So I got a very complimentary email right out of the blue. A reader living in DC will be in town soon, and wanted some quick recommendations for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So.....without further ado........here is what I sent. Granted, this is based on where I've been since we moved to Cville. Anything I missed is because I haven't been there yet :0) What would you have recommended? Anything different?BREAKFAST
Zocalo - Excellent Latin-inspired brunch in a gorgeous space. Their Bloody Mary's are the best I've ever had.
Cafe Cubano - Eggs, etc. done Cuban style. Order their cafe con leche - DELICIOUS!
Bluegrass Grill and Bakery - Excellent omelets, huge biscuits, typical southern breakfast stuff - expect a long wait on weekends.
The Nook - Basic, basic, basic eggs n'at - outside is better than inside.
LUNCH:
Bizou - Downscale French bistro - I've NEVER had a bad meal here, and the service is terrific. The grilled banana bread dessert is not to be missed.
Feast! - Delicious sandwiches and take-away food in this gourmet market in the Main Street Market across from Orzo (one of my dinner selections) - profiled in Saveur magazine and the Washington Post.
Eppie's - I try to eat here twice a week - the Santa Monica salad is AWESOME, and their country ham "biscuits" (served on homemade pumpkin bread) is another favorite.
Revolutionary Soup - Excellent soups, sandwiches, and DIVINE shrimp and grits. Everything procured from local producers.
Blue Mountain Brewery - Had to include this one, just for the VIEW - it's at the base of Blue Mountain down in Nelson County, and their stout aged in bourbon barrels is like an elixir!
DINNER:
Mas Tapas - Really good Spanish tapas - highlights include Jamon Paleta Iberico (acorn-fed Spanish ham), marinated anchovies, bacon-wrapped dates, Catalan-style grilled shrimp, and goat cheese/ricotta cheesecake. Their sangria is AWESOME, rich and velvety, and the basil gimlet was a terrifically refreshing cocktail. Sit outside for the true Belmont neighborhood experience.
Orzo Kitchen and Wine Bar - Mediterranean-style wine bar, great food, nice atmosphere (inside the Main Street Market). Their chocolate pot de creme served with a glass of port was a revelation! Had never had that combination before and now I crave it!
Continental Divide - Our favorite casual dinner restaurant - Southwestern slash Tex-Mex with the best margaritas in town. No reservations, just look for the neon sign that says, "Get in here!" Order the red and blue nachos w/goat cheese.
Places I haven't been, but SERIOUSLY need to go to:
C&O Restaurant
Fossett's
Clifton Inn
Palladio (at the Barboursville Vineyard)
Blue Moon Diner
Duner's
Staunton Grocery
Pomme Tweet
9 comments:
Hey from Twitter/former Hook food writer/former cVillain cofounder! Glad you're enjoying food in Charlottesville--you've got a great To Do list going and I have no doubt you're checking restaurants off as fast as you can. Have you yet tried the sage-portobello spread option on omelets at Bluegrass? I crave it now that I've moved away. As far as bloodies go, ask Michael at Ventana if he'll make you one, and also, DIY at Fellini's (with a vodka upgrade). These are great recommendations and I'm thrilled to see each restaurant, from Nelson to the Divide.
I'm the future wife of the guy who emailed you. Just wanted to say THANK YOU for this fabulous list! We'll be sure to report back on our dining experiences.
Wow the turnover in Cville is out of control bc I barely recognize any of those places. I should have emailed you also before we were in Cville recently--I could have used these recommendations then. Glad to see Continental Divide is still around. We had lunch at Bizou and also found it terrific. And they were great to my kids. My favorite breakfast is the sticky buns at the Albemarle Baking Co.
l'Etoile has fantastic lunches - especially recommend their soup of the day (each one is perfect), with a 1/2 sandwich and their truly divine potato salad.
The Ivy Inn is also a wonderful dinner spot -- the ragged mountain trout is heavenly, as is everything else.
Palladio is probably our favorite restaurant for an elegant meal; try the wine pairings option with each course- you won't regret it! The scenery is amazing, you feel like you're on vacation up there.
@KateMalay - Ooooh, Ventana is on my list of places to go (can't afford the $100 margie, but will definitely try the bloody) and YES the sage portobello is what I always get in my omelet---Mmmmmmmmm - it's nice to hear that this "newbie" to Cville is hitting all the right places, thanks!
@Kara - No worries! Any chance I have to brag on Cville, I'll take it. Enjoy, and btw, congratulations!
@Anonymous - thanks for the recommendations! I'll definitely add L'etoile lunch and The Ivy Inn to my "to do" list :)
Boylan Heights brunch on Sundays is absolutely the best! The only problem is that it's only offered on Sundays.
The burger place!?!?! Who knew? I'll give it a shot...and yeah, what's up w/the brunch only on Sunday's thing. in Pittsburgh there was nothing better than having Saturday brunch and then hitting the Strip for some shopping...
I highly recommend Duner's. I went to UVA for both undergrad and law school and didn't discover it until Law School, which was a shame because the food was phenomenal.
They change their extremely long menu daily, but you'll see a lot of staple items that only change just a tad - those are the items they do the best.
Another favorite of mine (and on the completely opposite end of the spectrum) is El Puerto, across from Barrack's shopping center. Not at all authentic but but as far as cheap inauthentic Mexican goes, El Puerto is king in my book.
@Karin - too funny! My sister's MIL LOVES El Puerto, will definitely have to try it now. And Duner's? SO MANY PEOPLE have recommended them. Looks like a trip out to Ivy is in the works...
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