Welcome back to Mr. Jefferson’s University. I hope that you all had wonderful breaks of lounging in sweatpants, sleeping more hours than being awake, and eating baked goods on a regular basis. As classes start, it is time to begin thinking about things to do this Spring semester! The team at Her Campus at UVA is bringing to you a collection of our favorite restaurants in Charlottesville. It is time to broaden your horizons, and food seems a particularly good way to start. For your convenience we have given each restaurant a price rating from 1 to 5 (1 being inexpensive, 5 being very expensive). Bon a petit!
Guadalajara, recommended by Carolyn Schmitt
Price rating: 2
My hands-down favorite restaurant in Charlottesville is Guadalajara, a Mexican restaurant. The decor is bright and homey, and there are options for booths or tables and chairs. Patrons are welcomed with fresh tortilla chips and salsa. The menu includes all the traditional Mexican favorites, including an unbelievable taco salad. Unlike other Mexican restaurants, Guadalajara provides more than enough meat in each entree, at about the same price as Chipotle. It has five locations throughout Charlottesville, the closest to grounds being at 2206 Fontaine Ave. This location is small and intimate, though other locations have more space for busier nights. The food is great, the staff is friendly, and it’s a great place for a casual date or just to bring your parents when they come to visit.
Lemongrass, recommended by Roshni Gorur
Price Rating: 2
Lemongrass encompasses a large variety of tastes, so whether you love spicy food or hate it, you can rank your spice level on a scale of 1-10 and “customize” your dish to your tolerance. Plus, there are tons of vegetarian and vegan options for the folks who hate the meat-filled menus! Lemongrass is perfect for either ordering your own personal dish or ordering several with your friends and sharing, which makes it great for special occasion dinners or just a quick trip to the corner. Located on 14th St, near Boylan, you really have no excuse to have not visited this delicious locale.
Aromas Café, recommended by Allyson Cartwright
Price Rating: 1
Aromas has some of the best Mediterranean food I’ve ever had. The food is very authentically Mediterranean (the owner is Moroccan) and all dishes are visibly high quality. Plus, the owner is really friendly and will come over to chat with all the guests and make sure they are enjoying their meals. My favorite thing to order? Chicken shawarma wrap, which is grilled marinated chicken served in pita with special Aromas sauce.
Café 88, recommended by Mandy Liu
Price Rating: 1
Café 88 brings you authentic and inexpensive Taiwanese food. I love the Beef noodle soup and the Pork rib rice. Located on Preston Ave, the café is a casual, hole-in-the wall sort of place that happens to serve delicious food. Take care to remember that the beef noodle soup is only offered on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bang!, recommended by Claire King
Price Rating: 4
I love the restaurant Bang! Located on the downtown mall, specifically located at 213 2nd St SW. It’s a really cool asian fusion tapas place where the table collectively shares a ton of small plates. The food is amazing, and every single thing I tried, I loved. This is the perfect place to bring your family when they visit (due to the pricier menu). My favorite dishes include the kale tortellini or the chicken pot stickers.
Michael’s Bistro, recommended by Abby Mergenmeier
Price rating: 3
Michael’s Bistro’s location, compared to other restaurants in Charlottesville, makes it so attractive because it’s just a quick walk from both grounds and off-grounds areas. The entrance to the restaurant is easy to miss on the Corner as well, meaning that most of the diners there are upperclassmen who have been in Charlottesville longer and know their way around. The food is more upscale than you’d find anywhere else on the Corner, so it’s a great place to take parents for dinner. The smaller, more intimate feel of the restaurant also makes it a pleasant space to sit and hang out for a while (and play some of the small board games and card games the restaurant provides). My favorite thing to order is the chicen and duck pot pie.