With over 300 restaurants in the area, Charlottesville ranks among cities like New York for having the most restaurants per capita. Whether you’re a first year or an upperclassman, you may have yet to step outside of the bubble and try the delectable dives and tasty treasures that lie beyond the Corner. With Parents Weekend coming up and friends wanting to visit, impress them with your foodie knowledge of the greater Charlottesville area. Show them our cuisine is bigger than Bodos.
Breakfast
Bluegrass Grill & Bakery (Downtown Mall): You had me at “Pig Candy.” This place offers a bacon lover’s side dish composed of bacon baked in brown sugar, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. My favorite plate is the “Duke,” rightly named for including the “nobility” of the breakfast order: eggs, bacon, and sausage. The Duke includes two eggs, bacon, sausage and hollandaise sauce on a warm English muffin. If you’re not big on the pig, try its counterpart, the “Dutchess”: an English muffin topped with two eggs, tomatoes, spinach, and avocado hollandaise. One note of caution-this place draws long lines, especially on Sunday mornings. Get there early; put your name on the list; and walk around the Downtown Mall while you wait for the best breakfast in town.
Lunch
Belmont BBQ (Belmont): The BBQ you always want, but can’t always find. Belmont BBQ gives it to you straight. Their delicious pulled pork sandwiches are my go-to AND they have both sweet and savory sauces. Go here if you’re looking for a quick meal that satisfies and makes you salivate.
The Nook (Downtown Mall): A 50’s style diner perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. However, their Mac N’ Cheese menu is their signature. I’ve had their Bistro Mac N’ Cheese which includes penne paste with three different cheeses, ham, and tomato, topped with bread crumbs and served with a side of toast. Their mac n’ cheese dishes range from home-style to gourmet.
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Dinner
Mas Tapas (Belmont): As an Italian who grew up playing “musical dishes” (as opposed to “musical chairs”), I can really appreciate this Spanish tapas bar for serving up small dishes that are made for sharing. Typically, a group will order 3 -4 dishes and share them at the table. The must-haves include the “Queso cocido con alcachofa” described as “warm artichoke and goat cheese spread with brick-oven bread” and the “Carne Asada,” “marinated tenderloin -grilled rare only- with smoked tomato alioli.”
The Local (Belmont): Known for using local ingredients, The Local has the best produce, cheeses, and brews Charlottesville has to offer. The Local is also probably one of my favorite dining spots. The inside dining area has exposed brick walls and hardwood floors; the glassware on the tables brings a sparkle to the room. Just as the seasons change, so does the menu. Luckily, my favorite dish (highly recommended by the servers) is a perennial: “Truffled mushroom ragout, extra virgin olive oil, and parmesan cheese served with fresh fettuccine.”
Take Home (Bonus)
Mona Lisa Pasta (921 Preston Ave, across from McGrady’s): Heading home for the weekend or visiting a friend? Make a stop at Mona Lisa Pasta first. While they offer pizza and sandwiches to go, their best recipe is in their name: pasta. Pick up a couple pounds of their fresh made pasta and sauces before hitting the road. For pasta, you choose a type (Egg, spinach, wild mushroom, etc) and a cut (fettucine, linguine, spaghetti, etc). I recommend pairing the lemon pepper linguine pasta with the Seafood Newburg sauce (“Hearty sauce with shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab, garlic, shallots, butter, cream, tomato paste”)or the roasted garlic linguine with the Vodka Cream Sauce (“Shallots, garlic, tomatoes, cream, vodka and white pepper in a lobster base”). You’ll have your friends and family begging for you to visit them.
Photo Sources
1) Rep. Image-Outside The Local
http://thesunniestwindow.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/in-laws-and-in-love-with-summer/
2) Inside Bluegrass Grill & Bakery
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g57592-d416620-Reviews-Bluegrass_Grill_Bakery-Charlottesville_Virginia.html
3) Outside Belmont BBQ
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51167738@N00/1487553721/
4) Inside The Local
http://www.cityselectusa.com/restaurants/member.php?id=60
5) Inside Mona Lisa Pasta
http://www.monalisapasta.com/