The CODE Building. @milliCafe. $
Market Street Market Full service grocery store with a deli, local produce, freshly baked breads, cheeses, health and beauty items, beers, and wines. 400 E. Market St. marketstreetmarket.net. $$
Mudhouse Coffee and pastries. 213 W. Main St., Downtown Mall; 116 10th St. NW.; 5793 The Square, Crozet. mud house.com $
Market Street Wine An independent shop for wine, beer, and gourmet products. 311 E. Market St. marketstwine. com. $$
Oakhurst Inn Cafe A contemporary eatery with freshly baked treats and artisanal coffee. 122 Oakhurst Cir. oakhurstinn. com. $
Mill Creek Market The Southern sister of Bellair Market. 1345 Parham Cir. tiger fuelmarkets.com. $
Poindexter Coffee All-day breakfast, lunch, and coffee. The Graduate, 1309 W. Main St. graduatehotels.com. $ Quirk Cafe Serving locally-roasted selections from Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Company, cold brew on tap, and other beverages and bites. 499 W. Main St. quirkhotels.com. $$ Shenandoah Joe Local roaster with a coffee bar and pastries. 945 Preston Ave.; 2214 Ivy Rd. shenandoahjoe.com. $ Starbucks Coffee and tea drinks, pastries, and sandwiches. Multiple locations. starbucks.com. $ The Workshop A coffee and wine shop featuring Grit Coffee and pastries from Cou Cou Rachou. The Wool Factory. thewoolfactory.com. $ The Yellow Mug Cozy coffee shop serving beverages and pastries. 1260 Crozet Ave., Crozet. @yellowmugcoffee. $
Gourmet Groceries and Gas Stations Batesville Market Sandwiches to order, salads, and baked goods plus cheeses, produce, and packaged goods. 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com. $
Daily Grind Coffee & Creamery Family-owned and operated, serving coffee and espresso drinks, all-fruit smoothies, milkshakes, and ice cream scoops. 3450 Seminole Trl. dailygrindcville.com. $
Bellair Market Gourmet sandwich spot. 2401 Ivy Rd. tigerfuelmarkets.com. $
Eleva Coffee The Brooklyn-based coffee roasting company offers espresso drinks, smoothies, and bagged beans. Dairy Market. elevacoffee.com. $
Brownsville Market Breakfast starting at 5am, plus burgers, sides, and fried chicken. 5995 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. 823-5251. $
Blue Ridge Bottle Shop Craft beer store with bottles and growlers. 2025 Library Ave, Crozet. blueridgebottleshop.com. $$
Trader Joe’s Grocery chain that boasts top quality at low cost. The Shops at Stonefield. traderjoes.com. $$ Whole Foods Market Eco-minded chain with natural and organic grocery items, housewares, and other products. 1797 Hydraulic Rd. wholefoodsmarket.com. $$ Wyant’s Store Home-cooked country fare. 4696 Garth Rd., Crozet. 823-7299. $
Italian and Pizza Belmont Pizza and Pub Fresh, stonebaked pizza. 211 Carlton Rd., Ste. 10. belmontpizzaandpub.com. $
Billy Pie at Random Row Brewing Stone oven Neapolian style pizza in a brewery taproom. 608 Preston Ave. randomrow.com. $ Christian’s Pizza Fresh pies, by-the-slice or whole. Multiple locations. $ Crozet Pizza Family-owned pizza parlor. 5794 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet; 20 Elliewood Ave. 601 Fifth St. SW. $ Dino’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Rotisserie Chicken A selection of wood-fired artisan pizzas and rotisserie chicken with flavors from around the world. Dairy Market. dinos.restaurant. $$ DIY Pie Pizza, pasta, and cheesy breadsticks. 1880 Abbey Rd. diypiecville.com. $ Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie The alternative pizza. 4916 Plank Rd., North Garden. drhos humblepie.com. $$ Fabio’s New York Pizza Pizza, subs, salads, and calzones made by natives of Naples. 1551 E. High St. fabiosnypizza.com. $ CONTINU ED ON PAGE 35
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Restoration Crozet Lunch, Dinner, Cocktails & Weekend Brunch with a backdrop of stunning Blue Ridge Mountain views. Call 434-823-1841 for reservations. oldtrailclub.com/restoration
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Fry’s Spring Station Fire-roasted pizza and Italian eats. 2115 Jefferson Park Ave. eatatfrys.com. $ Lampo Neapolitan-style pizza and snacks. 205 Monticello Rd. lampopizza.com. $$ Lampo2go Lampo’s to go location. 929 Second St. SE. lampopizza.com. $$ Luce Literal hole in the wall serving fresh, handmade pasta to go. 110 Second St. NW. lucepasta.com. $$ Mellow Mushroom Trippy-themed franchise, with pizza and beers. 1321 W. Main St. mellowmushroom.com. $$ Popitos Pizza Serving classic and specialty pies. 1966 Rio Hill Center. popitos pizza.com. $$ Sal’s Cafe Italia Family owned and operated, from Sicily and Brooklyn. 221 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. salscaffeitalia. com. $ Tavola Rustic Italian with housemade pastas, craft cocktails, and a Wine Spectator award-winning list. 826 Hinton Ave. tavolavino.com. $$ Vita Nova Creative ingredients on hearty pizza by the slice. 310 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. vitanovapizzapasta.com. $ Vinny’s Italian Grill & Pizzeria This regional chain has pies plus a slew of subs, pastas, and stromboli. Hollymead Town Center. vinnysitaliangrill.com. $$ Vivace Every kind of pasta imaginable, plus seafood. 2244 Ivy Rd. vivacecville. com. $$ Vocelli Pizza Pizza, pasta, paninis, salads, stromboli, and antipasti. Woodbrook Shopping Center. vocellipizza.com. $
Latin American Al Carbon Coal-fire prepared chicken, plus plenty of sides. 1875 Seminole Trl.; 5th Street Station. alcarbonchicken. com. $ Brazos Tacos Austin, Texas-style breakfast, lunch, early dinner, and brunch tacos. Barracks Road Shopping Center; 925 Second St. SE. brazostacos.com. $ The Bebedero Upscale, authentic Mexican. 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com. $$ Chipotle Made-to-order burritos and tacos. Barracks Road Shopping Center; 2040 Abbey Rd., Ste. 101. chipotle.com $ Cinema Taco A movie-themed joint offering tacos, burritos, empanadas, and margaritas. 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com. $ Continental Divide Tacos and enchiladas. 811 W. Main St. continental-divide. square.site. $$
Guajiros Miami Eatery Miami-inspired, with strong Cuban influence as well as Central and Southern American dishes. 1871 Seminole Trail. guajiros.net. $
Bodo’s Bagels Sandwiches on bagels made in-house daily. 1418 N. Emmet St.; 505 Preston Ave.; 1609 University Ave. bodosbagels.com. $
La Michoacana Taqueria & Restaurant Hearty Mexican standards, including tacos, tamales, and tortas. 1138 E. High St. 202-1336. $
Botanical Plant-Based Fare Sandwiches, bowls, mac and cheese, and shareables, all meat and dairy free. 421 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. botanicalfare.com. $$
Maizal Street food, from arepas to empanadas. Dairy Market. maizalgrill.com. $$ Mas Spanish tapas and wines. 904 Monticello Rd. mastapas.com. $$ Morsel Compass The taco food truck’s brick-and-mortar spot. 2025 Library Ave., Crozet. morselcompass.com. $$ Qdoba Mexican Grill Spicy burritos, quesadillas, and Mexican salads. 3918 Lenox Ave. qdoba.com. $ Sombrero’s Mexican Cuisine & Café Authentic Mexican cuisine. 112 W. Main St., Ste. 6. sombreroscville.com. $ South and Central Latin Grill Small plates, steaks, sides, and more. Dairy Market. southandcentralgrill.com. $$ Torchy’s Tacos Mexican street-food-style tacos. The Shops at Stonefield. torchystacos.com. $
Mediterranean and Caribbean Afghan Kabob Authentic Afghan cuisine. 400 Emmet St. N. afghankabobcville. com. $$ Aromas Café & Catering Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare. 900 Natural Resources Dr. aromascafeandcatering.com. $ Cava Fast-casual Mediterranean with lots of vegetarian options. 1200 Emmet St. N, #110. cava.com. $
Fig Southern and Mediterranean bistro fare. 1331 W. Main St. figuva.com. $ Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar Dishes from Spain to Greece and wines of the world. 416 W. Main St. orzokitchen.com. $$ Otto Turkish Street Food Go for the doner kebabs and stay for the rosemary fries. 111 W. Water St. otto-cville.com. $ Pearl Island Cafe Caribbean-inspired lunch spot with vegan options. 233 Fourth St. NW. pearlislandcatering. square.site. $ Smyrna Simple, locally sourced dishes from a Mediterranean, Aegean cuisine. 707 W. Main St. smyrnacville.com. $$
The Bradbury Cafe Serving breakfast, brick oven pizza, sandwiches, and salads, with coffee and espresso. 300 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebradbury downtown.com. $
C&O Restaurant An a la carte menu, with must-try cocktails. 515 E. Water St. candorestaurant.com. $$$ Café Frank Chef Jose De Brito brings everyday food from a classic French kitchen. 317 E. Main St. cafefrankcville. com. $$ Fleurie Upscale, modern French cuisine with à la carte and tasting menus. 108 Third St. NE. fleurierestaurant.com. $$$
Chopt Creative salad chain with ingredients from local purveyors. Barracks Road Shopping Center. choptsalad. com. $
Hamiltons’ at First & Main Contemporary American cuisine with a full bar and extensive wine list. 110 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. hamiltonsrestaurant. com. $$$
Iron Paffles & Coffee Sweet and savory puff pastry waffle sandwiches, with vegan options. 214 W. Water St. ironmade.com. $
The Ivy Inn Fine dining in a charming tollhouse. 2244 Old Ivy Rd. ivyinn restaurant.com. $$$
Ivy Provisions Deli and retail food shop offering fresh, housemade breakfast and lunch all day. 2206 Ivy Rd. ivy provisions.com. $ Jersey Mike’s Subs Subs, salads, and wraps. 2040 Abbey Rd., Ste. 104; 5th Street Station. jerseymikes.com. $
The Local New American cuisine and wine. 824 Hinton Ave. thelocal-cville.com. $$ Marigold by Jean-Georges Committed to sustainable and seasonal dishes by an acclaimed chef. 701 Club Dr. marigold jg.com. $$$ Maya Locally sourced Southern fare and imaginative cocktails. 633 W. Main St. maya-restaurant.com. $$
Jimmy John’s Sandwiches and gourmet subs. 1650 E. Rio Rd.; Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center. jimmyjohns.com. $
The Melting Pot Fondue fun for all. 501 E. Water St. meltingpot.com. $$$
Kitchenette Sandwich Shop Sandwiches, soups, and salads made fresh. 920 9 1/2 St. NE. kitchenetteva.com. $
The Mill Room An upscale, resort eatery with an American menu. 200 Ednam Dr. boarsheadresort.com. $$$
Mane Course Sandwiches A fast-casual, equestrian themed restaurant. 179 Connor Dr. manecoursesandwiches.com. $
Mockingbird A dinner only menu with a modern take on Southern classics. 421 Monticello Rd. mockingbird-cville.com. $$
Organic Krush Organic foods and coldpressed juices, including all day breakfast, smoothies, wraps, and bowls. The Shops at Stonefield. organickrush.com. $$ Panera Bread Chain with casual fare. Barracks Road Shopping Center; 5th Street Station. panerabread.com. $$ Revolutionary Soup Soups and sandwiches. 108 Second St. SW., Downtown Mall. revolutionarysoup.com. $ Roots Natural Kitchen Fast-casual salads and grain bowls. 1329 W. Main St. rootsnaturalkitchen.com. $ Take It Away Sandwiches on freshly baked breads. Dairy Market; 115 Elliewood Ave. takeitawaysandwichshop.com. $
Upscale Casual
Sticks Kebob Shop Kebobs, bowls, and more. 917 Preston Ave.; 1820 Abbey Rd. stickskebobshop.com. $
1799 Restaurant Seasonal menus with dishes showcasing local ingredients. The Clifton Inn, 1296 Clifton Inn Dr. the-clifton. com. $$$
Sultan Kebab Authentic Turkish cuisine with vegetarian options. 333 Second St. SE. sultankebabcville.com. $
Aberdeen Barn A classic steakhouse. 2018 Holiday Dr. aberdeenbarn.com. $$$
Thyme & Co. Lebanese flatbread, dips, salads, bowls, and desserts. 104 14th St. NW., Ste. 2. thyme-co.com. $
The Alley Light Classic, French, shared plates, craft cocktails and small grower wines. 108 Second St. SW. alleylight. com. $$
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Baja-style tacos and other Mexican eats. 5th Street Station. fuzzystacoshop.com. $
Soups, Salads, and Sandwiches
Birch and Bloom A modern steakhouse, with shareables and breakfast. The Forum Hotel, 540 Massie Rd. birchandbloom restaurant.com. $$$
Guadalajara Family-run authentic Mexican food. Multiple locations. guadalajara mexicanva.com. $
Baggby’s Gourmet Sandwiches Sandwiches, salads, and soups. 512 E Main St. Downtown Mall. baggbys.com. $
Bizou Playful French-American bistro. 119 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. bizoudowntown.com. $$
Farmacy Café Organic, local superfood Mexican fusion. The CODE Building. farmacy.guru. $$
Black Cow Chophouse Quality cuts cooked over a wood-fired grill. 420 W. Main St. blackcowchophouse.com. $$
Oakhart Social Seasonal, creative, modern American food for sharing. 511 W. Main St. oakhartsocial.com. $$ Petit Pois Locally sourced French dishes paired with wine in cute bistro quarters. 201 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. petit poisrestaurant.com. $$ Pink Grouse A game-forward menu and a curated wine list with highlights from across Virginia and Europe. 499 W. Main St. quirkhotels.com. $$ Public Fish & Oyster East Coast seafood, including a raw bar, craft cocktails, and microbrews. 513 W. Main St. publicfo. com. $$ Restoration Great views and American fare. 5494 Golf Dr., Crozet. oldtrailclub. com. $$ The Ridley Black-owned experiential Southern cuisine and craft cocktails. 1106 W. Main St. theridleyva.com. $$ Riverbirch Restaurant Fresh and local American-style cuisine. 630 Riverside Shops Way. riverbirchrestaurant.com. $$ Southern Crescent Cajun and Creole fare. 814 Hinton Ave. thesoutherncrescent. com. $$ Tonic Seasonal, local café fare with craft cocktails and curated wine list. 609 E. Market St. tonic-cville.com. $$ Zocalo Flavorful, high-end, Latin-inspired cuisine. 201 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. zocalo-restaurant.com. $$
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Pour me another Breweries and cideries Albemarle CiderWorks What started as an orchard for rare and heirloom apples grew into a popular area cidery. Tastings and tours are available for $5-10 per person. 2550 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. 297-2326. Blue Mountain Brewery Well-liked brewery serves up its local drafts, plus light fare for lunch and dinner. 9519 Critzers Shop Rd., Afton. (540) 456-8020. Blue Toad Hard Cider Large outdoor space, classic pub food and, of course, hard cider. 9278 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Afton. 996-6992. Bold Rock Cidery Virginia’s largest (and growing!) cidery. Free tours and tastings daily. 1020 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 361-1030. Bold Rock Distillery at the Barrel Barn Multiple rare styles on tap at this creative space. 1020 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Suite A, Nellysford. 361-1030. Brewing Tree Beer Company Artisanal Brew Trail spot from the founder of Starr Hill. 9278 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Afton. (540) 381-0990.ww Bryant’s Hard Cider & Brewery Gluten-free, sugar-free ciders with history dating to 1865. 3224 E. Branch Loop, Roseland. Castle Hill Cider Enjoy a glass of Terrestrial on the octagonal porch or explore the grounds. Open for tastings daily. 6065 Turkey Sag Rd., Keswick. 296-0047. Champion Brewing Company Beerfocused kitchen offerings, plus five ales on tap. 324 Sixth St. SE. 295-2739. Coyote Hole Craft Beverages Cider and sangria in Lake Anna. 225 Oak Grove Dr., Mineral. (540) 894-1053. Decipher Brewing Company Veteran-owned and operated, with awardwinning craft beers. 1740 Broadway St. 995-5777. Devils Backbone Brewing Company Nelson’s hip brewpub—award-winning craft beers, lunch and dinner. 200 Mosbys Run, Roseland. 361-1001. James River Brewing Co. There’s only beer here. 561 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-7837. Octania Stone Brew Works Ruckersville’s own alehouse celebrating “Octoney” (look it up). 14902 Spotswood Trail, Ruckersville. 939-9678. Patch Brewing Company From the owners of Cville Hop On Tours. 10271 W. Gordon Ave., Gordonsville. (540) 466-8536. Potter’s Craft Cider Handcrafted cider out of Free Union, with a city tasting room. 209 Monticello Rd. 964-0271. Pro Re Nata Brewery A farm brewery and food truck offering up to 12 craft beers and live music. 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. 823-4878. Random Row Brewing Co. No food (but there are food trucks!), but nearly 12 beers on tap. 608 Preston Ave. 284-8466.
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Rockfish Brewing Nano-brewery with two location. 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall; 900 Preston Ave., 566-0969. Selvedge Brewing Unique small-batch wine in a converted factory setting. 1837 Broadway St. 270-0555. South Street Brewery Brews and food from the folks at Blue Mountain. 106 W. South St. 293-6550. Southern Revere Cellars Craft beer and blended wines in Louisa. Open Thursday-Sunday. 1100 E. Jack Jouett Rd., Louisa. (540) 260-5494 Starr Hill Brewery A can’t-miss spot since 1999. 5391 Three Notched Rd., Crozet. 823-5671. Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery Craft beers and beer-infused pub food. 520 Second St. SE. 956-3141. Sour house: 946 Grady Ave. 293-0610. Wood Ridge Farm Brewery “From the dirt to the glass” brewery 165 Old Ridge Rd., Lovingston. 422-6225.
Distilleries Devils Backbone Distilling Co. Virginia straight bourbon whiskey with views of Ragged Mountain. 35 Mosbys Run, Roseland. (540) 602-6018. Ragged Branch Distillery Virginia straight bourbon whiskey with views of Ragged Mountain. 1075 Taylors Gap Rd. 244-2600. Silverback Distillery Rye whiskey, monkey gin and Beringei vodka. 9374 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Afton. (540) 456-7070. Spirit Lab Distilling Single-malt whiskey and amaro behind a red door. 1503 Sixth St. SE. 218-2605. Virginia Distillery Co. Single-malt whiskey from the Blue Ridge. 299 Eades Ln., Lovingston. 285-2900. Vitae Spirits Award-winning rum and gin in a hip spot for sipping. 715 Henry Ave. 270-0317. Waterbird Spirits No tasting room, but catch these canned cocktails in stores nationwide. 201 W. Water St.
Wineries Afton Mountain Vineyards Try the Albarino, a limited-production, estategrown white only available in the summer. Tastings are $15 per person for five wines. 234 Vineyard Ln., Afton. (540) 456-8667. Ankida Ridge Vineyards A Sumerian word that means “where heaven and earth join,” Ankida marks the spot—at 1,800’ on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 1304 Franklin Creek Rd., Amherst. 922-7678. Barboursville Vineyards Routinely listed on national “best winery” lists, Barboursville is a true destination—for the wines and the scenery. Open for tastings ($15 for six wines). 17655 Winery Rd., Barboursville. (540) 832-3824. Blenheim Vineyards Established in 2000 by owner Dave Matthews (yep, that Dave Matthews), Blenheim’s timber-frame tasting room looks down into the barrel room. Tours and tastings
are $25 per person. 31 Blenheim Farm. 293-5366. Bluestone Vineyard Award-winning small-batch wines in the Shenandoah Valley. Open daily for tastings. 4828 Spring Creek Rd., Bridgewater. (540) 828-0099. Brent Manor Vineyards Sample wines from the vineyard and a selection of nearby Virginia wines. Tastings are $12 per person. 100 Brent Manor Ln., Faber. 826-0722. Burnley Vineyards One of the oldest vineyards in the Monticello Viticultural Area. Tastings are $4 per person. 4500 Winery Ln., Barboursville. (540) 832-2828. Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery Try the Quattro—a blend of riesling, gewurztraminer, viognier, and traminette—at this spare but relaxing spot. Open for tours and flights. 9423 Batesville Rd., Afton. (540) 456-8400. Chateau MerrillAnne The wines at this Orange spot are award-winning, but don’t skip the Vinocello either. 16234 Marquis Rd., Orange. (540) 656-6177 Chestnut Oak Vineyard Single-varietal, single-vineyard wines from Petit Manseng to Chardonnay. Weekend tastings from noon-5pm. 5050 Stony Point Rd., Barboursville. 964-9104. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm Beef meets wine at this familyowned winery. 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. 971-8796. Chiswell Farm & Vineyard Locally crafted vintages from the folks behind Chiles Family Orchards. 430 Greenwood Rd., Greenwood. 252-2947. Cunningham Creek Winery Once a working cow farm, this winery offers Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Cab Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. 3304 Ruritan Lake Rd., Palmyra. 207-3907. DelFosse Vineyards & Winery Try the reds at this off-the-beaten-path spot 30 minutes from Charlottesville. $22 for a classic tasting, $12 for a wine flight. 500 DelFosse Winery Ln., Faber. 263-6100. DuCard Vineyards A successful grape-growing business bloomed into what’s now this boutique winery. Tastings are $10 per person. 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. (540) 923-4206. Early Mountain Vineyards Beautifully appointed facility, with a terrace for mountain and vineyard views while sipping. 6109 Wolftown-Hood Rd., Madison. (540) 948-9005. Eastwood Farm & Winery Governor’s Cup gold medalists mix delicious wine with a stunning setting. 2531 Scottsville Rd. 264-6727. Everleigh Vineyards & Brewing Company Two collectors of fine wine started this vineyard in 2015. Find wine, beer, and cider. 9845 Jefferson Hwy., Mineral. (804) 356-0059. Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard There’s something for everyone—including sangria—under Fifty-Third’s LEED-certified roof. Open for tastings daily. 13372 Shannon Hill Rd., Louisa. (540) 894-5253.
Flying Fox Vineyard Named after the weather vane on the vineyard’s main building, Flying Fox boasts a limited production of merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot, viognier and pinot gris. Highway 151 and Chapel Hollow Road, Afton. 361-1692. Gabriele Rausse Winery The Father of Virginia Wine’s eponymous winery still sets the standard. 3247 Carters Mountain Rd. 981-1677. Glass House Winery Don’t miss the tropical conservatory next to the tasting room—or the handcrafted chocolates! 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. 975-0094. Grace Estate Winery This 50-acre vineyard on scenic Mount Juliet Farm produces 14 varietals .5273 Mount Juliet Farm, Crozet. 823-1486. Hardware Hills Vineyard Formerly known at Thistle Gate Vineyard, this Fluvanna spot still boasts a lively lineup. 5199 W. River Rd., Scottsville. 286-4710. Hark Vineyards Beautiful views and delicious wine? We’re set. 1465 Davis Shop Rd., Earlysville. 964-9463. Hazy Mountain Vineyards and Brewery With 86 acres under vine, there’s a little something for everyone at this Afton winery—including beer! Tastings are $14-20. 240 Hazy Mountain Ln., Afton. Tastings $15-20. (540) 302-2529. Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery The bread and butter at this medievalthemed winery is the authentic honey meads. Try the Dragon’s Blood. Open for tours and tasting. 2800 Berry Hill Rd., Nellysford. 361-1266. Honah Lee Vineyard Tastings are $15 at this award-winning (dog-friendly!) Gordonsville spot. 13443 Honah Lee Farm Dr., Gordonsville. (540) 406-1313. Horton Vineyards More than 40 different dry, fruit and dessert wines abound at this winery just outside of Barboursville. 6399 Spotswood Trail, Gordonsville. (540) 832-7440. Jefferson Vineyards Grab a bottle of meritage and get a spot on the tree deck for a picturesque afternoon. Tastings are $12. 1353 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. 977-3042. Keswick Vineyards Dog-friendly tasting spot located at the historic 400-acre Edgewood Estate. Tastings daily. 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. 244-3341. Kilaurwen Winery Artisanal wines near Shenandoah National Park. 1543 Evergreen Church Rd., Stanardsville. 985-2535. King Family Vineyards Frequent Governor’s Cup award winner, King Family is also the site of polo matches every Sunday from Memorial Day weekend to mid-October. Tastings are $15-20. 6550 Roseland Farm, Crozet. 823-7800. Knight’s Gambit Vineyard More than five acres of petit verdot, pinot grigio, merlot and cabernet franc located on a rolling hillside near Whitehall. 2218 Lake Albemarle Rd. 566-1168. Lazy Days Winery A boutique winery that’s home to local festivals like the Virginia Summer Solstice Wine Festival. Open for tastings. 1351 N. Amherst Hwy., Amherst. 381-6088.
Pour me another Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery A certified-organic vineyard and winery tucked away in the hills. Open FridaySunday, 11am-5pm (March-December). 3340 Sutherland Rd., North Garden. 984-0774. Lovingston Winery A densely planted 8.5 acres yields wine of high-quality fruit. (Word to the wise: Leave your pups at home; there are two here already!) 885 Freshwater Cove Ln., Lovingston. 263-8467. Meriwether Springs Vineyard The post-and-beam event space is just the beginning—there are also two ponds, a three-acre lake and beautiful Ivy Creek here, which flanks the property. Open for tours and tastings. 1040 Owensville Rd. 270-4299. Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard Creativity abounds at this weird and wonderful spot—from the décor to the wine. Tastings are $25. 594 Merrie Mill Farm, Keswick. 365-3006. Michael Shaps Wineworks Sample Virginia wines in the spare but stylish tasting room, as well as the Premiere Cru burgundies, grown and bottled in France by owner Michael Shaps. $10 for a tasting of 12 wines. 1781 Harris Creek Way, 296-3438; 1585 Avon St. Ext. (Wineworks Extended), 529-6848. Montifalco Vineyard If “falco” means hawk in Italian, you could say this winery is one to watch. 1800 Fray Rd., Ruckersville. 989-9115. Tasting Room & Taphouse at Mount Ida Reserve Find wine, craft beer, and a full restaurant at this Scottsville spot. 5600 Moonlight Dr., Scottsville. 286-4282. Mountain Cove Vineyards Even better with age? The first batch of wine here was made in 1976. Open for tours and tastings. 1362 Fortunes Cove Ln., Lovingston. 263-5392. Moss Vineyards Fifty-two acres with views of the Blue Ridge, including nine under vine with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet Franc, merlot, petit verdot and viognier grapes. Open for tastings Friday-Sunday. 1849 Simmons Gap Rd., Nortonsville. 990-0111. Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards Try a glass of the Merlot Reserve while having lunch at the Farm Table & Wine Bar. 5022 Plank Rd., North Garden. 202-8063. Pollak Vineyards Located between Charlottesville and Wintergreen, this 98-acre farm produces 27 acres of French vinifera. Open Wednesday-Sunday. 330 Newtown Rd., Greenwood. (540) 456-8844. Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery Sip a glass of chardonnay in Prince Michel’s tasting room, above the barrel cave and tank room. Tastings and self-guided tours. 154 Winery Ln., Leon. (540) 547-3707. Rappahannock Cellars West Coast wine on the East: A desire to raise their 12 children in Virginia led Rappahannock’s owners to relocate from California. Open year-round for $15 tastings. 14437 Hume Rd., Huntly. (540) 635-9398.
Rassawek Vineyards No tasting room; these folks grow grapes for other wineries. 6276 River Rd. W, Columbia. (804) 396-3098. Revalation Vineyards A horse farmturned-small-batch vineyard from two scientists by trade. 2710 Hebron Valley Rd., Madison. (540) 407-1236. Reynard Florence Vineyards These folks bottle wines in the style of France’s Loire and Burgundy regions. Tasting flights are $12. 16109 Burnley Rd,, Barboursville. (540) 832-3895. Septenary Winery Seven acres under vine at this stunning property, where Old World winemaking techniques abound. 200 Seven Oaks Farm, Greenwood. (540) 471-4282. Sharp Rock Vineyards Once a working family farm, Sharp Rock is now a vineyard, winery and bed and breakfast. Tastings and self- guided tours available. 5 Sharp Rock Rd., Sperryville. (540) 987-8020. Stinson Vineyards The cozy tasting room opens to a quaint patio for sipping award- winning wines and noshing on farm-fresh snacks. Tastings are $7, $10 per person for groups of 10 or more. 4744 Sugar Hollow Rd., Crozet. 823-7300. Stone Mountain Vineyards A rustic winery offers panoramic views of the surrounding counties from 1,700’. Wine flights available. 1376 Wyatt Mountain Rd., Dyke. 990-9463. The Barn at 678 Vineyard Have a seat on the porch of this charming barn and watch the world go by. Tastings are $12-16. 6045 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. Trump Winery Virginia’s largest vineyard, Trump offers 200 acres of French vinifera varieties. Tastings are $22-32. 3550 Blenheim Rd., 984-4855. Valley Road Vineyards Vineyard and tasting room at the head of the Rockfish Valley. Tastings are $28 per person for six wines. 9264 Critzers Shop Rd., Afton. (540) 456-6350. Veritas Vineyard & Winery Awardwinning wines at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Bring a picnic basket! 145 Saddleback Farm, Afton. (540) 456-8000. Weston Farm Vineyard & Winery Small, family-owned winery. Must love dogs: Charlie and Suzie, the owners’ French bulldogs, often roam the property. $10 tastings. 206 Harris Creek Rd., Louisa. (540) 967-4647. White Hall Vineyards Call ahead to reserve a cheese plate from the neighboring monastery to enjoy with your tasting. 5282 Sugar Ridge Rd., White Hall. 823-8615. Wisdom Oak Winery Make your way down the long gravel road to get to an intimate tasting room and outdoor picnic area. 3613 Walnut Branch Ln., North Garden. 984-4272. Woodbrook Farm & Vineyard Near James Madison’s Montpelier, this family-owned vineyard celebrates horse country. 11461 Spicers Mill Rd., Orange. (540) 219-1874.
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The Last Bite Orange you glad? “Like an orange creamsicle that grew up in Paris.” That’s how The Forum Hotel’s Birch & Bloom executive chef, Eric Brownlee, describes the flavor of his L’Orangerie crème brulée, the restaurant’s wintery dessert that combines the classic French custard dish with a hint of citrus. “Oranges are one of my favorite winter ingredients due their versatility and flavor,” Brownlee says. For the L’Orangerie, he prepares a traditional crème brulée
(cream, egg yolk, and sugar), then steeps it with orange zest and fresh-squeezed orange juice. It’s an homage to The Forum’s L’Orangerie room, which was inspired by the Michelin-starred L’Orangerie restaurant at the Four Seasons Georges V hotel in Paris. “I couldn’t help but bring all of that together in a refreshing but rich dessert,” he says. Pair it with a sweet wine like Mas Amiel or Muscat de Rivesaltes. À la tienne!
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
38 Knife&Fork
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