What are Charlottesville’s best restaurants and why? I think it’s been a while since we’ve done a list of best anything in Charlottesville, so we’re going to change that. Anyone remember your Top 10 Favorite Meals in Charlottesville? Look for more food-oriented lists in the upcoming weeks and please let us know in the comments what top lists you would like to see.
The following list is in no particular order and considers all factors, including service, food, drinks, price and ambiance. We obviously have to take a subjective approach to this, but we gaurantee we vetted this amongst the “inside circle” of Thors and food critics on the site. If you have a problem with our verdicts, you have three options: (1) you can threaten to sue us, (2) you can call us unfair, idiots or whatever adjective you like and (3) you can debate and leave your own list in the comments.
It’s sort of funny to see some of the lists that already exist in Charlottesville. For instance, Charlottesville-Dining.com, which we know is probably gamed by owners, and if a probably gamed by owners, and if a Top 10 list includes Java Java and Spudnuts, a non-existant coffee shop and a donut shop, then you know something is wrong. Secondly, you get the random internet lists like “10Best’s International Best” that include Expresso Italian Villa (horrible), Palladio (not close to Charlottesville) and Copacabana (overpriced), you know that there isn’t much to the lists already out there. Sure we have C-VILLE’s Best of List, but that is always won by Mas and ZoCaLo. Now it’s our turn. You can trust us, too.
Without further ado, Charlottesville’s True Top 10 Best Restaurants in no particular order.
Mas – Belmont’s Spanish influenced tapas place never fails to impress us with its unique dishes, sexy palette and wonderful ambiance. With a constantly rotating menu and things like the glorious Jamon ham, you can’t go wrong. And guess what.. service has gotten much better. [website]
Petite Pois – A true French bistro with a beautiful summer patio, intimate indoor dining experience and everything you would want for a simple, but elegant menu. We called it a little “slice of heaven” and we think you will agree.
Zo Ca Lo – Even though the menu hasn’t changed in 6 years, this modern latin cuisine is consistently excellent, has never been slow and has a great layout. Don’t forget the late night bar scene. [website]
Revolutionary Soup – Rev Soup’s focus on farm-to-fork local ingredients gives us high end sandwiches and soups that are incredible and good for the soul. Enjoy the Spicy Senegalese Peanut Tofu soup or the Adam’s Apple sandwich. [website]
La Michoacana – Pronounced MEE-CHO-KANA, this whole in the wall taco and burrito restaurant offers the most authentic (and excellent) Mexican food in town. Sure, Aqui es Mexico is good, but Michoacana is better, given their selection of fresh made salsas and well seasoned meats. [our review]
Blue Moon Diner – If having the best brunch in Charlottesville wasn’t enough, Blue Moon also has a solid lunch/dinner menu full of delicious local items, like Polyface Chicken Pot Pie. [Blue Moon's MySpace]
C&O – Once the French restaurant that UVA students dreamed of being able to afford, C&O prides itself on service and fine French dining. Sure the plating isn’t super modern, but between the extremely reasonable wine choices and the consitent food, you will love C&O. We also love the late night mix of self-righteous hipsters, townies and tosspots. [website]
Continental Divide – Reasonably priced modern tex mex cuisine is a hit in Charlottesville. Avoid it during the weekends; it’s too popular. Charlottesville loves the nachos and the margaritas. Most entrees can be had for under $13 which is why this little joint is a Charlottesville staple.
L’Etoile – That bread pudding is to die for and so is the rest of the menu. We really like L’Etoile’s focus on fancy, but not over the top, French cuisine. Service is very good and the menu is unpretentious. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it. [website]
Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie – It’s damn good pizza and it’s only a 10 minute drive from Charlottesville, so we consider it part of the area. The crust is thick, crispy and the toppings are generous. The owners are some of the nicest in Charlottesville. [website]
What do you think?
[pic from altemark]
Related posts:
- Charlottesville Restaurants, All Smoke & Mirrors?
- Charlottesville Indian Restaurants in War of Words?
- Best Food Best Ofs – Respecting Charlottesville’s Misunderstanding of Eating
I strongly believe Orzo should be in the top 10. The food is always top notch and the service has always been excellent.
I like Orzo a lot: http://cvillain.com/2008/01/29/orzo-undiscovered-sensual-friendly-well-done/
I think the food is really good, but it didn’t make the list cause the other places have just sightly better food.
I think I would have bumped Zo Ca Lo in favor of Orzo, but that is just me. The Divide has gotten even better now that Duffy is cooking in the kitchen more. Get one of the specials if you go in there and he is cooking.
Cassis should be on this list.
sightly better food.…. does that mean it looks better Thor?
Decent list. But one could make arguments for Zinc, Maya and Orzo.
Also, Blue Moon has always been horribly inconsistent for me.
For lunch Bizou is better then Rev Soup and it’s patio gives it kills rev soup for setting. Dr Ho’s is more than minutes and is to fair for this mall centric list. L’Etoile? really I’m not sure is should make the 10-20 rank based on value/price ratio.La Michoacana, I never been and guess I need to try it out.
The rest of the list is fine by me.
Is South Street in a separate category? Are we judging solely on food here, or does quality of beer count?
How the hell did you leave Mono Loco off? It is always FUCKING DELICIOUS.
Overall, a good list. 3 quick thoughts.
(1) Blue Moon definitely deserves inclusion. Maybe my experience differs from the earlier commenter but I have eaten there at least 10 times in the last 2 months (after just discovering it this January) and the food has been consistently top notch whether for breakfast or lunch.
(2) Mono Loco lost me in one experience. I generally am willing to give a restaurant the benefit of the doubt. The meal I had at Mono Loco early this year was so sub-par (mediocre would be friendly) and the price so disproportionate to the quality of the food that I can’t imagine going back. The margaritas were quite good but excessively expensive. I make these comments about cost because of the specific characteristics of Mono Loco not because of a general aversion to paying for food – as evidenced by my feeling that
(3) Ten should have probably been on the list. Not sure who gets bumped but the effort undertaken to bring in fresh, top-notch fish into the Charlottesville market I think deserves commendation. I don’t think Ten’s exclusion is egregious or anything but I feel like if you were given the chance to take an out-of-town guest on a rotation of dining experiences that included 10 meals, you’d be hard pressed not to include Ten on that itinerary.
Note that Palladio is only about a 15-minute drive from town?
Do have to wonder about your Fleurie omission, especially after the largely favorable coverage earlier in the week?
These are the two restaurants (Clifton a third) that get mentioned when the NYT or Travel & Leisure are perusing the area?
Mas & Zocalo once again. Does C-ville get annoyed here, or are they sincerely flattered?
Then — exactly what is a “tosspot”?
Oh, all in all: nice list.
If you go outside of the Cville city limits for Dr. Ho’s, you have to include Duner’s on the list.
Blue Moon? Did you do some form of illegal substance before writing this? And MySpace page = piss poor music lover, murderer, or 45 year old guy pretending to be a 13 year old girl.
How did The Local get left off the list. No smoking on rooftop patio so you can actually taste food and enjoy life…unlike Mas.
Driving = not in C-Ville.
I like the 5th Street Waffle House.
Pros–Good people watching at 3am, there’s always lots of cops around so you feel protected (at least until someone decides they don’t care and starts a brawl anyway)
Cons–it takes them 20 minutes to make toast, dishes and silverware may or may not be clean
The Local – Boring Food.
Ten – I think Ten is very good, but I think it’s overpriced for what you get.
Duners – I thought a lot about Duners but they can be inconsistent and I find that I don’t like their entres as much as I used to. Their appetizers are really the best part of that restaurant.
Maya, Beer Run and The Local should bear consideration on this list over Rev Soup . Regarding La Michoacana, I think people really like the idea of a divey “authentic” Mexican place here in Charlottesville , but the reality of the food there is just decent.
Beer Run has bad food IHMO.
Beer Run: Must have changed if that is true.
Milano on South Street for panini.
Mono Loco and Continental Divide IMHO have the chewiest most flavorless meat — but they make up for it with awesome atmospheres. I love Beer Run to the point where I don’t mind people saying it has bad food b/c maybe then it’ll be less crowded. But for the record I think it has awesome food though I do wish you could get a sandwich on normal sandwich bread instead of panera bread.
Panera, panini, whatever it is I prefer sourdough or rye.
I vote for Bizou… yummy…. And agreed–Ten is fun, but the value is subpar.
My issue with Mas (or really, any tapas place), is that you get screwed if you’re a vegetarian and eating with meat lovers. But the food, and drinks, are delicious.
Duners. Duners… Duners….
I disagree with some of the criteria for a 10-best list – for me, the quality of the food is the overriding concern, and only absolutely atrocious service or incredibly overpriced food could detract from that (for instance, mas would always be on my list, even when the service was slower than if you had been cooking the food yourself). With that in mind, here is what I consider the 10 best restaurants in the ville.
Mas – amazing food, the tapas plating allows for a freer dining experience – c-ville readers aren’t wrong, its the number one dining experience in charlottesville
Orzo – a criminal absence from the list. I’ve never had a dish at Orzo I didn’t love, the pot de creme there is in my opinion the best dessert in charlottesville, and their coffee shop, cafe calvino, has the best food at a coffee shop in charlottesville.
Ten – I think the food got better since Brian Emperor left. The sushi fundamentals have improved, they get higher quality fish than any other sushi restaurant in the area, and their sometimes-exorbitant prices don’t feel so exorbitant after you’ve eaten there.
Petit Pois – well-prepared french food, outranks its mother-restaurant fleurie and cassis as the best french food in charlottesville.
ZoCaLo – their tuna tartar may be my favorite dish in charlottesville, and as been said, while their menu never changes, the food they offer (and the drinks) are delicious.
Bang – used to be great, went strongly downhill, but Tim and Vincent are back in the kitchen on the weekdays, and the quality of the food is close to where it was when Bang opened.
Take It Away – it excels at what it tries to be, and its House Dressing is one of the great mysteries of the modern era.
Cassis – I enjoy the food at Petit Pois more, but Cassis provides a consistently good french food experience.
Revolutionary Soup – while I was slightly disappointed to find out it was owned by a Republican, the soup there is great, some of the sandwiches are great, and you gotta go with a restaurant that only uses quality, local produce.
The C & O – one of the few restaurants that has been in the ville forever and hasn’t deteriorated over time. Possibly because of the C&O, newer and better restaurants have opened, but you won’t go wrong eating at old faithful.
Honorable mention: I used to live in southern albemarle, and I think that dr ho’s is awesome, but if you don’t include palladio as a charlottesville restaurant (and i don’t), you don’t include dr ho’s.
I can’t be the only one that thinks Dr. Ho’s isn’t that good. I mean, it was decent but it didn’t live up to the hype.
@12 tosspot
At face value, the original list is great.
If someone from out of town came in looking for a list of great places to eat, ranging from a cheap lunch to a great dinner, this list would more than suffice as an approachable, safe bet.
But let’s not turn this into a my-opinion/review-is-better-than-yours fest. We’re teetering on that. I dig hearing other people’s nuanced reviews like @25. They’re very helpful for the purposes of checking out new places.
/my dad can beat up your dad
That’s a good list!
Now let’s make a list of the top 5 family-style restaurants. I nominate Red Lobster, Moore’s Creek, and Chili’s.
@28 Totally. I don’t want people to think that this is the end-all list of Top 10 in Charlottesville. I think the comments are a good place to critique our opinion, but I think it’s a good consensus and the few restaurants people consistently mention would probably be on another, similar list.
Future list ideas:
Top 10 places to drink beer
Top 10 places to carryout
@27 Ha!
Thor is on the money with that call then…
Careful there
http://cvillain.com/2007/12/11/confessions-of-a-local-barmaid/
@25: THIS! The sandwiches at Café Calvino are AMAZING. OMG.
I think for Mexican, Aqui es Mexico should def be on there
The one I had that was the flatbread with the carmelized onions, sautéed roma tomatoes, thyme-roasted potatoes, and warm goat cheese made me JIMP.
That wasn’t me. That was Sha nay nay.
Class stuff can turn real ugly real fast.
I loved this post of Shenanigans: http://cvillain.com/2008/07/08/random-acts-of-kindnessin-scottsville/ and I think you’d find Moore’s Creek is staffed by the same sort of people.
As far as sandwich places go, I think Cafe Europa is the best I’ve eaten at. I like it better than Take it Away and Little John’s. The prices are on par with both Take it Away and Little John’s, but it’s generally healthier than Little John’s and I like being able to get Greek salad or Cafe Europa’s awesome tomato soup as a side instead of chips.
@42 – I was just talking about CE at lunch today, debating its pros and cons. Their tomato soup and majorca (sp.) chicken sandwich are killer. But the general feel my lunch participants got was that all the sandwiches on the board at CE sound great, but don’t deliver, for the most part, leaving us feeling pretty flat about the place in general, IOHO.
I think for the sake of consistency, deliciousness, and 3AM-itude, Littlejohn’s takes the cake for a) quick, b) cheap, and c) tasty for Corner sandwiches any time of day. Plus, all of their beers are $2.00 a bottle.
Watch bouncers in action ? Anybody?
I nominate Two Sides.
bluegrass didn’t make the cut? for how come reason?
I guess I’m not “inner circle” food critic, sigh. Oh well. I’d sue you but edible blue ridge keeps me busy on that front
Or maybe I wasn’t consulted b/c ACTUALLY I haven’t eaten at many places on the list……………yet. Yeah, that very well could be it. In any case, my 10, in NO order, because really one hasn’t really jumped out at me to BE #1 are:
Orzo, Zocalo, Rev Soup (a Republican? really?) Continental Divide, Bizou, Zinc, Mono Loco (just for the bloodys), Thai 99 #2 (up 29). Okay, so that’s 8. But a good 8. And I have to really say a big NO to l’etoile until I eat there again. That beer dinner was just NOT good………
Sorry for my overuse of “really” but it’s been a long week………and I pointed out that it’s Thai 99 #2, b/c the food at the one closer to the university isn’t as good. Not at all….
I really think Bizou should be on the list as well but I like most of the list. And I think Mona Lisa pizza is just as good as Ho’s (and it really should be) because it’s closer it wins on fuel saving alone. I wouldn’t put L’Etoile on the list either- it’s ok but pricey and parking really sucks.
This is the “Dining on a Budget” List, not a real list of the best restaurants. You left off Fossett’s at Keswick Hall ( the best of all of them and a shorter drive than Dr. Ho’s) and the almost as good but absurdly overpriced Clifton Inn. You also left off Il Cane Pazzo and Fleurie, both better restaurants than Petit Pois (and owned by the same person). Agree w/ earlier comments about Bizou, consistently a cut or two above C+O in the same space. And finally, Jinx’s Pits Top has the best BBQ in the region, not merely Charlottesville and deserves to be on the list. BTW, the review of Fleurie was puerile (complaining about the butter in a French restaurant is like complaining about the cilantro and jalapenos in a Mexican Restaurant). GROW UP. And, in conclusion, the pizza in this town is embarrassingly bad.
Truman if you really believe that you sound like a pretentious rich person who has no taste for food other than $$$$$$$$$ equals good. The truth is that you can find very good meals for the cheap and pricey doesn’t make something better than the next.
I humbly suggest you bump one French restaurant off the list and replace it with Ten. Two French kitchens, but no Asian? How many people compiled this list?
I also don’t really like Jinx’s barbecue, but let’s please not turn this into a barbecue debate. We have one of those like every six months and it’ll completely take over this topic.
@43 I think my problem with Cafe Europa stems from the fact it can take up to 30 minutes to get your food if it’s busy. I agree that the tomato soup and majorca panini/sandwiches are good, but I think they have some other good stuff on the menu. Little John’s is perhaps the best known sandwich place in town and it’s great, but it still seems a little bit grungy, and there are practically no good semi-healthy alternatives on the sandwich menu.
Time to come back on and say: do a Top 10 for restaurants that accentuate hospitality and ambience. If you are smart, and if you can read, you can cook… and you can do it at home for a lot less money. This means: you are going out for another reason. At the end of the day, that’s the real case with this business. I’d like to know where you all would like to go, not necessarily because of the food being so great — where do you want to go because it feels and looks good, and it makes you happy?
My call — that is what counts for me. (Especially when I’m here?!)
@I’m in total agreement with @50 except for the BBQ thing but that’s N/A since I don’t eat BBQ. Il Cane is some of the best food in town but not popular or talked about enough . Fleurie is the best resto in town. Who else gives you an amuse-bouche and petit fours? Makes me miss Oxo, which also gave you a palate-cleansing sorbet. And, coco. your review did suck with all your butter bitching.
PS Cane Pazzo has DELICIOUS pizza. But still no pizza in town is as good as the lobster pizza from Red Lobster and that is the sad truth. The carmelized onion-gorgonzola pizza with jumbo lump crab that I had on my birthday was pretty un-fucking-believable though.
Thor’s wrong. Cheap eats are wonderful. We just have terrible cheap eats here, surprising for a college town. I’m an equal opportunity eater. Visit Chicago some time and you’ve got awesome pizza, gyros, Italian beef and sausage, hot dogs, you name it. Pizza at Il Cane is terrific, but it’s a long drop off after that. Love Blue Moon burgers and the mole at Aqui es Mexico, and also the BBQ at Belmont. Thai food OK at Lime Leaf and Thai 99, but not off the charts. Mediocre sushi (even 10- you want pretentious??) and Chinese food generally. Mediocre breakfast places. It’s a sad story. The upper end is overcrowded because of all the wealthy UVa parents and alums, but it’s thin gruel after that. As JFK would say, “We can do bettah . . .”
I’m an equal opportunity eater…. this made me snork like an ickle piggy. Truman you should get a t-shirt made.
Chicago is a town of how many millions? Charlottesville proper has 40,000. Cannot compare Charlottesville to New York or Chicago. Deep dish pizza sucks….
What deep dish pizza is — is an oxymoron?
@56 We crazy dogs appreciate your enthusiasm!
@56 I disagree about Il Cane Pazzo – I highly enjoyed it when David and Anne owned it, but since it was bought by the Fleurie guy, the food that they kept on the menu lost some of its lustre, and the newer dishes felt frenchified to me.
@50 Agree about the pizza – if anyone’s been to Two Amys in DC, they know what we’re missing, and given that the ville has most other food bases covered, its really a serious challenge facing our community.
Ten is amazing. Italian Villa is mostly random diner food (so they shouldn’t come close to making the list), but their pizza is possibly the best in cville, although I agree he town is lacking in the pizza category.
I agree with Mas and Continental Divide–value is stellar at both–and can’t comment on restaurants I haven’t been to, like Petit Pois and Michoacana, but:
–what about Bashir’s? Consistently the freshest ingredients and most conscientious approach to good, simple food of almost anywhere in town. The menu is inviting to vegetarians and meat lovers alike, the adventurous and the Italian-is-the-only-ethnic-food-I-eat. Cheap for lunch, good value for dinner.
–I’m speechless that so many people think Orzo should be added. Are you kidding? I don’t hate Orzo, and have had several pleasant meals there, but it’s largely forgettable and occasionally downright disappointing. These days, there’s no way I’m paying that kind of money for an “ok” experience.
My only vote: The korean house.
I agree with Fishingincrisis that it is necessary to suggest an entirely new top 10 list. Mine, without explanation, would, in fact, be quite similar. Something like:
1.) Orzo
2.) Mas
3.) Zocalo
4.) X-Lounge
5.) Cafe Europa
6.) Cassis
7.) Al-Hamraa
8.) Hot Cakes
9.) Mono Loco
10.) The Upstairs
Nevertheless, despite the fact that fishingincrisis and I do not differ especially and that said individual is a colleague of mine, I find his/her judgment absurd, dubious, and suspect to the highest degree. I mean, Petit Pois just isn’t that good. And Revolutionary Soup is extremely mediocre, not to say bad, whereas Cafe Europa is the most underrated place in Charlottesville and would be even higher on my list if it were nicer to eat at. Definitely wins the by-far-the-nicest-place-to-get-lunch-or-take-out award. Next thing you know, fishingincrisis will be putting the Shebeen in the top 10. Also sushi shmushi. And Take it Away’s house dressing may be a great mystery of the modern era, but so are Sherlock Holmes, ineffability, and the location of most of my socks. So there, ha.
Taking price into account especially, I think one of the top restaurants in town is Eppie’s. Over the last several weeks I had the chance to eat a significant percentage of what’s on the menu and I was impressed. I haven’t tried any of the pasta dishes yet, but the salads, the soup, the chicken (especially the jerk chicken) and the specials (chicken and dumplings!) are all just flat out good. The sides are nicely varied (yeah, I’d love green beans or asparagus in season as an alternative to broccoli, but that’s a small personal quibble) and you get to choose a couple which is sweet. The cornbread isn’t your standard cornbread and their pumpkin bread works really nicely as a side for the soup and salads.
The ambiance isn’t anything special, though it’s got a nice feel to it in some ways. To me, it’s food that makes sense, is prepared with some care and has consistently tasted good at a price I think is totally fair. It’d be nice if that didn’t make it stand out so much for me but it does and right now it makes Eppie’s a strong contender for my favorite restaurant in Charlottesville.
As regards the list in the OP there are a couple that I know I simply disagree with some people on (Mas and C&O); a couple that I clearly need to go try again (Rev. Soup and Blue Moon) and a handful that decidedly belong (L’Etoile, Petit Pois, ZoCaLo – though, seriously, change the menu sometime).
I haven’t tried Dr. Ho’s and don’t see the trip down there happening as I don’t really get the impression that it’s actually that good even from the people who like it a lot.
Continental Divide has always had a couple of dishes on the menu that I thought were some of the best plates of food in town but the small space coupled with the smoke makes it impossible for me to eat dinner there, unfortunately. I do like their chicken enchilada dish quite a bit.
La Michoacana isn’t even really a restaurant as such. It’s take out that has a place you can perch for a moment to scarf your taco instead of going somewhere else. I’m not at all arguing the food shouldn’t be on a list of some of the best food in Charlottesville, it was quite good the couple of times I had it, but it looks like a “one of these things is not like the others” example on this list.
I think we should differentiate between places you wanna sit down and eat at and places that have crap amibence but good takeaway. I think restaurant should imply a place you sit and eat so perhaps we should have another post for carryout.
@65: Rev. Soup is not mediocre. If you think CE is better, you expect different things from your dining experience. I like RS for the local and organic and gourmet. You like CE for the cheap and “european”. But that’s cool because I don’t need RS clogged up with the ignorant.
PS that’s not the perjorative ignorant, that’s just “unaware”. Google slow food movement!
@57 Have to agree with Everyman Peyote about cheap eats. Being one of the slipped-’tween-the-layers of indelible social circles in this town, not poor but not rich (and by that I mean I am able to pay bills and that’s about it), searching out economical yet nom-worthy victuals in this town is truly for the adventurous. I think something else that needs to be factored in in cheap eateries is location. I drive a beast of an American car and parallel parking is not only logistically impossible at times due to size of said vehicle and popularity of the mall or corner, but the price of parking needs to be added to the cost of the meal (admitting I’m not fairly certain of which establishments verify parking and which don’t). My mini-list:
1. My kitchen. Because I’m a kick-ass cook and baker. Plus living with two foodie roommates who adore good food as much as I do makes it easy to eat like a king for the price of a pauper.
2. Shebeen. Maybe not the cheapest but for the quantity vs quality vs price, you can guarantee a yummy, hearty meal. Their shephard’s pie, steak pie and curry corn chowder in a bread bowl (only $7) is worth it to me.
3. Happy hour at McGrady’s. Half off appetizers (sweet and sweaty wings are yum-o) and discount drafts. Not to mention when they have rugby going on tv… Yum.
Does anyone on here or around here do a cooking club or potlucks? With the diverse backgrounds and tastes, I think that would be an interesting little get-together. Recipe/ingredient swap perhaps? Just wondering.
Short list. Not the best list. But a list nonetheless.
If I were to be truly snobby, I’d forgo eating out at restaurants all year just to save up enough to go to the Clifton Inn. Buffalo carpaccio with truffle aioli, grated pear and pecorino romano raviolis with sage butter sauce and ricotta gnocchi with duck confit and butternut squash… probably the most memorable meal I’ve ever had.
I’m sick of lists like these ignoring chain restaurants. Stop trying to beg for advertisers.
Hmm…maybe this very article is a paid ad. Use that, Thor. “We will provide you with a mention in 12 articles a year for $2000.”
Worrying about whether or not a restaurant is owned by a Republican might be the stupidest thing I have ever seen on this website. You are all such fucking donkeys.
@71 – how could you be wrong?
@72 I agree the political leanings of a food seller is as silly thing to write but if there was a place called Hitler’s Hot Wings that would probably be a bad ideas
@70: “Nom-worthy”–hilarious. Let me know when the next rugby game is on and I’ll go watch it with you. MMMmm rugby thighs.
@76 I feel like the Wings wouldn’t be kosher.
I ate at Mas on Friday, and every time I go there, I like the place more and more. I actually had really good service along with amazing food.
Just ate at Zocalo. It was really disappointing. Fishy, incompletely cooked seabass, colorful but overseasoned Mexican food w/ lots of garlic salt (tasted like Doritos), watery mojitos, inconsistent service (ten minutes before even visited by waitstaff), desert drowned in Bailey’s Irish cream. But very trendy bar scene and lots of Santa Monica attitude. Yack!
Top Ten, my ass.
What about the Downtown Grille?
re: dr ho’s: i live south of town so stop here often on the way home. i’d just like to say that their soup–that’s right, their SOUP–is AWESOME. never tried the pizza, never cared to. they had me at the soup. different every day, lots of fresh veg in there, incredibly flavorful, and they come with melt-in-your-mouth grilled focaccia. good job, ho’s! also, their 1/2 size salads are a really great value. the caesar is excellent and generously portioned, and the mediterranean is only $3.50 and will leave you happy as a stuffed olive.
ok, now: time for a mac ‘n’ cheese-off. where do you find the best homemade m’n'c in c-ville. the leading contenders: c&o, maya, zinc (trust me), and eppie’s. the general theme in c-ville mac’n'cheese seems to be a hint of garlic and a lack of rue-based sauces. i know, this is an upscale bunch, and that’s why i want to hear about some more down home places that ppl might have found around town that would impress a mac’n'cheezwiz like myself.
michoacana is the shit, and super-friendly, but sometimes when i go there they’ve got a four-year-old working the register.
RE: mac & cheese:
Um, hello, muthafuckin’ X LOUNGE???
And um, ROUXbased.
Well beanhead, I guess you can now roux the day you cheesed off Shen. Ain’t no way she will be macking you now.
michoacana, I do have to try that place but man, no pizza, ever at the Dr’s? That seems so very wrong
@84 i rue your spelling orthodoxy
@83 get a vat ready, i’m on my way
@85 shite, you beat me to first-pun prestige
I swear by Orzo’s mac and Cheese. Except it is penne and cheesey pancetta goodness…X-Lounge does have good mac and cheese. You better check it out beanhead.
Truffle oil. Mmmm.
@3 didn’t knowitalian villa had deep dish pizza. oh dear.
@47 FBG, we met at the beer dinner. i didn’t think the food was bad, but seriously unmemorable. and the service was SO slow.
@65 i ate at rev soup 3 years ago & enjoyed it but haven’t been back. there must be something wrong with it. hm, maybe that it’s not open at night.
@71 but it’s a list of GOOD restaurants. obviously applebee’s doesn’t belong on it.
now if we had an olive garden…
/so joking.
melting pot is good.
@72 i stopped eating sushi (mostly) after learning from the nyt or npr that practically all the sushi-fish farms (or whever fish comes from) in the US are owned by hardcore republicans.
@73 seriously.
@79 the service at mas was amazing on saturday too. i was in a (relative) hurry, & even with the wait, we got out of there in 2:45. and so so so good. although they were out of 2 of the wines i ordered…
@66 zocalo DOES change its menu–it got rid of the lamb!
@80 i’ve never been disappointed with the steak or the duck.
@83 x-lounge mac & cheese is terribly bland.
my list (i.e., places where i make happy noises when i eat there or think about eating there):
fossett’s (i think i explained myself thoroughly on thursday
)
mas (it frustrates me that i’ll never be able to eat everything on the menu bc it keeps changing!)
fleurie (lovely)
zocalo (cheeseballs & steak! desserts are weak though.)
upstairs (perfect steak)
cassis (everything always good)
eppie’s (best chicken ever)
aromas (love hassan)
aqui es mexico (although i’m mad at them for charging for unrequested chips & salsa)
al hamraa (rabbit!)
ten
i love petit pois & maya, but they got bumped bc they’ve overcooked my steak on occasion.
the local’s steak, when it’s not severely overcooked, can be delicious.
unenthusiastic about C&O’s food, though the atmosphere is lovely.
i do like beer run’s food–no other sandwich places, esp not bellair–& continental divide.
i really like zinc but haven’t been there in too long.
lemongrass, royal indian, mellow mushroom, & crozet pizza make me super happy too.
/jinx’s shouldn’t even exist.
2:45 for a I’m in a hurry dinner? Huh?
Jinx’s is a toilet that needs to be flushed…. I have no clue how that place passes inspection from the health department.
What about 10 Best Cville restaurants that no longer exist?
Eastern Standard when it was upstairs with Janet Jospe cooking would top my list.
What about the muthaf**kin Ivy Inn ????
@93 I’ll second Eastern Standard! That place was incredible.
@94 You’re absolutely right. Ivy Inn remains in first place year after year for us, no matter where else we try. Can’t believe you’re the first to mention it.
OXO
… apart from the fucking red haired witch that used to bartend there.
@96 No the crappy DJ Special K shut that place down
@97: That’s the same chick you begged for a drink at X a few months later.
@96: Talented young chef from OXO now works at Ivy Inn. Grows herbs in his own garden for the food and makes his own cheese.
@99: Nah I heard she kept that dance floor moving despite it all
Hilarious. C-VILLE always picks Mas and Zo Co Lo? Actually, the readers pick those, and so did you!!!!
Love nanigans…will have with herbs or cheese
Bang??? I would DIE if I didn’t get Bang or X-Lounge in my system at least monthly.
… a typical American bogus justification for circumcision. It’s like saying a rug makes dust… just clean under it occasionally for fucks sake.
@102 Calling Freud Calling Dr. Freud…
@91 Aqui charges for the chips and salsa? Was just there Saturday and it wasn’t on our tab. Nor the other recent times there, either. Will be vigilent upon next visit.
@Post Has no one else on here been to the Clifton Inn?
@102 I’m in such a ridiculous mood right now the first thought after reading that was “I would DIE if I didn’t get banged in my X-Lounge at least monthly”.
/have the strangest mix going on in mah head – Aces High by Iron Maiden, Liar by Rollins Band and Weapon of Choice with the image of Christopher Walken being the hoofer at heart that he is…
@104 And I just now read that, being so caught up in my juvenile snorting giggles and blushes to realise that my thought isn’t so far off the mark…
@105 totally randomly, apparently. there’s a thing on cville dining about they charge for refill chips, & my friend said she was charged for refill chips, and i got charged for my FIRST chips (50 cents) & refill salsas for my burrito. still cheap, but being tricky like that is crap.
@106: I’ve been to the Clifton but it was when it was cheffed by all ex-OXO guys and run by the dude who now runs X Lounge so it wasn’t anything new.
80: no garlic salt used there, darlin’. garlic.
salt.
and real quick- anyone have lunch place ideas? how’s beer run or pad thai? anything else (I love petit pois or tea bazaar, but want to try something new)…
Supposedly Al Dente has something like $8 lunch where you get to pick you pasta and sauce. Sounds like a good deal. never been though
@110 beer run=gud. pad thai=bland.
@111 how is pasta + sauce a good deal for $8? i can’t cook anything except pancakes, & pasta + sauce.
Pancakes & pasta? sounds like someone is already carbo loading for the ten miler
@112: I think they have like 7 homemade sauce choices. Again, I haven’t been so I can’t speak to the value…. let me know what you think if you go
@113 i don’t cook very often
but yeah. and then the marathon! i recently read that like 73% of runners say they carbo-load before an event, but only like 23% actually eat enough carbs.
@112:
thanks!
but now the lunch has been moved
a. to friday
and b. “north end of town” ie: 29.
any hidden gem suggestions?
I like Lime Leaf for thai better than Thai 99 on 29, although you do get a better lunch deal at Thai 99…
the Carving Board is a very simple but awesomely cheap & good sandwich shop, right in front of ACAC off 29
Zam Zam Kabob is right off Rio Road, coming from UVA/barracks way, make a left off 29 unto Rio, and make your first right into a little shopping center – it’s in the back. Looks small and not worth the effort, but their falafel sandwich is really yummy.
If nothing else, there’s always Riverside North further up 29, definitely cheap….
@116 Carving Board in Albemarle Square beside ACAC… have the Crab Melt and taunt Shen with tales of it’s scrummy deliciousness.
i’ve been hearing about the carving board… thanks for reminding me. whether friday or another day i will report back.
mmm. falafel.
@118: I went to La Cucina del Sol for lunch and had their scrummilicious jumbo lump crab/spinach dip.
oh yeah, mentioning La Cucina del Sol reminds me of the somewhat new restaurant/coffee bar directly in front of it: Brasserie Montiel. slightly more upscale, even though they serve breakfast all day
hmmm carving board!
@110…good lunch places:
Downtown Mall:
Bashirs–everything I’ve had is delicious, and you can get a soup/salad combo for cheap. Sandwiches are very reasonably priced too.
Foods of All Nations is hit or miss for a lot of items, but they usually have tasty salads. And their fresh local goat cheese is heaven. You can get an entire container full for something like $3, which makes a great addition to anything you already have at home: salad, baguette, etc.
do NOT eat at FOAN! they treat the employees horribly &, more importantly, the food is really dirty.
i cannot be more specific here, but i am totally serious.
i have tried soups, salads and entrees from the prepared food section at FOAN a number of times, and, other than the fried chicken, which is pretty good, i’ve been really really unimpressed. the food i’ve gotten has been at best mediocre and at worst (and i’m afraid that this is the majority of what i’ve had) just plain bad.
@124–I’m assuming you have inside information, b/c whenever I’ve been there, I have not witnessed any such horrible treatment. In fact, some of the same people have worked there for years, which I know in this terrible economy probably doesn’t say much, but still.
Ha. If you wanted us to boycott places that treat their employees like shit, nobody would eat at bizou circa 3 years ago.
Oh wait i’m old now, i forgot. i meant 5 years ago when one chef roofied me and another chef fired me cuz i didn’t want to sleep with him. hopefully things are better now.
Shen-I support the boycott, and will never ever eat at this restaurant, 3 or possibly 5 years ago. I’m serious about this. I don’t care how hungry I was.
Geesh, the C&O is still around?
The Virginian used to have french onion soup to die for.
I wouldn’t eat @ orchid’s. I hear she’s dirty and treats the employees horribly.
@129: Way to be loyal
@131: Ha!
@131 is she taking applications?
Duners should have def made the top ten!
The prices at Ten have dropped and its one of the cheaper places for cocktails. You cant beat the atmosphere. It should have TOTALLY made the list.
and what about Wayside? Find me better fried chicken in this town…. lol
BANG! girls are hot btw.
The Amoco two blocks out Fontaine is better, for one.
@135: Hmm,no I hear the mart on Cherry ave has the best freid chix evar. But srsly, arguing about who has the best fried chix is as useless as who has the best bbq.
I’m more interested in this Duner’s place? Waht do they serve? Is it not on the lsit only cuz it’s not TRENDY or close enough to town?
as a former chef in c-ville for several years, i think the best hands-on chef in the area is dean maupin at clifton inn. some people think it is over-priced and the service blows, but imho dean is the most talented in the area. he needs to leave that place and open his own so he can grow.
@72 and 73–Why on earth is it wrong to worry that a restaurant is owned by a Republican? Especially if they donate to the Republican Party, it’s irresponsible not to think about the consequences of enriching them. Same thinking would be fine for a Republican not wanting to eat at a Democratic partisan’s restaurant, although in that case I would suggest driving to a different city to eat in…
Gawd, what a wonderful world it’ll be when we permeate routine aspects of everyday life with political partisanship.
/Lilliputians warring over the right way to crack an egg
@140
We don’t have to permeate anything, friend – routine life is infused with political significance. It’s really a matter of whether or not we choose to acknowledge it.
Okay, good luck with limiting your interaction with the rest of the universe to entities of the correct (for you) persuasion.
/Who would Jesus snub?
It’s not a point about limiting interaction at all–I don’t even think I’d be ready to actually follow this advice and give up going to a restaurant for political reasons (good thing I don’t even like Revolutionary Soup), but helping make someone wealthy who might go and finance a party you don’t agree with is very different from talking to them, being friends with them, etc.
@143 – I think if you live with that philosophy, any of your consumption habits will conflict with your political beliefs. Buying a home? It was probably built by Republicans & Democrats (blue collar workers), financing provided by Republicans (bankers), Real Estate Brokerage by Democrats (Charlottesville), etc.
Eating at a Charlottesville restaurant? Waitstaff = Democrat, Owner = Democrat, Landlord = Republican, Owners of the Company that delivers food = republican…etc
@126 i do. FOAN pays well so that probably overcomes a lot, especially ITE.
@136 http://lmgtfy.com/?q=duner%27s+charlottesville&l=1
@142 republicans, probably.
Hey all,
Need some help. Have a friend who has to take a business associate out to dinner, corporate card, no limit. My advice was to go to the Clifton Inn. Where would you go on someone else’s dime? Thanks!
@146:
Ivy Inn
Mas
C&O
not necessarily in that order
@146
Fosett’s at Keswick Hall
Clifton
Fleurie
Ten
upstair’s at C&O
not in order but all have a different vibes and wine lists
Went to Mas this week and had a mixed experience…
Mind you, it was BUSY. Seated myself at the bar with a friend, and got our drinks quickly enough. Waited 10-15 minutes for our menu selections to be picked up, and another 15-20 minutes for the first entree to come out. In the meantime, some disgustingly rude people corral my seat because I went outside to smoke, and had to pardon myself loudly and shove someone out of the way because they were blocking the door. Never got a drink refill on my water after I pounded down an amazing margarita. FINALLY I got the food…
…And I forgave them for everything. It was a religious experience. Suddenly having people slop sangria on me was totally worth it. (I broke my no-meat rule and tried the Carne Asada and honestly figured out for the first time what a food orgasm was). I’m dragging another friend there this week to just be able to get some of that aioli sauce again.
@149 … r u a mas virgin? you need to send us text messages of you and mas getting it on. we’ll call it maxting
I was. Mas totally popped my cherry in a righteous way. I wouldn’t mind figuring out when they aren’t clusterfuck-busy so I can laud the service as well as the divine food.
Thanks for the suggestions.
@149 I would commit heinous acts for Mas’ Carne Asada. DELICIOUS.
I lub shenanigans, but the X-Lounge ought to at least get in the 20th century, discrimination against Sikhs is unlawful:
http://www.cavalierdaily.com/news/2009/mar/30/x-lounge-denies-university-student-entry-because-o/
And the Cville police are clueless, tho I guess they can’t be expected to enforce federal civil rights laws on the spot. Everyone in the 21st century in real cities knows about this shit. Even here, ever heard of Huja? Who built the Downtown Mall and sits on city council? Just one tiny example:
Etc. etc. I though it was common knowledge. Pick up a newspaper, youth of America.
Oh, X apologized profusely be email the next day. Guess I oughta have read the rest of the article.
Dont Sikh men generally carry a ceremonial dagger as well? I could see that causing some troubles, wonder why its ok to lose the dagger but not the turban. Dont they also wear all white? Or is that just a certain sect? Either way, the sikhs I have known are among the most peaceful people I have known. Them and the Kiwis. But its early and have had no coffee and have no idea what Im talking about.
@153: Don’t try to stir shit up. They have always had a no-hat policy.
Yeah if let it Sikhs, then the pope would be all up in there with his Mitre. Lord knows you could smuggle some stuff with that hat.
A turban is not a hat. This shit is so old hat I can’t believe it.
Funny you should mention the so-called pope.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1581062/Sikhs-to-boycott-Pope-meeting-over-dagger-ban.html
@158: Doormen are hired because they’re big, not because they’re educated in religious wear of other cultures.
They appealed to the manager, who also said no.
Would they say “no” to this guy?
http://www.sikhism.us/history-of-sikhism/224-satyendra-huja-the-sikh-architect-charlottesville.html
@160: And he apologized. Stop tryin’ to raise a ruckus.
The next day. Stop being anti-big.
“because they’re big”
@158 Ok I read the article, if they have to wear daggers but sometimes they don’t; how is that different then turbans? I know the practical reason, it just seems that you can pick and choice what parts of the religion to follow. I sure that I’m being ignorant of something obvious but really would like to know.
Any Sikhs in the house?
Any Sikhs in the house?
Sikh and ye shall find.
Oh, I’m pro-big Colfie. That’s why we never went out.
It was the cold water!
please use other thread to discuss sikh incident.
Please use this thread to continue to make fun of colfer.
Please use this thread to ignore Thor
Please use this thread it smells funny.
Colfer- I think this was what you were trying to say….
Yep, but I figured Seinfeld was last century. Anyway she got off easy cause she has soft hair.
Tastings is highly underrated and undermarketed. Had a most awesome dinner with wine flight last week.
Love Lime Leaf for Thai cravings. Other favs include Zinc, Orzo, Cassis, Blue Light, C&O, Bang, ZoCaLo, Enoteca for a GNO, and Continental Divide for a great marg and the tuna tostada!
Hi,
Great stuff here for an out-of-towner like me. But what about Italian, undeniably one of the great cuisines?
@174 oh Phil, great Italian does not live here. I like Carmello’s other’s like Vivace but no one is going to die on their swords for either.
Unless they are pork swords, and then I’m game.
Il Cano Pazzo, Mona Lisa, Milano, Pacino’s, Fabio’s.