Knife & Fork, a food and drink magazine from the publisher of C-VILLE Weekly, of Charlottesville, VA

MEAT! JM Stock’s

sublime charcuterie

CAKE! Pure yum from a sweet new bakery

WOOD! The fine art

of the chopping block SPRING 2019

LET’S EAT!

Taste is everything.

400+ spots to dive in, chow down, and fill up

Concrete eggs to ferment wine?

Yup. It’s happening at Stinson Vineyards

The joy of eating

How one woman learned to love food again

10 hot new restaurants SEE WHO MADE THE LIST PAGE 26

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TAB L E OF C O N T E N TS

AND THE WINNER IS...

The Dish 9 The joy of food

One woman’s journey to fall in love with eating again.

15 Building blocks

Custom cutting boards give a Louisa man a second career.

17 Wine of another kind

Flying Fox Vineyard’s artisanal vermouth takes off.

19 Concrete decision

As we were putting the finishing touches on this issue, a local chef and winery made headlines, confirming that Charlottesville overachieves when it comes to food and drink. Ian Redshaw—a founding chef at a little gem called Lampo and executive chef at the lavish new steakhouse Prime 109—was named a James Beard Award semifinalist in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category. The recognition placed him among just 24 young chefs in the nation whose talent and leadership elevate the art and craft of cooking. Meanwhile, Horton Vineyards, near Gordonsville, took home the top prize in the Virginia Governor’s Cup competition with its luscious 2016 petit manseng, which rose above more than 500 other entrants to become the commonwealth’s best wine of 2019. Awards are a good thing. They come to those with exceptional passion and skill—the kind of people you’ll find in the pages of this magazine.—Joe Bargmann (joe@c-ville.com)

Making wine in giant eggs as hard as stone. Amazing.

21 Don’t call it salami

The correct word is charcuterie.

Just ask JM Stock.

Spring events Enjoy a little live music with your food, or a polo match, perhaps? We’ve got you covered. PAGE 51

Restaurant listings More than 400 places to choose from. PAGE 52

Drink listings The glass is more than half full at these wineries, breweries, cideries, and distilleries. PAGE 58

10 hot new restaurants With a diverse batch of openings in the past 18 months, the Charlottesville food scene is experiencing a boom. There’s something for everyone: a posh steakhouse, Tibetan fare, a sake brewery, Mexican- and Spanish-inspired cuisine, and more. Stay hungry, friends. PAGE 26

The Last Bite Get into the swing of spring with sweet treats from Vivi’s Cupcakes and Candy.

PAGE 62

308 E. Main St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 817-2749 n c-ville.com c-ville.com/knife-fork

ON THE COVER Vietnamese pho with thinly sliced beef swimming in a savory, days-in-the-making broth is among the many authentic Southeast Asian dishes you’ll find at Chimm, one of our 10 hot new restaurants (see page 26). Photo by Tom McGovern.

ABODE, 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. Editor Laura Longhine. Knife & Fork Editor Joe Bargmann. Copy Editor Susan Sorensen.

Creative Director Bill LeSueur. Graphic Designers Tracy Federico, Max March, Lorena Perez. Account Executives Erica Gentile, Theressa Leak, Alex Patterson, Cindy Simmons, Beth Wood. Production Coordinator Faith Gibson. Publisher Aimee Atteberry. Chief Financial Officer Debbie Miller. Marketing Manager Anna Harrison. A/R Specialist Nanci Winter. Circulation Manager Billy Dempsey. ©2019 C-VILLE Weekly.

Spring Knife&Fork 5

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The Dish TRENDS, TASTEMAKERS, AND FOODS WE LOVE

It’s a spring thing RENEE BYRD

We’ve got all the ingredients you need for the new season, including Renee Byrd’s honey-sweetened thumbprint cookies with strawberry jam

Spring Knife&Fork 9

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10 Knife&Fork Spring

The joy of eating

The Dish

How a local cook, food stylist, and blogger with a national following learned to love food again

By Jennifer MacAdam-Miller

A

fter years of struggling with disordered eating and food sensitivities, Renee Byrd rediscovered her love of food and cooking. Now she shares recipes—and a bit of life-changing magic—on Will Frolic for Food, the blog she started in 2013.

In a way, Byrd, 29, is the Marie Kondo of food.

While she advocates a better, simpler way to eat—plant-based, mostly sugar-free, low on dairy, almost vegan—she doesn’t suggest that her way is the right way. It’s just what works for her, and she invites her blog visitors and 47,600 Instagram followers to find their own joy in food.

Byrd is more than just an avid foodie. She’s a member of the ethereal folk band Larkspur, a poet, and yoga instructor. But where Byrd really shines is with her food photography and styling. Byrd’s atmospheric images and recipes have been featured in Self and Seventeen magazines, and on the Williams-Sonoma website.

Byrd revels in the Charlottesville food scene.

She’s an enthusiastic consumer of produce from

City Market, where she can also be found at Frolic, the small-batch chocolate and coffee-roasting business that her husband, Logan Byrd, runs out of their backyard commercial kitchen.

We caught up with Byrd recently to find out more about her and her work. Prepare to be inspired.

Why did you decide to write about food?

I started the blog as a way to practice writing and photography, but at the same time I was also developing recipes, so my husband encouraged me to share them. We were eating interesting, creative, delicious things, but I would just make something once and not write down the recipe. I was just like, it’s what inspired me at the time. He was just trying to get me to share with other people. And I got really into it.

Renee’s faves

Sounds like intuitive eating. But you don’t seem like a person who’s into food fads.

I don’t really use diet labels. When I was 21 I CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

“Eating something that reminds you of what your mother made when you were growing up can be incredibly healing,” says Byrd.

Spring Knife&Fork 11

TIFFANY JUNG

Although food sensitivities make eating at home more practical for Byrd, she’s found plenty of local places that accommodate special dietary needs in delicious ways. “We have an insane amount of good food in this town,” she says. Here’s where she gets it.—JMM Roots Natural Kitchen “I go there a couple of times a week for The Southern Bowl.”

Juice Laundry “I love their raw juices and green juices, cold brew latte, and Coco Verde with a ton of ginger!”

Moon Maiden’s Delights “Their Best Day Bar is amazing, with a gluten-free oat base and seasonal flavors like mango or strawberry-cardamom.”

Citizen Burger Bar “My husband likes their grass-fed beef. I get the beet burger and sweet potato fries.”

Bluegrass Creamery “I love their vegan coconut ice cream, and their housemade gluten-free waffle cones are the best I’ve ever had. You can find their food truck at the IX Art Park in the warmer months.”

The Pie Chest “Good coffee and dairy-free lattes.

Their chai and matcha is the best in town!”

You write about “falling in love with food again” after learning you had food sensitivities. Is sharing this also a mission for the blog?

Yeah, that is part of it. I had some disordered eating problems when I was young, and I had to heal my relationship with food. Getting into cooking and learning how to cook nourishing, plant-based food was part of my healing. But I wanted to make food that tastes really good, instead of trying to nourish my body based on some set of rules I observed in our culture, like, “you should eat salad.”

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12 Knife&Fork Spring

The Dish

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

What does “frolicking for food” mean, and how can it help others?

It’s about finding joy in food and continuing to make it really delicious even if you do have sensitivities. It reminds me of the phrase “rare diseases are not rare.” Likewise, food sensitivities are not rare. A lot of people are not even conscious of dietary parameters that could rid them of suffering or being deeply fatigued. So, for me, frolicking is about reclaiming the joy in food.

There’s something about your food photography that seems to have a similar message.

I try to create a sense of aliveness and vibrancy in something that’s still and immobile. I try to cultivate in the images a sense of quiet and space, which are things I appreciate in life and in food. When I’m photographing I have to gain a sense of slowness and stillness, because it’s just me and a plate of something that can’t talk to me. It helps me appreciate the beauty in something as simple and ephemeral as food. It’s here and then it’s gone. But it also can provide a lot of beauty. A bowl of curry is beautiful because it’s delicious, but it reaches another level when it has edible flowers and a swirl of cream on top.

What ingredients are you excited to get your hands on this spring?

Strawberries! I’m like itching for them right now.

And, gosh, some of my favorite edible flowers come out in spring—cherry blossoms, apple blossoms, violets. And we have an asparagus patch—it’s like magic every spring. We get a lot!

Looking at your blog and reading about all of your endeavors, it seems your creativity goes beyond food.

Well, you should see my list of recipes I have yet to post—it’s like hundreds. I’m also a musician and a poet, and I do portrait photography and even weddings. I’m also a yoga teacher. It’s great! I love it!

What drives your creativity?

One of my core missions is to serve people well— to give them things that are practical and provide

Honey-sweetened strawberry jam thumbprint cookies

By Renee Byrd (adapted from The Kitchen McCabe)

RENEE BYRD

did go vegan for a while. I had already stopped eating dairy because I was allergic to it, and after I went vegan I felt so much better. But I eventually developed some food intolerances, which I attribute to eating a lot of processed vegan food. So I started incorporating a little bit of fish, some goat dairy, and eggs into my diet, and I started to feel better again. Food is definitely part of my self-nurturing and -nourishing process. And it’s closely related to my mental-health journey—gaining a sense of fulfillment and of making conscious choices.

a sense of simple joy and connection to somebody similar to them. I think that can reduce suffering for people. That is my ultimate goal: to reduce suffering in the world, no big deal [laughs]. Maybe it’s through food, or conversation, or a beautiful photo. A lot of people who follow my work feel connected to me. They are sensitive souls, and I’m somebody who gets them.

Do you feel that food itself can be healing?

Yes, I do. On two levels: emotional and physical. Eating something that reminds you of what your mother made when you were growing up, or of a beautiful experience in your life, can be incredibly healing. Once in a blue moon I’ll go to Sub Rosa Bakery in Richmond. They have these incredible pastries, not something I typically eat. There’s refined sugar and wheat and dairy. But it feeds my soul. If I feel a bit bloated the next day, who cares? Food can heal people physically, too. I used to have IBS [irritable bowel syndrome], and I’ve completely healed my gut through healthy eating.

On the blog you mention your interest in herbalism. Does that play into your recipes?

It does. It’s sort of a hobby, studying herbalism and including different herbs and roots and mushrooms that are beneficial in my diet. I post a lot of recipes that incorporate herbalism—hopefully, in a very low key, non-intimidating way.

Is that important to you—to communicate in an accessible way?

I try to write the blog the way that I talk to people. When it comes to food, I’m sort of irreverent. I’m totally into all of this hippie woo-woo stuff. But I also take it with a grain of salt. I’m very wary of the cult mindset that can develop around things like herbalism and healthy food. So, the way that I speak on the blog is meant to be very inviting and friendly and relaxed. I want people to feel that they’re just hanging out with me.

Soft, honey-sweetened “sugar” cookies meet tangy-sweet strawberry jam.

These cookies come together in just about 15 minutes, plus they’re pretty dang healthy to boot! Free of gluten, grain, refined sugar, and dairy, but absolutely delicious—like, “Wow, this is healthy?” delicious.

Prep: 5 minutes. Bake: 8-10 minutes per sheet. Makes: 18 cookies Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

INGREDIENTS 2 1/4 cups blanched almond flour 3/4 cup tapioca flour ¼ tsp. salt, plus more for topping ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/3 cup honey 1 Tbsp. cashew butter 1 Tbsp. coconut oil 1 egg Strawberry jam for filling METHOD 1. In a large bowl combine almond flour, tapioca flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate small bowl, combine vanilla, honey, cashew butter, coconut oil, and egg. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and stir to combine.

2. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough and roll them into balls. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place balls about an inch apart.

3. Using your thumb, create an indentation in the top of each, and fill with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of jam.

Bake 8-10 minutes, until the bottoms are deeply golden and the tops are lightly golden.

4. Cool 5-10 minutes before eating.

Add more jam as desired.

Spring Knife&Fork 13

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Angelic’s Kitchen will bring their food truck to you!

Or you can visit us on pantops mountain from 11:30am-7pm (across from CVS).

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The Dish

Building blocks A contractor-turnedcraftsman churns out custom goods for cooks.

By Shea Gibbs

A

His three favorite woods Black walnut “The color of the grain is mostly black, but the wood has beautiful highlights—dark- and light-brown, yellow, and even red.”

Cherry “I love the color, which is red, as you’d imagine. The grain pattern varies from thin lines to thick ones.” < Maple “It’s light-colored, sort of blond, and contrasts nicely with the walnut and cherry. The grain pattern is long and parallel, and usually consistent down the length of the board.”

Fox Haven Originals, (804) 205-0288, foxhavenoriginals.com MORGAN SALYER

fter retiring from the construction business, Clay Greneveld couldn’t sit still, so he launched a second career as a custom craftsman. For a short while he made pen sets, using acrylic and wood, but he found the work too fussy and the profits marginal.

Now, three years into his new venture, Greneveld has discovered his groove, creating chopping blocks and large serving pieces—such as Lazy Susans, platters, and bowls —in his Louisa woodshop. In fact, he’s got a full-time job on his hands. Greneveld’s business, Fox Haven Originals, is growing steadily through sales on his website and Etsy, as well as at craft fairs and Lake Anna Outfitters, in Mineral, Virginia.

Almost all of his hardwood creations are built-to-order.

Greneveld sources rough-sawn wood from area mills or harvests materials from his own land, milling the pieces to dimension in-house. “I just had some trees drop, and I’m waiting for ’em to dry out,” he says. “I like to keep it local.”

Greneveld’s chopping blocks feature hardwoods carefully woven into repeating patterns, like chevrons, and highlighted with exotic woods, like sassafras. Instead of building handles into his pieces, he angles the lower edge so the blocks are easily lifted from a countertop. The blocks are typically about an inch-and-a-half thick.

The wood fragments that make up the blocks are joined with food-grade glue, and the finished products are tough. “I’ve tried to break them,” he says. “I took a few hammers to the joints, and the only place they broke was right in the grain of the wood.”

Prior to delivery, Greneveld treats his chopping blocks with mineral oil and beeswax, a jar of which comes with each piece. He recommends using the concoction about once a month to condition the wood.

Greneveld has sold chopping blocks to customers of all types—from “dishwashers to judges,” he says—who share an appreciation for his culinary craftsmanship. But the biggest fan of his work may be his wife, which is a good thing for Greneveld. “She is such a great cook,” he Spring Knife&Fork 15 says. “I can’t even cook a steak right.”

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The Dish

Wine of another kind Flying Fox Vineyard soars into fresh territory with seasonal vermouth

By Robert Harllee

MORGAN SALYER

A

bout 10 years ago, concurrent with the onset of the artisanal cocktail movement, small-batch European vermouths began showing up in the U.S. market. Winemakers took notice, and some started experimenting with producing their own. Today, vermouth is enjoying a moment, with some of the very best being made in our own backyard, by Afton’s Flying Fox Vineyard.

Winemakers Elliott Watkins and Emily Pelton were inspired by small-batch gins, with their quirky bottles and elaborate labels, to make vermouth for Flying Fox, the Veritas spin-off. It’s safe to say they’ve succeeded. Not only are the vermouths delicious and intriguing, but they have fabulous labels and, yes, a quirky bottle.

The label designer is Dani Antol, of Rock Paper Scissors, the Charlottesville custom paper-goods shop. Watkins wanted “the labels to be the tasting notes,” Antol says. They harken back to watercolors of fruits and flowers popular in the 1800s but are fresh and modern. Each one shows the ingredients—botanicals, fruits, and spices—that impart the wine’s flavors.

A fortified wine, vermouth always includes wormwood, a bitter, medicinal herb. What makes the Flying Fox version unique is that four iterations, one for each season, are produced yearly. Two are available now: Fall Sweet Vermouth No. 18.03, flavored with orange peel, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, and persimmon; and Winter Sweet Vermouth No. 18.04, made with raisins, dates, apple, pear, and cinnamon, and finished with bitter-sweet pomegranate.

The Spring Sweet Vermouth No. 19.01, due for

Drink it neat, over ice, or in a cocktail. This stuff is as versatile as it is delicious.

The Foxtail Not your run-of-the-mill martini, this drink offers subtle fruit and herbal flavors.

1.5 oz Hendrick’s Gin 3 oz Flying Fox Spring or Summer Vermouth Twist of lime peel Splash of club soda Serve over spring-water ice in a tall glass.

release in mid-April, will feature notes of strawberry and rhubarb.

Flying Fox sources most of the ingredients locally, and has begun growing botanicals.

With the unusual elixirs growing in popularity, a greenhouse to ramp up production of the flavorful additives is on the drawing board.

Purists may enjoy the vermouth on ice, but it also makes a sweet cocktail.

Flying Fox Vineyard, 10368 Critzer Shop Rd., Afton.

361-1692. virginiavermouth.com

Artisanal vermouth is enjoying a moment, with some of the very best being made in our own backyard.

Spring Knife&Fork 17

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The Dish

JOHN ROBINSON

I

first encountered an ovoid concrete fermentation vessel at Austria’s innovative biodynamic winery Meinklang in 2004.

Actually, there were a few of them, all lined up and looking like 1950s science-fiction rocket ships, held upright by fin-shaped buttresses. A startling departure from the oak barrels and stainless-steel vats I was accustomed to seeing, the eggs, as they are commonly known, filled me with wonder. In fact, they were so strangely attractive that my fellow travelers and I soon found ourselves running our hands over the smooth-but-textured surface of one, and smiling with delight.

I did the very same thing during a recent trip to Crozet’s Stinson Vineyards, the only winery in the area, if not all of Virginia, using concrete eggs. I’m not an oddball—winemaker Rachel Stinson Vrooman assured me that most visitors feel compelled to rub them. “And they take many pictures, as if it were a rock star,” she says.

The making and storage of wine in rounded, earthenware containers called amphorae dates back to the Neolithic period, and was practiced by ancient civilizations including the Egyptians,

Visitors can’t keep their eyes—or their hands—off the ovoid fermentation tanks at Stinson Vineyards.

Concrete decision Stinson Vineyards ferments in an egg that’s hard to beat

By Robert Harllee Romans, and Greeks. Renowned French winemaker Michel Chapoutier was inspired by this history when he designed the first contemporary concrete egg, which was manufactured by Nomblot in 2002. When Stinson opened eight years later, it bought its eggs from Nomblot.

Small, minimalist, and modern, the winery’s style is complemented by the concrete vessels.

Concrete egg fermenters have many things to recommend them. The thick, dense walls insulate the fermenting wine and keep the temperature stable. As the yeast goes to work it gives off heat, creating convection currents that circulate warmer wine at the bottom to replace cooler wine at the top. This movement allows complex flavors to develop through continuous contact with the lees (yeast sedi-

ments) in an automatic batonnage (stirring the lees to lend a creamy texture). Tiny, airfilled pores on the interior walls oxygenate the circulating liquid, allowing redox to occur— essentially, the oxygen regulates the level of naturally occurring sulfur compounds.

In sauvignon blanc, the only wine Stinson makes with the eggs, sulfur can produce flavors of passion fruit, citrus, smoke, and flint. But if the oxygen weren’t present to keep the sulfur in check, the wine would smell skunky. I’m not making this up! The sulfur compound thiol is what makes a skunk’s spray so vile, but it also gives garlic its pleasant zip.

Okay, the chemistry lesson is over—let’s talk about wine, in particular Stinson’s excellent

sauvignon blanc. When it comes out of the eggs it is blended with the same wine that has been fermented in stainless steel, which, unlike concrete, preserves fruit flavors. The finished product delivers good minerality, complexity, body, and texture. This texture, a creaminess on the palate, I definitely noticed when tasting the wine. I also tasted notes of peach and citrus.

If making the wine this way sounds labor-intensive, well, that’s because it is. But as the cool wine flowed across my tongue, filling my mouth with complex, refreshing flavors, it made me smile—just like a concrete egg itself.

Stinson Vineyards, 4744 Sugar Hollow Rd., Crozet, 823-7300, stinsonvineyards.com

The making and storage of wine in rounded, earthenware containers called amphorae dates back to the Neolithic period, and was practiced by ancient civilizations including the Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks.

Spring Knife&Fork 19

Wines for sharing.

Always bring your best.

311 E MARKET STREET | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22902 (434) 202-0511 | MARKETSTWINE.COM

The Dish

Shout out Alex Import says that JM Stock’s charcuterie wouldn’t be so good if it weren’t made from Patterson’s Register Berkshires, heritage hogs from Autumn Olive Farms, near Waynesboro. autumnolivefarms.com

Pepperoni Three parts lean beef, one part fatty pork.

Coarse, medium, and fine grinds. “You have to add the meat very carefully to keep your textures somewhat separate,” Import says.

“That variation, and the flecks of pork fat, are what make this look pretty.” Seasoned with coriander, black pepper, and a “secret” mix of chilis, then hickorysmoked.

Stock ham Pork from the hind leg, brined for five to 10 days in water with salt, sugar, coriander, mustard seed, black peppercorns, bay laurel, and chilis, then hickory-smoked. “We leave on the thick pork cap,” Import says. “It melts in your mouth, and if you make a panini with it, the flavor really stands out.”

Paté de campagna

Mortadella

Import calls it “fancy meatloaf.” No bread or flour added, so it’s gluten free.

Fat and lean pork handchopped with offal (jowl, heart, liver). Seasoned with black pepper, dried ginger, mace, nutmeg, clove, and coriander. Super-rich. Good on its own or with crostini, cornichons, and coarse mustard.

The masterpiece of the meat case. Lean pork ground several times, then mixed with ice to promote emulsification and a “pillowy texture.” Chunks of blanched pork-jowl fat, pistachios, garlic, mace, coriander, and other spices are added before the mixture is encased in a natural beef skin.

Finished by lengthy poaching at low temperature.

Don’t call it salami Because the proper name is charcuterie

MORGAN SALYER

Surryano ham An “import” to Stock made by Edwards Virginia Smokehouse, in Surry, Virginia. Heritage pork cuts are hand-rubbed with a proprietary mix of ingredients, hickory-smoked for seven days, and aged for more than 400 days. Sliced paper

Making charcuterie is an art, and the best meat artists in town can be found at JM Stock Provisions. “You have to receive the animal, break it down, use just the right balance of fat and lean, get the perfect matrix of textures, and chop, grind and cook for hours,” says Alex Import, general manager. “A chef might say, ‘Why do all that when you can buy it from someone else?’ There’s nothing wrong with that mentality.” Likewise, there’s nothing wrong with JM Stock’s smoky, salty meats.—Joe Bargmann

thin. Delicious with blanched asparagus or sweet melon.

Spring Knife&Fork 21

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10 hot* new restaurants 26 Knife&Fork Spring

“Happier cows make better meat” is just one of the motto-ish lines you’ll find on the website for Albemarle’s Sherwood Farms, where Prime 109 sources its dry-aged cuts. Here, a Kansas City strip steak gets a boost from roasted Meyer lemons and garlic.

AMY AND JACKSON SMITH

T

A diverse collection of upstarts drives a local dining boom

By Simon Davidson

The restaurant business, like any industry, goes in cycles.

Grow, contract, repeat. Here in Charlottesville, our last boom came in 2014, a year that brought Lampo, The Alley Light, Oakhart Social, Parallel 38, Public Fish & Oyster, MarieBette, Rock Salt, Red Pump Kitchen, and Al Carbon, among others.

Now, after a slight lull, the area’s restaurant scene is resurgent, with a burst of openings in the past 18 months. The 10 we feature here are all good, and a few exceptional. But what stands out as much as their quality is their variety. A bicycle bar. A lavish steakhouse. Tibetan food.

A sake brewery. A pie shop with tapas. Greek fast-casual. Mexicanand Spanish-inspired cuisine.

Thai. Korean. Nearly every new entry has given Charlottesville something it lacked. While our area’s restaurant scene has long punched above its weight, the latest additions remind us that even in the best food communities there’s always room to grow.

*

What makes a new restaurant “hot?”

In a word, popularity. Whether it cooks with gas or a wood-fired oven, a restaurant that draws a crowd soon after opening— particularly in a city with so many options for dining out—is hot. Please write to joe@c-ville.com with comments. We welcome, nay, encourage debate!

Spring Knife&Fork 27

Bon matin.

B a k e r y · B r e a k fa s t · L u n c h · B r u n c h

now with two charlottesville Locations.

MarieBette café & Baker y, 700 Rose Hill Drive Petite MarieBette, 105 East Water Street mariebette.com

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ORGANIC PLANT-BASED GLUTEN-FREE LOCATIONS ON PRESTON AVE & THE CORNER

28 Knife&Fork Spring/Summer

THE

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superfood smoothies cold-pressed juices acai bowls hot soups

Druknya House

AMY AND JACKSON SMITH

If you’ve never had Tibetan food before, Druknya House is a great place to start.

Hearty starches like barley, noodles, and potatoes dominate the food of a region known for mountains and wintry weather. Though Tibet has a cuisine all its own, its closest cousins are the foods of Himalayan neighbors, such as Nepal and Northeast India, with flavors like ginger, garlic, and turmeric. Yet, because the spicing of Tibetan food is often restrained, it’s approachable for most diners. In the kitchen at Druknya House is Lobsang Gyaltsen, a monk who studied Buddhist philosophy for two decades before turning to cooking to pursue an interest in healthy eating. While his menu does include unusual foods like chilay khatsu (spicy braised cow’s tongue), much of what Gyaltsen makes is comforting and restorative, like soups, noodle bowls, and Tibet’s beloved momos (dumplings filled with beef, chicken, or vegetables).

Prime 109 No recent opening made a bigger splash than the Lampo team’s steakhouse in the former Bank of America building on the Downtown Mall.

In a stunning room with soaring ceilings, the featured product is one rarely seen: local, heritage beef, dry-aged 60 days or more. Beyond the steaks à la carte, there’s a separate menu of cheffy salads, pastas, and entrées from a talented kitchen staff led by Ian Redshaw, a James Beard Award semifinalist in the 2019 Rising Star Chef of the Year category. While Prime 109’s steak prices range from roughly $25 to $85, pastas and other entrées—also excellently prepared—command less coin, and an ever-changing bar menu offers inspired sandwiches and snacks Monday through Wednesday. Along with well-chosen wines, there’s a serious bar program for cocktail enthusiasts.

LEVI CHEFF

Cuisine Steakhouse-plus Chef’s pick Prime 109 Burger ($14): 70/30 blend of dry-aged to fresh beef (ribeye and tenderloin), American cheese, pickles, onion, primal sauce, on a sesame seed bun.

Crowd favorite Steak Frites ($24): butcher’s selection cut, peppercorn cognac double-cream sauce, and thrice-cooked fries.

Vitals 300 E. Main St., Downtown Mall.

422-5094, prime109steakhouse.com

Cuisine Tibetan Chef’s pick Ten Thuk Soup ($11), traditional Eastern Tibetan style hand-pulled noodles simmered in beef broth over greens.

Crowd favorites Jasha Kam Trak ($13): crispy chicken with mixed peppers, celery, scallions, and chef’s special spice blend; Tsampa ($4): nomadic-style grilled brown mushrooms in melted butter, dusted with roasted barley flour.

Vitals 2208 Fontaine Ave., 995-5539, druknyahouse.com

Chef Lobsang Gyaltsen presents a Tibetan favorite, jasha kam trak: crispy chicken with mixed peppers, celery, scallions, and a rich sauce seasoned with a spice blend he won’t divulge.

Spring Knife&Fork 29

SAVE THE DATE C R

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30 Knife&Fork Spring

#itspatioseason.

Most people would simply call Chimm a Thai restaurant, but authentic dishes from other southeast Asian nations— Vietnam and Indonesia, to name just two—fill out the expansive menu.

Chimm

TOM MCGOVERN

The owners of the popular Thai Cuisine & Noodle House noticed a lack of Thai food south of town, and filled the void with their new restaurant in The Yard at 5th Street Station. In addition to the standard menu items of many Thai restaurants— pad thai, pad kee mao (also called drunken noodles), massaman curry—Chimm makes a point of featuring less common dishes, like Isan Style Som Tum (papaya salad made with fermented fish sauce) and Bah Mee Haeng (dry egg-noodle bowl). As diners become accustomed to the unusual dishes, Chimm plans to introduce more and more of them. Keep an eye out for occasional lunch banh mi specials, which require reservations and always sell out in advance.

Cuisine Thai Chef’s pick Boat Noodle Soup ($12.50): rice noodles, Chinese broccoli, and bean sprouts in a dark, meaty housemade broth, with scallions, cilantro, fried garlic, and spicy chili sauce. In true Bangkok floating-market style, the broth made from marrow and saignant meat juice is slightly gelatinous.

Crowd favorite Khao Soi ($13.50): egg noodles with chicken in homemade curry paste, topped with wonton crisps and cilantro, served with pickled mustard greens, red onion, chili oil, and lime.

Vitals 5th Street Station, 365 Merchant Walk Square, 288-1120, chimmtaste.com

Spring Knife&Fork 31

The Elderberry community herbs and healing

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32 Knife&Fork Spring

LEVI CHEFF

At Mangione’s on Main, specials like tender braised lamb shank with polenta and a splash of greens join a menu of Italian-American favorites, served family style.

Mangione’s on Main Tread lightly when remaking a former restaurant beloved by regulars.

That’s what first-time restaurant owners Bert Crinks and Elaina Mangione have been doing since moving from northern Virginia to Charlottesville and buying the Italian-American restaurant Bella’s.

Aside from a new name, changes have come gradually. The wood floors have been refinished and the walls freshly painted, but most of Bella’s menu of family-style Italian-American dishes remains the same, now joined by weekly specials from chef Mick Markley (formerly of Mas and Lynchburg’s Emerald Stone Grille).

Cuisine Italian-American Chef’s pick Rosa di parma ($24): butterflied pork loin, stuffed with prosciutto, sage, and mozzarella, then slow roasted with potatoes and vegetables with pan sauce.

Crowd favorite Rigatoni al Forno ($23): Italian sausage and rigatoni tossed in ragu bolognese made with ground veal, beef, and pork, then topped with mozzarella cheese and baked.

Vitals 707 W. Main St., 327-4833, mangionesonmain.com

Quality Pie

sandwiches like a grilled octopus banh mi on charcoal bread; and, in late afternoon and early evening, wine, sherry, and tapas, like boquerones and bacon-wrapped dates. Plus, regardless of the hour, you can drop in for Rahal’s excellent breads, pastries, and other baked goods.

JOHN ROBINSON

When the local institution Spudnuts closed in 2016, its prime location at the gateway between Belmont and downtown instantly became one of the more coveted restaurant spots in town.

The prize went to former Mas tapas chef Tomas Rahal, who converted the timeworn space into a bright, colorful pie shop. While the pies are stellar, the restaurant offers a whole lot more, with a menu that changes throughout the day. For breakfast, there are egg sandwiches, tarts, and papas bravas; at lunch, soups, salads, and creative

Cuisine Baked goods, sandwiches, and tapas Chef’s pick Wild blueberry sourdough waffle ($8).

Crowd favorite Avocado toast with egg ($10).

Vitals 309 Avon St., 284-5120, qualitypieva.com

Former Mas tapas chef Tomas Rahal stirs things up with his new venture, Quality Pie.

Spring Knife&Fork 33

Tavern & Grocery is about authenticity... of flavors, ingredients, service, and atmosphere. Dine in an elegantly restored c. 1820 tavern, at the heart of which is our food, which is creative and features fresh, seasonal, local products sourced from a family of Albemarle County and Central Virginia purveyors.

We believe in a sense of place and our dishes embody this belief.

We also believe in the farmers and artisans who produce such incredible ingredients for us... there is no quality in the ingredients if there is no quality in the person who produces them.

Our service is informed, passionate, and polite. We strive to create a dining experience for our guests which is relaxed and friendly, yet sophisticated.

Our award-winning wine list spans the globe and offers selections of both new and old-world wines, focusing on varietally correct representations of each region.

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34

333 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903 434-293-7403 www.tavernandgrocery.com info@tavernandgrocery.com Knife&Fork Spring

Maru This is not your old-school mom-and-pop place. In the former home of Eppie’s restaurant on the Downtown Mall, industry veterans Steven Kim and his wife, Kay, have created an airy, contemporary Korean restaurant with an open kitchen and exposed brick walls. The menu also is modern, combining traditional Korean dishes like bibimbap and kimchi jeon with modern flourishes, like the use of melted cheese, a fairly recent phenomenon in Korea. There’s even a (delicious) bulgogi steak and cheese.

Cuisine Korean Chef’s pick Bulgogi Plate ($17): thinly sliced beef in a sweet soy marinade, grilled with onion and served with rice, lettuce wrap, homemade ssam sauce, and daily banchan.

Crowd favorite Dolsot Bibimbap ($12): rice served with a medley of vegetables, topped with a sunny-side-up egg, spicy gochujang sauce, and choice of beef, pork, chicken, or tofu.

Vitals 412 E. Main St., Downtown Mall.

956-4110

TOM MCGOVERN

Maru deepens the culinary diversity on the Downtown Mall, with Korean delicacies like crispy fried squid.

Spring Knife&Fork 35

Chaps

Of all the ice cream joints in Charlottesville, she walks into mine.

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923 Preston Avenue | Charlottesville, VA | 434-296-4663 Monday-Friday 7:30 AM - 6 PM | Saturday 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM www.breadworks.org

36 Knife&Fork Spring

CHARLOTTESVILLE GASTROENTEROLOGY ASSOCIATES 1139 E. High Street | Suite 203 | Charlottesville

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Peloton Station

AMY AND JACKSON SMITH

Who knew that Curtis Shaver’s three passions would go together so well? The Hamiltons’ chef emerged from the kitchen last year to help turn a classic-car sales and service shop into a tavern celebrating a few of his favorite things: beer, bicycles, and sandwiches. Part pub, part sports bar, part bicycle shop, Peloton Station showcases the type of over-the-top sandwiches that earned Shaver a following at Hamiltons’ “sandwich lab.” Draught beers and wines are well chosen, and there are plenty of TVs to entertain you while you eat, drink, and wait for your bicycle to complete its tune-up.

Cuisine Sandwiches, pub grub, unconventional brunch fare Owner’s picks Big Mike ($12): grilled mortadella, salami, capicolla, provolone, mozzarella, and cherry pepper olive salad on a pressed baguette; The Peg ($11): smoked house pastrami, gruyere cheese, pickled cabbage, and comeback sauce, on toasted multigrain rye.

Crowd favorite O-Hill Burger ($13): burger with muenster cheese, fried mushrooms, black pepper bacon, onion marmalade.

Peloton Station keeps it simple, fresh, and tasty, but the menu also contains surprises. One is the Rivanna Trail sandwich, a baguette graced with green-pea kofta, cucumber-radish salad, pickled carrots, and green harissa and feta-yogurt sauces.

Spring Knife&Fork 37

SWEET ON C-VILLE?

More like tweet on C-VILLE. Get the scoop on our news, arts, and living content before anyone else. Follow us on Twitter @cvillenews_desk, @artscville, and @eatdrinkcville to find out what we’re covering this week!

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38 Knife&Fork Spring

JOHN ROBINSON

Little Star is all about artful presentation and ambiance. You’d smell smoke from the wood-fired oven if this photo were scratch-and-sniff.

Little Star In partnership with Oakhart Social, chef Ryan Collins has brightened the former service station on West Main where other attempted restaurants have gone dark. From high-top tables, guests can now whet their appetites by gazing into the hearth where much of the food is cooked. The menu borrows from Spain and Mexico, two countries whose cuisines Collins came to love during eight years working for celebrity chef José Andrés, including three as head chef of the Washington, D.C., Mexican restaurant Oyamel. With small plates and large family-style platters, Collins intends all of his food for sharing. New York City transplant Joel Cuellar, a veteran of the spirits and cocktail industry, ensures that the bar does justice to the quality of the kitchen.

Cuisine Hearth-cooked American, inspired by Mexico and Spain Chef’s pick Sunny Side Eggs ($10): fried eggs with salsa negra, green onion, sesame seeds, grilled bread, and hickory syrup. “It’s fatty, sweet, smoky, spicy, herbal, and salty,” says Collins. “And, every menu needs eggs.”

Crowd favorite Pan tomate ($8): grilled Albemarle Baking Company pan Estrella bread with grated tomato, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt.

Vitals 420 W. Main St., 252-2502, littlestar restaurant.com

Cava Before the chain Cava was born, its three

that expansion has diluted quality. The owners’

founding owners ran just a single full-service

passion for good eating and well-sourced

Greek restaurant in Rockville, Maryland, Cava

ingredients is unmistakable.

Mezze, which they launched in 2006. From Cuisine Greek fast casual

Greek-Americans—took the red-hot concept of

Owner’s pick Greens and grains bowl with rice,

fast casual and applied it to the food of their

chicken, braised lamb shoulder, harissa, tzatziki,

birthplace. The result is a rapidly growing chain

vegetables, and seasonal dressing ($9.87).

that now has more than 70 locations. Guests

Crowd favorites Black lentils, harissa spread,

line up at the counter, survey an array of

spicy lamb meatballs. Toppings: roasted

greens, grains, Greek spreads, meats, and other toppings, and then point away to build their own bowl, salad, or pita wrap. At the Charlottesville outpost, there is little evidence

MAX MARCH

there, the owners—all first-generation

vegetables, pickled banana peppers, tomato-and-onion salad, cabbage slaw. Dressing,

Cava’s greens and grains bowl is a riot of colors, fresh flavors, and savory sauces.

lemon herb tahini vinaigrette.

Vitals 1200 Emmet St. N., 227-4800, cava.com

Spring Knife&Fork 39

Let’s Celebrate!

Everyday, just for good measure.

313 2nd Street SE, Suite 103 434.245.2253

www.paradoxpastrycafe.com

Italian Restaurant

434.979.0994 • vivacecville.com • 2244 Ivy Rd, Charlottesville VA 22903 • Plenty of free parking SERVING DINNER Monday thru Thursday 5pm - 9:30pm Friday and Saturday 5pm - 10pm & Sunday 5pm - 9pm

40 Knife&Fork Spring

North America Sake Brewery Food was not the first thing on the minds of owners Jeremy Goldstein and Andrew Centofante when they prepared to open Virginia’s first sake brewery last year. But when Culinary Institute of America alum Peter Robertson, of famed local food truck Côte-Rôtie, came on board as chef, he proposed creating a menu of Japanesestyle small plates designed to pair with sake. The food does much more than complement the wine—it uses sake as an ingredient, too, along with brewing byproducts like koji, a mold prized by chefs for its ability to transform flavor. Though Robertson has moved on, he leaves behind a menu he helped to create and a kitchen run by his former cook Don Van Remoortere, a certified BBQ judge who marries American smoking techniques with Japanese flavors.

AMY AND JACKSON SMITH

Cuisine Japanese-American Chef’s pick Diamond Joe Brisket Platter ($16): Slow smoked prime beef brisket rubbed with ground espresso beans, Szechuan pepper, and sea salt, served with a side of soy “jus.” “The power move,” says Remoortere, “is to order it with two steamed bao buns with a side of housemade spicy sambal and a heap of kimchi to make a pair of towering brisket sammies.”

Crowd favorite That Chick Teri rice bowl ($14). Roasted teriyaki chicken with bell pepper, onions, carrots, garlic, sesame seeds, aioli, and crispy fried onions.

Vitals 522 Second St. SE, 767-8105, pourmeone.com

North America Sake Brewery’s Tekka Poke Don is a culinary adventure, with diced yellowfin tuna and salmon marinated in sweet soy sauce, plus a mélange of ginger, scallion, sesame seed, radish, cucumber, and flying-fish roe, served over sticky rice.

Spring Knife&Fork 41

grapes don’t grow in ugly places®

Open Every Day 11: 00 am - 5:30 pm Groups of 7 or more by reservation only.

Love and marriage

In the magazine, you'll find the area's best...

• Photographers • Jewelers • Wedding planners Afton Mountain Vineyards• Stylists DJs 234 Vineyard Lane | Afton VA •22920 THE ON DOTTED LINE THRILL OF THE FRILL • Videographers 540.456.8667 | aftonmountainvineyards.com • Venues C-VILLE Weddings • Bridal shops provides brides-to-be Come • Lodging options with a comprehensive • Caterers for A chic boutique romantic adornments

Psst... Four not-so-common reading recs from a UVA writing prof

How to make your officiant, well, official

SUMMER 2018

Let’s go!

A monthly guide to the big day

away

Open Every Day 11: 00 am - 5:30 pm...and much more!

Groups of 7 or more by reservation only.

PAGE 13

with A stunning view, “I do” and a little red Corvette— the perfect recipe for forever

me

c-ville.com/weddings

guide to planning their big day. Make us the first stop on the road to wedded bliss.

CENTRAL VIRGINIA’S BEST GUIDE TO GETTING MARRIED

42 Knife&Fork Spring

a week of celebrating the

best

wines

of the

Afton Mountain Vineyards 234 Vineyard Lane | Afton VA 22920 540.456.8667 | aftonmountainvineyards.com

Monticello American Viticultural Area

Monticello Cup Awards, Wine Paired Meals, Grand Tasting Event with over

25 wineries

April 29-May 5 Charlottesville For ticket and event info: monticellowinetrailfestival.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Blue Ridge Bucha.......... 540.221.6500 Caramont Farms............ 434.831.1393 Clover Top Creamery..... 434.977.7774 C & O Restaurant.......... 434.971.7044 Fardowners.................... 434.823.1300 Farmstead Ferments...... 434.286.3302 Indigo Hills Ranch.......... 434.760.1515 Ivy Inn............................ 434.977.1222 Lucky Moon Garden...... 434.962.3011

Lynchburg Com. Market......... 434.455.4485 Malcolms Market Garden........ 540.414.3392 Mona Lisa Pasta...................... 434.295.2494 Mountain View Farm............... 540.460.4161 Rapture.................................... 434.293.9526 Rebeccaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Natural Food.......... 434.977.1965 River Oak Farm........................ 434.996.9112 Schuyler Greens...................... 844.351.3276 Scottsville Farmers Market...... 434.286.9267

Spring Knife&Fork 43

330 Valley Street, Scottsville, VA OPEN TUES – SAT 10AM–4PM www.farmsteadferments.com

FERMENTED FOODS ~ PICKLE BAR WATER KEFIR SODA & KOMBUCHA ON TAP SOUP, SALAD & TACO BAR VEGAn & GLUTEN-FREE friendly LOCAL, artisan, ORGANIC, BUlk FOODS HERBal TEAS, & Apothecary

Locally Grown Produce

Artisans Gallery

YOU’RE INVITED!

Bloom Burg

a Spring Celebration

Farm “Petting Zoo” Kids’ Craft Activities Vendor Specials

Bill

Bill

Grocery Department Manager for the last 17 years

Grocery Department Manager for the last 17 years

Bill

OPEN TUES-SAT p

April 27th • 10am-2pm

YEAR-ROUND

** 7am-2pm**

, Farmers Market SATURDAY 7am - 2pm WED 10am - 2pm (SEASONAL)

1219 Main Street | Lynchburg, VA 24504 | (434) 455-4485

www.LynchburgCommunityMarket.com

eating local My time is spent with food, preparing food, researching food, talking to people about food.

eating local I feel that Rebecca’s is preparing food, My time is spent with food, the obvious choice for researching talking to people about food.

My time is spent with food, food, preparing food, closing the loop in researching food, talking to people about food.

support of buying local.

I feel that Rebecca’s is the obvious choice for closing the loop in support of buying local. This farm-to-table advantage is apparent in the quality of the products.

I feel that Rebecca’s is the obvious choice for This farm-to-table closing the loop in advantage is apparent support of buying local.in the quality of the This farm-to-table advantage is apparent products. in the quality of the My time is spent with food, preparing food, products.

Barracks Rd. Shopping Ctr. Mon-Sat 9-8, Sun 10-6 Grocery Department Manager Barracks Rd. Shopping Ctr. Mon-Sat 9-8, Sun 10-6 44 Knife&Fork Spring for the last 17 years

eating local

researching food, talking to people about food.

www.RebeccasNaturalFood.com

I feel that Rebecca’s is www.RebeccasNaturalFood.com

the obvious choice for closing the loop in support of buying local.

This farm-to-table

Seasonal Farmstead Goat Cheese, women owned and solar powered!

Retail & Wholesale. Find us at Cville City Market or visit our farm store!

www.clovertopcreamery.com Follow us!

Premium Pasture Raised Meats Pasture Raised Chicken and Turkey. Grass fed Beef, Pigs on Pasture.

@riveroakfarm

Lowesville, Virginia 434.996.9112 info@riveroakfarm.com www.riveroakfarm.com

www.riveroakfarm.com

FRESH. SUSTAINABLE. LOCAL. Grown in southern Albemarle County, Schuyler Greens are free from harmful pesticides, packed with flavor, and are USDA GAP Certified for food safety. We are passionate about farming, driven by quality, and honored to help feed our local community.

SC H UYLE RG R E E N S.COM

Spring Knife&Fork 45

2244 Old Ivy Road Charlottesville, VA 22903 434-977-1222 ivyinnrestaurant.com

We carry local Farm-raised Lamb from Rolling Rock Farms Lamb Cuts and Sausage now available We host Cooking Classes Call us to find out about the next class.

Catering Available 921 Preston Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22903

monalisapasta.com

ove Grass y Ab fe d a Wild Browsed W

Lucky Moon Gardens Health Farm Retreat Lunch menu items available eat-in or take to-go MedicinalSandwiches, Grade, all Organic, certified soups,non salads & pizza made daily!

Berries, Veggies, Apothecary Preparations Goat Milk Shares, Rabbit & Duck

We host Cooking Classes - Call us to find out about the next class.

921 Preston Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22903

monalisapasta.com

Meet Us at Cville Mkt Sat 8-12 46 Knife&Fork Spring

Fish for fee Trout, Bass, Walleye, Cats

434-962-3011 Empricalherbals.com

424 Balsey Road Staunton, VA 24401 Phone 434-760-1515 Indigohillsranch@gmail.com

local, natural lamb raised with care on grass, available seasonally September -December Custom cut, freezer ready & delivered whole or half lamb.

Order now for fa

ll 2019

Fardowners Local Music. Local Vibe.

Restaurant Local Food. Local Beer. www.fardowners.com We proudly sell products from local businesses like: • Timbercreek Organics • Goodwin Creek Bakery • Innisfree Farm • The Best Of What’s Around • The Rock Barn • Greenberry’s Coffee • Twin Oaks.

LIVE MUSIC every Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

TRIVIA on Monday and OPEN MIC every Tuesday, hosted by John Howard.

MAKING Memorable à votre santé MAKING Memorable MOMENTS LA CUISINE MAKING Memorable MOMENTS à votre santé MAKING Memorable •MOMENTS SINCE 1976 • LA CUISINE •MOMENTS SINCE 1976 • • SINCE 1976 • • SINCE 1976 •

MAKING Memorable à votre santé MAKING Memorable MOMENTS

434.971.7044 515 E. Water434.971.7044 Street Charlottesville, VA 434.971.7044 515 E. Water Street Charlottesville, VA 515 E. Water Street Charlottesville, VA

434.971.7044 Spring Knife&Fork 47 515 E. Water Street Charlottesville, VA

Fresh, Seasonal, Sustainable, Locally-Sourced food. with a great beer and cocktail selection.

Some of our local partners: Autumn Olive Farm Seven Hills Food Papa Weavers Pork Foods for Thought Wayside Produce

434-293-9526 • RAPTURERESTAURANT.COM

Award Winning Farmstead Cheese Since 2007 Caromont Farm is located 23 miles South of Charlottesville, Virginia, in the heart of Virginia’s Monticello Wine Region.

caromontfarm.com Justin Ide

CSA Farm Shares from MMG YOUR TRUE FARM-TO-TABLE EXPERIENCE Let us take care of the gardening this season!

18 weeks, May-Sept Large and Small Shares Available Pick-up Sites in Charlottesville @ Market Street Wine, Kenwood Ln, Blenheim Ave, Solomon Rd, & Village Rd in Crozet, Waynesboro, Fishersville and Staunton too!

www.malcolmsmarketgarden.com 48 Knife&Fork Spring

Open Every Saturday April through November, 8:00AM - 12:00PM Fresh Local Produce - Locally Raised Hormone and Drug Free Beef, Chicken, Eggs, Pork - Baked Goods and Coffee/Tea - Jewelry, Hand knitted Crafts, Wood Crafts, Soaps/Lotions, Yarn/Fiber Products and Other Unique Items Located in the Market Square Pavilion, 125 Fleet St. just before the James River Bridge

EBT/SNAP Benefits Accepted

Scottsville Farmers Market

Open Every Saturday April through November, 8:00AM - 12:00PM

resh Local Produce - Locally Raised Hormone and Drug Free Beef, hicken, Eggs, Pork - Baked Goods and Coffee/Tea - Jewelry, Hand nitted Crafts, Wood Crafts, Soaps/Lotions, ​Yarn/Fiber Products​ and Receive 10% off your first growler fill Other Unique Items

at our organic kombucha brewery and taproom, Located in the Market Square Pavilion, just east beforeside the James River located on the of Waynesboro.

then a left on Harrison St) ridge (125 Fleet St.) (​ turn on West Main St and th

Coupon valid through June 30 , 2019. Must turn in this coupon at checkout.

EBT/SNAP Benefits Accepted Limit one per customer. No duplicates accepted.

Blue Ridge Bucha 1809 E Main St Waynesboro, VA22980 540-221-6500 blueridgebucha.com

Fresh From the Field

At Mountain View Farm we believe that sunshine, good soil, and happy cows make for delicious farmstead cheeses. Our beautiful 250 acre dairy farm currently houses around 200 cows. We are a year round farming operation. We craft raw milk, artisan cheeses that are aged 60 days as well as fresh, pasteurized products.

Find our products at Rebecca’s Natural Food Store and Whole Foods.

85 Marmac Lane, Fairfield, VA 24435 540-460-4161

www.mountainviewfarmproducts.com Spring Knife&Fork 49

WINE IS MORE THAN JUST A DRINK...

EXPERIENCE HOW GOOD VIRGINIA WINES CAN BE!

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a O

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New Years day and Easter. Come see for yourself

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FIFTY-THIRD WINERY & VINEYARD

13372 Shannon Hill Road I Louisa, VA 23093 I 540-894-5474 www.53rdwinery.com I @ Ii

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.

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ough

day

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NEWS

Yes, oui, can

King Family Vineyards cracks open a new way to enjoy its Crosé

By Nathan Alderman

S

ommeliers may take offense, but canned wine is a booming business. In January, Crozet’s King Family Vineyards popped the top on this trend by rolling out its first cases of canned Crosé, its popular rosé wine. As winemaker Matthieu Finot explains, King’s been making a dry, fruit-forward rosé since 2003, and now harvests Merlot grapes specifically for the Crosé. After the crush, the juice rests briefly on the red grapes’ skins, resulting in a pale-pink wine with “less alcohol and more freshness,” Finot says. The King Family website describes “notes of grapefruit, lime, watermelon, and a light grassiness on the nose…and flavors of bitter cherry, peach, and rose petal” on the palate.

“We went from producing 100 cases in the first year to over 4,000 cases in 2018,” Finot says. “The demand for [Crosé] keeps increasing, along with the rosé consumption in the United States.” So it made sense to King and Finot to capitalize on the rising popularity of canned wine, especially among younger drinkers.

After all, wine and portability generally don’t mix.

If you want to savor a glass of grape on the go, you’ll need to lug around a heavy glass bottle, a corkscrew,

and glasses (unless you want to swig straight from the bottle). And once you’ve opened a bottle, you’ll need to finish it promptly to keep the wine from losing its freshness—a strategy more advisable at home than while you’re out and about. Each can of Crosé, in contrast, is roughly the size of a generous glass of wine, and a four-pack has the same volume as a bottle at the same price.

“Also, canning is better for the environment,” says Finot—lighter, more recyclable, and with less waste.

King canned its first 500 cases of 2018 Crosé the same week it bottled the rest of the vintage, with help from a mobile canning company that came to the vineyard.

Cans are sold exclusively at the vineyard, and Finot says they’re planning on more cases of cans for the 2019 vintage to meet the rising demand. “Most of the customers like the convenience of it,” Finot says.

And what would Finot say to wine snobs who can’t bear the thought of aluminum-clad vino? “They can still buy Crosé in bottles,” he says, “but it is less practical on the golf course!”

King Family Vineyards, 6550 Roseland Farm, Crozet; 823-7800; kingfamilyvineyards.com

Each can of Crosé is roughly the size of a generous glass of wine, and a fourpack has the same volume as a bottle at the same price.

Eat, drink and be merry Virginia Craft Spirits Roadshow

Know Good Beer & Spirits Fest

Saturday, March 30

Saturday, May 11

More than a dozen commonwealth distillers— including Charlottesville’s own Vitae Spirits— supply the hooch and craft cocktails at this annual event presented by the Virginia Distillers Association. Champion Brewing provides chasers. Food trucks bring the grub. Designated drivers get free admission. $30-35.

Noon-5pm. IX Art Park, 963 Second St. SE. virginiaspirits.org

Pace yourself and call Uber, because this popular event offers unlimited 2- to 4-ounce pours of 40 craft beers, as well as smaller samples of 20 bourbons from area distillers. Oh, and there’s food and live music, too. $25-60. 1-5pm. IX Art Park, 963 Second St. SE. knowgoodbeer.com

Iron Chef Market Competition Saturday, April 13 A feature food event of the Tom Tom Festival, the Iron Chef City Market Competition challenges three top chefs to cook Hometown Staples: Southern Favorites. With a $60 budget, 10 minutes to gather ingredients from the market, and 30 minutes to cook before judging begins, contestants vie for the Iron Chef title. This year, three amateur cooks will join the fray. 10am. City Market, corner of Water and Second streets. tomtomfest.com

Gordonsville Famous Fried Chicken Festival Saturday, May 18 Back in the day, when passenger trains stopped in Gordonsville, they were met by locals with platters of fried chicken for sale, and the town became known as the “chicken leg center of the universe.” The 13th annual event celebrates this heritage with a fried-chicken cook-off. The winner bags $100, and second and third place finishers get $75 and $50, respectively. (There’s also a pie contest with a $75 top prize.) Wash it all down in the wine garden, where local producers proudly pour their goods. $5 wine

garden admission. 11am-5pm. 301 E. Baker St. (540) 832-1735. townofgordonsville.org

Roseland Polo Sunday, May 26 The polo pitch at King Family Vineyards provides a wonderful spectacle, what with all the horses and riders in their colorful outfits. But for most of us, attending the matches is really just an excuse to have a big picnic and drink a little wine. This year, you can enjoy King’s popular Crosé rosé from a can, so that’s a bonus. Weather permitting, the matches continue every Sunday through early October. Gates open at 10 am, matches begin at 1pm, 6550 Roseland Farm, Crozet.

823-7800. kingfamilyvineyards.com

Virginia Summer Solstice Wine Festival Saturday, June 22 Local wines, food, art, crafts, and two stages with live music. What better way to usher in the new season? 11am-6pm. $20-25. summersolsticefestival.com

Spring Knife&Fork 51

Restaurant Guide Restaurant price ranges $/Under $10, $$/$10-25, $$$/$25+

Asian Cuisine Asian Express Cheap and cheerful, plus delivery. 909 W. Main St. 979-1888. $.

Bamboo House Korean and Chinese served with an aesthetic flair. 4831 Seminole Trail. 9739211. $$.

Bang! Asian-fusion tapas, extensive martini menu.

213 Second St. 984-BANG. $.

Bangkok ’99 Traditional Thai. 540 Radford Ln. #700, Crozet, 823-5881; 2005 Commonwealth Dr., 974-1326. $$.

Beijing Station Chinese favorites on the Corner.

104 14th St. NW. 234-3877. $.

Café 88 Cheap dim sum, bento boxes and soups.

Lots of veggie offerings. Preston Plaza. 293-9888. $.

Chimm Thai Thai street food, excellent dumplings.

5th Street Station. 288-1122. $$.

Chopsticks Express No-nonsense Chinese place. 1841 Seminole Trail. 975-4380. $.

Doma Korean Kitchen Korean-style barbecue, kimchi and more. 701 W. Main St. (703) 3363918. $.

Druknya House Authentic Tibetan cuisine. 2208 Fontaine Ave. 995-5539. $$.

East Garden From chow mein to General Tso’s.

Pantops Shopping Center. 295-2888. $.

Ginkgo Chinese Restaurant Sichuan classics from a Peter Chang-trained chef. 104 14th St. NW #8. 872-9386. $/$$.

Got Dumplings Pork, chicken, shrimp and chive, tofu—fast and hot. 1395 W. Main St. 244-3040. $.

Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet Watch chefs prepare food hibachi-style. 1185 Seminole Trail.

973-8889. $$.

Himalayan Fusion Curries, tandoori and other faves, plus a lunch buffet. 520 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 293-3120. $$.

Hong Kong Restaurant & Take-out Favorite Chinese entrées down Avon way. Southside Shopping Center, off Avon Street. 245-8818. $.

J-Petal Japanese crêpes and Thai ice cream. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 234-3332. $.

Jade Garden Chinese essentials, plus twists like Hawaiian-style Triple Delight. 1139 Fifth St. SW. 979-3512. $.

Kabuto Sushi and Teppanyaki Beautifully presented fresh sushi and teppanyaki, plus soups and desserts. 1836 Abbey Rd. 973-1585. $.

Kuma Sushi Noodle & Bar Pan-Asian restaurant and karaoke bar. 12 Elliewood Ave. 328-2741. $.

Kung Fu Tea Authentic bubble teas, plus dumplings, buns and tarts. 1001 W. Main St. 202-8844. $.

Kyoto A mix of Japanese and Chinese meals—teppanyaki to bento boxes. Rio Hill Shopping Center.

923-8889. $.

Lemongrass Vietnam meets Thailand. Veggie options and delivery, too. 104 14th St. NW. 244THAI. $$.

Maharaja Spicy Indian specialties. The lunch buffet’s a deal. Seminole Square Shopping Center. 973-1110. $$.

Thai ’99 II Thai noodle and rice dishes, curries and stir-frys in an inspired interior. In the Gardens Shopping Center. 964-1212. $.

Marco & Luca’s Noodle Shop Quality meets quantity for under $5. York Place, Downtown Mall, 295-3855; 107 Elliewood Ave., 244-0016; 176 Zan Rd., no phone. $.

Thai Cuisine & Noodle House Traditional Thai food, noodle dishes and vegetarian specials.

2005 Commonwealth Dr. 974-1326. $$.

Korean BBQ & Grill Traditional Korean food with modern additions. 412 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 956-4110. $.

Beer Run Rotating beers on tap, six-packs and wine to take away and three meals daily. 156 Carlton Rd., Suite 203. 984-2337. $$.

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse American fare—plus pizza and award-winning, handcrafted beer. 3924 Lenox Ave. 422-5170. $$.

Tokyo Rose Long-standing landmark serves sushi and sashimi. 2171 Ivy Rd. 296-3366. $$.

Blue Tavern & Sports Bar Food offerings include 55 flavors of chicken wings. 8315 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville. 985-3633. $$.

Urban Bowl Noodle soups and rice bowls. 111 W. Water St., York Place. 984-0095. $.

Coupe’s Pub food with a popular late-night scene.

9 Elliewood Ave. 282-2141. $.

Milan Indian Cuisine Authentic Indian cuisine with all the standards; daily lunch buffet. 1817 Emmet St. 984-2828. $$.

Vu Noodles Four kinds of homemade noodle bowls from a take-out window. 110 Second St. NW; 233 Fourth St. NW. $.

Devils Grill Contemporary American fare with a view of the green. Devils Knob Golf Course, Wintergreen. 325-2200. $$.

Ming Dynasty Chinese food with many vegetarian options. Low-fat menu available. 1417 Emmet St. N. 979-0909. $.

Yuan Ho Specializing in take-out and delivery.

117 Maury Ave. 977-7878. $.

Double Horseshoe Saloon American food, plus billiards and occasional live music. 1522 E. High St. 202-8714. $.

Mi Canton Chinese and Latin cuisine. Think pupusas with a side of beef lo mein. McIntire Plaza.

296-8661. $.

Monsoon Siam Curries, pad Thai and other entrées, plus an outdoor patio. 113 W. Market St. 971-1515. $$.

Noo-Do-Ne Vietnamese Thai fusion, noodle soups, and rice bowls. 112 W. Main St., in York Place. $.

Noodles & Company Fast-casual chain with noodles, soups and sandwiches. The Shops at Stonefield. 984-9621. $.

North American Sake Brewery Excellent Japanese-American fare in Virginia’s only sake brewery. 522 Second St. NE. 767-8105 Now & Zen Bite-sized gourmet Japanese and sushi spot. 202 Second St. NW. 971-1177. $$.

Oriental Express Chinese standards plus sushi.

3440 Seminole Trail, Suite 107. 974-9988. $.

Pad Thai Homestyle Thai cooking from an experienced chef. 156 Carlton Rd. 293-4032. $$.

Peter Chang China Grill Authentic Sichuan cuisine by a renowned chef. Barracks Road Shopping Center North Wing. 244-9818. $$.

Pho 3 Pho Authentic Vietnamese pho. Rivanna Plaza. 422-8975. $$.

Poke Sushi Bowl Hawaiian-inspired poke chain.

101 14th St. NW, 328-8833; Barracks Road Shopping Center, 284-5466. $.

Red Lantern Chinese cuisine by the pint or the quart. 221 Carlton Rd. 979-9968. $.

Sakura Japanese Steak and Seafood Great teppanyaki seafood and Japanese-style steaks.

Hollymead Town Center. 872-0099. $$/$$$.

ShangHai Wide array of regional selections, plus a lunch buffet. Pantops Shopping Center. 9842688. $.

Shun Xing Szechuan, Hunan and Cantonese-style dishes. Forest Lakes Shopping Center. 974-9888. $.

Bakeries Albemarle Baking Company Get your ABCs of baked goods here. 418 W. Main St., in the Main Street Market. 293-6456. $.

BreadWorks Breads, desserts and a full deli with sandwiches, soups, etc. Preston Plaza, 2964663; 2955 Ivy Rd., 220-4575. $.

Carpe Donut Well-loved donuts, hot beverages and locally brewed kombucha. McIntire Plaza.

202-2918. $.

Chandler’s Bakery Cakes for any occasion, plus cookies and brownies for your sugar fix. Rio Hill Shopping Center. 975-2253. $.

Cocoa & Spice Handcrafted chocolates and confections. 506 Stewart St. (973) 489-7789. $.

Crust & Crumb Bakery Fresh-baked bread and pastry specials, plus a light menu. 1671 W. River Rd., Scottsville. 960-4444. $.

Joe’s Pool Hall & Sports Bar Pool, darts, poker and ’cue. Scottsville Shopping Center, Scottsville. 286-7665. $.

Kardinal Hall Bocce and beer garden. 722 Preston Ave. 295-4255. $.

Lost Saint Diminutive cocktail bar below Tavern & Grocery. 333 W. Main St. 293-7403. $.

Mountainside Grille Everything from Cobb salad to peanut butter and chocolate chip pie.

375 Four Leaf Ln., Crozet. 823-7080. $$.

MarieBette Café & Bakery French pastries for breakfast, more pastries (and a dine-in menu) for lunch. 700 Rose Hill Dr. 529-6118. $.

Peleton Station Superb sandwiches and other casual fare, craft beers and local wines on tap, served in a former classic car sales and service station. Restaurant shares space with a bicycle repair shop. 114 10th St. NW, 284-7785 $.

Moon Maiden’s Delights From-scratch vegan and gluten-free pastries. York Place, Downtown Mall. 995-9233. $.

Quality Pie In the former Spudnuts spot, ex-Mas tapas chef Tomas Rahal serves inventive dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 309 Avon St. 2845120. $$.

Ten Super swanky second-floor spot serving modern Japanese. 120B E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-6691. $$$.

Hurley’s Tavern Twenty taps and 20 TVs. Rivanna Plaza. 964-2742. $.

Great Harvest Bread Company Sandwiches, sweets and bread baked from scratch every day.

McIntire Plaza. 202-7813. $.

Tara Thai Serves up affordable Thai faves, with multiple meat, fish and veggie options. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-9998. $$.

Love Sushi King All-you-can-eat sushi for $11.98 (lunch) or $17.99 (dinner). Seminole Square Shopping Center. 978-1199. $.

Glass Half Full Taproom “The bar next door,” inside Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. 5th Street Station. 326-5056. $.

Mountain Grill Farm to table at Carter Mountain Orchard. 1435 Carters Mountain Trail. 977-1833. $$.

Patisserie Torres Delicacies from Fleurie pastry chef Serge Torres. 103 Third St. NE. $.

Tea House Chinese-American and authentic Chinese weekly specials. 325 Four Leaf Ln., Crozet.

823-2868. $.

Firefly Craft beer, tasty eats and arcade games.

1304 E. Market St. 202-1050. $.

Found. Market Co. Bakehouse and mercantile specializing in cookies—eat them there or take dough home. 221 Carlton Rd., Suite 2. $$.

Taiwan Garden Basic assortment of Chinese fare in basic surroundings. 2171 Ivy Rd. 295-0081. $.

Taste of India Delicious Indian fare and a lunch buffet under $9. 310 E. Main St, Downtown Mall.

984-9944. $$.

Fardowners Restaurant Local ingredients liven up pub fare like sliders and sandwiches. 5773 The Square, Crozet. 823-1300. $/$$.

Miller’s A classic Downtown bar, with pub grub and live music every night. 109 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 971-8511. $$.

Nestlé Toll House Café Coffee, ice cream, cookie cakes and other sweet treats from the chocolatey chain. 5th Street Station. 328-8393. $.

Taste of China Chinese favorites on 29N. Albemarle Square Shopping Center. 975-6688. $$.

Draft Taproom Sixty self-serve taps with a large, diverse selection of craft beer styles. 425 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 422-5901. $.

Duck Donuts Outer Banks donut spot with madeto-order treats. Stonefield Shopping Center, 8231960. $.

Silk Thai Authentic Thai in a cozy house setting.

2210 Fontaine Ave. 977-8424. $.

Lime Leaf Thai The serene dining room is a tad more upscale than the average Thai place. Rio Hill Shopping Center. 245-8884. $/$$.

52 Knife&Fork Spring

Thai Fresh Thai take-out with great prices. 106 Fifth St. SE. 249-5291. $.

Bars and Grills

Sugar Shack Donuts & Coffee Hand-rolled and cut donuts (and fresh coffee) from this Richmond chain. 1001 W. Main St. 995-5167. $.

Vivi’s Cakes and Candy Cakes, cupcakes, and candy by former Sweethaus team. 2248 Ivy Rd. 242-9511. $.

The Pie Chest Homemade breakfast and hand pies, plus by-the-slice options (for those who can’t decide). 119 Fourth St. NE., 977-0443; 1518 E. High St. 984-0555. $.

Rapture Contemporary American with soulful accents, weekend brunch, purple pool tables and a dance club. 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall.

293-9526. $$.

Rockfish 151 Pub Irish-American grub, with daily specials. 9278 Rockfish Valley Hwy. 966-6992. $.

Sedona Taphouse Five hundred craft beers and an all-American menu. 1035 Millmont St. 296-2337. $$.

Stoney Creek Bar & Grill Distinctive dining at Wintergreen’s Stoney Creek Golf Course. Wintergreen Resort, Rte. 664, Nellysford. 325-8110. $-$$.

Texas Roadhouse Steaks, ribs and from-scratch sides. Albemarle Square. 973-4700. $$.

The Biltmore Large portions and a popular drinking scene. 16 Elliewood Ave. 202-1498. $.

The Livery Stable Hole-in-the-wall (er, basement) spot Downtown. 120 Old Preston Ave. 202-2088. $/$$.

Restaurant Guide The Pub by Wegmans Pub fare for lunch and dinner, plus beer, wine and signature drinks. 100 Wegmans Way. 529-3265. $$.

The Smokehouse Grille Locally sourced barbecue, plus a seasonal farm-to-table menu. 515 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-4745. $$.

The Southern Café & Music Hall Downtown music venue opens its café before shows. 103 S. First St. 977-5590. $.

The Villa Sports Bar & Ultra Lounge Live music, private parties, Mexican food and dancing. 1250 Emmet St. N. 962-6575. $$.

The Virginian Cozy Corner mainstay with an 80plus-year history. 1521 University Ave. 984-4667. $$.

The Whiskey Jar Saloon-style Southern spot with, naturally, more than 90 varieties of whiskey.

227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 202-1549. $$.

Timberwood Grill All-American eatery and after-work watering hole. 3311 Worth Crossing. 9753311; Fifth Street Station (Timberwood Tap House), 234-3563. $$.

Tin Whistle Irish Pub Traditional Irish pub Downtown. 609 E. Market St. 979-4279. $$.

Trinity Irish Pub Hand-carved wooden bars, exposed brick and an upstairs balcony directly across from Grounds. 1505 University Ave. 295-7100. $.

West Main Pub Residence Inn’s bar and appetizer spot. 315 W. Main St. 220-0075. $.

Whistlestop Grill Southern comfort foods in Crozet. 1200 Crozet Ave. 823-9000. $.

World of Beer More than 500 different beers from more than 40 countries. 852 W. Main St. 970-1088. $$.

Breakfast Joints Bluegrass Grill and Bakery Unpretentious breakfast and lunch spot, beloved by local weekenders. Glass Building, Second Street. 295-9700. $.

Cavalier Diner Breakfast all day long, plus burgers, subs and Italian standbys. 1403 Emmet St. 977-1619. $.

Farm Bell Kitchen New-Southern cuisine with local farm-to-table ingredients. 1209 W. Main St. 205-1538. $$.

International House of Pancakes Standard breakfast fare. Long lines on the weekends. Rio Hill Shopping Center. 964-0830. $.

Sam’s Kitchen All-day breakfast, plus American and French dishes at this local institution. 1863 Seminole Trail. 964-9488. $.

The Pigeon Hole Cozy all-day breakfast spot with fresh-squeezed juices and stone-ground grits. 11 Elliewood Ave. 977-4711. $.

The Villa American breakfast all day. 1250 Emmet St. N. 296-9977. $.

The Well House Cafe Coffee, tea, smoothies and pastries. 118 10 1/2 St. NW. 973-0002. $.

Waffle House It’s breakfast ’round the clock.

1162 Fifth St. SW, 296-5010; 495 Premier Cir. on 29N, 975-5860. $.

Burgers, BBQ, Dogs and Diners Ace Biscuit & Barbecue Breakfast and lunch spot serving up soul food by the biscuit. 711 Henry Ave. 202-1403. $.

Barbeque Exchange Nationally recognized, totally worthy, BBQ aficionados dream. 102 Martinsburg Ave., Gordonsville. (540) 832-0227. $.

Blue Ridge Pig For connoisseurs of barbecue, the Pig is the place. Rte. 151, Nellysford. 361-1170. $.

Boylan Heights Burger spot and popular bar serves organic Virginia beef. 102 14th St. 984-5707. $.

Brother’s Bar & Grill The same barbecue folks have loved for years. 2104 Angus Rd. 293-6333. $.

Burger Bach New Zealand-inspired gastropub.

The Shops at Stonefield, 328-2812. $$.

Citizen Burger Bar Gourmet burgers with grassfed beef, plus a large selection of beers. 212 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 979-9944. $$.

Doodle’s Diner Country cookin’ from breakfast to burgers. 1305 Long St. 295-7550. $.

Five Guys Two locations for local carnivores. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 975-GUYS; Hollymead Town Center, 963-GUYS. $.

Fox’s Café Daily specials, burgers, dogs and dinners. 403 Avon St. 293-2844. $.

Holly’s Deli & Pub Southern food, live music, and beer. 1221 E. Market St. 282-2713. $.

Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint Classic burgers, daily specials, and punk rock. Yes! 109 Second St. SE. 244-0073. $.

Jak’n Jil Classic roadside dog-and-fries joint.

1404 E. High St. 293-7213. $.

Korner Restaurant Greasy spoon offers all the usual suspects. Daily lunch special. 415 Ninth St. SW. 977-9535. $.

Lazy Parrot Backyard BBQ The Lazy Parrot Grill’s sister restaurant. Pantops Shopping Center.

244-0723. $/$$.

Lumpkins Burgers, salads, fried chicken, and footlong hot dogs. 1075 Valley St., Scottsville. 2863690. $.

Luther Burger Donuts, burgers, and brew inside Sugar Shack. 1001 W. Main St. 995-5813. $.

Luv’n Oven Gizzards, livers, fries and shakes. 162 Village Sq., Scottsville. 286-3828. $.

Martin’s Grill Delicious hamburgers, veggie burgers and fries. 3449 Seminole Trail, in the Forest Lakes Shopping Center. 974-9955. $.

Me2 Market and Eatery Delish barbecue and fresh baked treats just 3.5 miles east of Monticello. 2243 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. 297-2201. $.

Mel’s Café Southern soul-soothing food. A longtime favorite on West Main. 719 W. Main St. 971-8819. $.

Mission BBQ Pulled turkey, pork and chicken, plus racks by the bone. The Shops at Stonefield.

260-7740. $.

Moe’s Original BBQ Alabama-style pulled pork smoked in-house. 2119 Ivy Rd. 244-7427; 200 W. Water St. 202-2288. $.

Moose’s by the Creek American favorites, plus mounted moose antlers for photo ops. 1710 Monticello Rd. 977-4150. $.

Nelly’s Roadhouse American and Mexican menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 2815 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 361-1400. $$.

Olive’s Grill Food for the working man. Most items under $10. 8839 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville. 990-2634. $.

Otto’s All-American faves and daily specials at your service. Order at the counter and sit outside if it’s warm. 325 Four Leaf Ln., Crozet. 823-4200. $.

Paulie’s Pig Out First barbecue joint on the way to Wintergreen. 7376 Rockfish Valley Hwy. 3612001. $.

Pig N’ Steak Pig…and steak. 313 Washington St., Madison. (540) 948-3130. $.

Red Hub Food Co. Quality catering and barbecue at a 10-seat lunch counter. 202 10th St. NW. 975-2271. $.

Riverside Lunch Legendary burgers and fries.

1429 Hazel St. 971-3546. $.

Riverside North Notable burgers and fries on 29N. Sunday morning buffet, too. Forest Lakes Shopping Center. 979-1000. $.

Sam’s Hot Dog Stand Get three dogs, fries and a drink for only $8.20. 5786 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet. 205-4438. $.

Smoked Kitchen and Tap Includes The Rooftop for craft cocktails and great views. Crozet’s Piedmont Place. 2025 Library Ave., Crozet. 205-4881. $.

The Wolf’s Fixins Barbecue Barbecue, burgers and beer. 344 Stoneridge Dr. N, Ruckersville.

242-1551. $.

Timberlake’s Old-fashioned soda fountain, sandwiches galore, burgers and dogs. 322 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-9155. $.

Tip Top Breakfast, lunch and dinner with Italian and Greek specials. 1420 Richmond Rd., on Pantops Mountain. 244-3424. $.

Wayside Takeout & Catering Famous Old Virginia fried chicken and barbecue sandwiches.

2203 Jefferson Park Ave. 977-5000. $.

White Spot Burgers with tradition at this popular Corner spot. 1407 University Ave. 295-9899. $.

Wild Wing Café Sports bar features wings and beer, plus live music, karaoke, trivia and poker.

820 W. Main St. 979-WING. $/$$.

Wings Over Charlottesville Wing delivery spot that encourages patrons to eat like a caveman.

2029 Ivy Rd. 964-9464. $$.

Zinburger Wine & Burger Gourmet burgers, fries, milkshakes and, of course, plenty of wine.

Barracks Road Shopping Center. 244-2604. $$.

Coffee Places with Kitchens Atlas Coffee Get a cup of coffee or an espresso roasted by Shenandoah Joe. 2206B Fontaine Ave. 970-1700. $.

Baine’s Books & Coffee Books, music, film, pottery, musical instruments, food and, of course, coffee. 485 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-3577. $.

C’ville Coffee Co. Well-established café, with a kids’ corner and library to keep wee ones entertained. 1301 Harris St. 817-2633. $.

Carpe Café Breakfast, lunch and snacks inside Studio IX. 969 Second St. SE. 260-3803. $.

Daily Grind Family-owned coffee and ice cream shop with more than 20 flavor choices. 3450 Seminole Trail. 529-8209. $.

Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins Coffee and donuts. 305 Rivanna Plaza Dr., Suite 101, 2449998. $.

Greenberry’s Java and specialty drinks, plus fresh baked goods. Wi-Fi available. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 984-0200; in Alderman Library on UVA grounds, 243-8961. $.

Grit Coffee People, coffee, food, space, design, and work: That’s the focus at Grit. 110 Old Trail Dr., Crozet, 205-4253; 112 W. Main St., Downtown Mall, 971-8743; 989 Second St. SE, no phone; 19 Elliewood Ave., 293-4412; The Shops at Stonefield, 284-8461. $.

Java Java All fair-trade organic coffee all the time. Smoothies and a lunch menu, too. Comfy seating, warm atmosphere, Wi-Fi. 421 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 245-0020. $.

La Taza Cuban press sandwiches, soups and salads. 212 Seventh St. (inside the SNL Building), no phone. $.

Lone Light Coffee Specialty coffee spot inside The Pie Chest. 119 Fourth St. NE., 977-0443; 1518 E. High St., 984-0555. $.

Mermaid Express Mochas to smoothies. Inside PVCC. No phone. $.

Milli Coffee Roasters Espresso drinks, chai and hot chocolate. 400 Preston Ave., Suite 150, 2822659. $.

Mudhouse Locally roasted, heavy-duty coffee, fresh juices and pastries. 213 W. Main St., 9846833; The Square, Crozet, 823-2240; also in the Bellair Market, 977-0222, and Mulberry Station, 245-0163. $.

Paradox Pastry Retro-urban-vibed bakery and dessert café. 313 Second St., in the Glass Building.

245-2253. $.

Rapunzel’s Coffee, books and music; chill out in Lovingston. Live music, too. 924 Front St., Lovingston. 263-6660. $.

Rocket Coffee Get a buzz, grab a New York bagel, or stay for lunch. 5866 Rockfish Gap Tpke. (Crozet).

205-4210. $.

Shark Mountain Coffee Roastery, coffee shop, chocolatier. 621 Nash Dr. (540) 327-1564. $.

Sheepdog Coffee Grab-and-go coffee spot inside the Graduate hotel. 1309 W. Main St. 2954333. $.

Shenandoah Joe Local roaster with a coffee bar and pastries. 945 Preston Ave., 295-4563; 2214 Ivy Rd., 923-4563. $.

Sicily Rose Coffee Shop & Cannoli Bar Coffee and cannoli. What’s better than that? 969 Second St. SE. Snowing in Space Coffee Co. Nitro brew coffee plus light snacks to tamper your caffeine buzz.

705 W. Main St. 228-1120. $.

Starbucks Multiple locations for all your corporate coffee needs. 1601 University Ave., 970-1058; Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center, 295-4996; 1520 Seminole Trail, 973-5298; Hollymead Town Center, 975-6005. Location without phone in Fashion Square Mall. $.

The Corner Cup Fresh Trager Brothers coffee and espresso, plus pastries and muffins. 1325 W. Main St. 293-7905. $.

Trager Brothers Coffee See the roastery in action and sample some of the fresh roasted coffee while you’re there. 486 Front St., Lovingston. 263-8916. $.

Family-Friendly Ann’s Family Restaurant Good old country cooking. 1170 Thomas Nelson Hwy. (Rte. 29, south of Lovingston). 263-8110. $.

Applebee’s Steak and Southwestern amid local memorabilia. 571 Branchlands Blvd., 974-5596; Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center, 293-3208; 2005 Abbey Rd., 293-3208. $/$$.

Cherry Avenue Diner American diner classics: fries, burgers and the like. 820 Cherry Ave. 2021267. $.

Chew Chew Town Trained-themed spot for kids and families, by the folks at Al Carbon. 1877 Seminole Trail. 202-2609. $.

Chili’s Southwestern eats in a colorful, boothheavy interior. 100 Zan Rd. 975-0800. $/$$.

Michie Tavern Traditional Southern lunch in an 18th-century tavern near Monticello. 683 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. 977-1234. $$.

Red Robin Gourmet burgers, salads and bottomless pits of steak fries. Fashion Square Mall. 9649523. $.

The Haven Homecooking Weekly Wednesday pop-up café benefiting The Haven homeless shelter. 112 Market St. 973-1234. $.

The Light Well Coffee-kitchen-tavern serves healthy ingredients in original recipes. 110 E. Main St., Orange. (540) 661-0004. $.

The Nook Half-century-old Charlottesville diner serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with a full bar. 415 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-6665. $.

Wood Grill Buffet Big buffet featuring things grilled on wood. 576 Branchlands Blvd. 975-5613. $.

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Restaurant Guide CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

Fast Food Arby’s Big roast beef. 1230 Emmet St., 296-8995; 1700 Timberwood Blvd., 978-1050. $.

Bojangles Chicken and biscuits. 2009 Abbey Rd. 293-1190; 3370 Seminole Trail, 284-5862. $.

Burger King The Whopper. Pantops Shopping Center, 296-5145; 1181 Fifth St. Ext., 963-7827; 1000 Emmet St., 293-8566; 11518 James Madison Hwy., Gordonsville, 589-6854. $.

Chick-Fil-A Waffle fries. 350 Woodbrook Dr., 872-0187; Fashion Square Mall, 973-1646; 1626 Richmond Rd., 245-5254. $.

Cook-Out Diner fare, plus chicken nuggets —as a side. 1254 Emmet St. $.

Dairy Queen Home of the Blizzard.1248 Crozet Ave., 823-6585; 1777 Fortune Park Rd., 964-9595. $.

Hardee’s Burgers, breakfasts and fried chicken.

1150 Fifth St. SW, 977-4804; Rte. 250E, 9773191; Rte. 29N, 973-2083. $.

Kentucky Fried Chicken Double-down with the Colonel. 1705 Emmet St. 295-5158. $.

McDonald’s Home of the Happy Meal. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 295-6092; 475 Ridge McIntire Rd., 977-2984; 1294 Stoney Point Rd., 295-6677; 29th Place, 973-3055; Forest Lakes Shopping Center, 975-1112; 11455 James Madison Hwy., Gordonsville, 589-6753; 85 Callohill Dr., Lovingston, 263-8066. $.

Popeyes Chicken chain with savory sides. 1709 Emmet St. 529-8148. $.

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Chicken fingers and Texas toast. 1805 N. Emmet St. 293-4331. $.

Taco Bell Great late-night drive-thru. 820 Gardens Blvd., 974-1344; 1158 Fifth St. NW, 295-9185; 801 Emmet St., 979-9074; Pantops Shopping Center, 296-7647. $.

Wendy’s Spicy No. 6. 416 Fourth St. NW, 9790380; Corner of Rte. 250E and Rte. 20, 979-5908; Fashion Square Mall, 973-6226; 8764 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville, 990-2021. $.

Zaxby’s Chicken wings, chicken fingers, chicken sandwiches... 1248 Emmet St. N. 529-8220. $.

French Basic Necessities A taste of Southern France with fresh organic fare, plus wine and cheese.

2226 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 361-1766. $$.

C&O Sophisticated French at a 30-plus-year-old establishment. Excellent cheese plate, extensive wine list, popular bar. 515 E. Water St. 971-7044. $$$.

Fleurie Upscale modern French restaurant gets rave reviews. Extensive wine list. 108 Third St. NE. 971-7800. $$$.

Petit Pois French-American bistro from the owners of Fleurie. All the chic, lower check. 201 E. Main St. 979-7647. $$.

Restaurant Rochambeau Casual French in the heart of picturesque Gordonsville. 115 S. Main St., Gordonsville. (540) 832-0130. $$$.

Frozen Treats Arch’s Frozen Yogurt Wahoo-approved yogurt with tons of optional toppings. 104 14th St. NW. 984-2724. $.

Ben & Jerry’s Thirty-four flavors of ice cream and froyo. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 244-7438. $.

Bloop Self-serve froyo with rotating flavors.

1430 Rolkin Ct. 282-2093; 32 Mill Creek Dr. 3282288. $.

Chaps More than 20 years of gourmet homemade ice cream. Grub like burgers and diner fare.

223 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 977-4139. $.

54 Knife&Fork Spring

Cold Stone Creamery Ice cream, cakes, shakes and smoothies at this frozen treat chain. 1709 Emmet St. 529-8526. $.

Corner Juice UVA alum-owned juice spot with fresh, cold-pressed options. 1509 University Ave. $.

Crozet Creamery Small-batch ice cream in rotating flavors from Rocky Road to dairy-free lemon. 2025 Library Ave, Crozet. 205-4889. $.

Kilwin’s Ice cream, fudge and truffles. 313 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 234-3634. $.

Kirt’s Homemade Ice Cream Ice cream made fresh in the store. Albemarle Square Shopping Center. 202-0306. $.

Kohr Bros. Frozen Custard Cones, cups, floats, sundaes, “snowstorms” and smoothies. Woodbrook Shopping Center, 975-4651; 250E, 296-0041. $.

La Flor Michoacana Homemade popsicles, fruit beverages and ice cream. 601 Cherry Ave., 9841604. $.

Red Mango Fresh juices, smoothies and frozen yogurt. 5th Street Station. 328-8393. $.

Smojo Smoothies, juices, power bars and granola bars to go. 2025 Library Ave., Crozet. (360) 481-4087. $.

Smoothie King Chain features smoothies, supplements and healthy snacks. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 295-8502; Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center, 975-5464. $.

Splendora’s Gelato Ranging selection of Italian gelato (and sorbet) and delicious desserts in a bright Downtown location. 317 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 296-8555. $.

Sweet Frog Interesting froyo flavors and even more interesting toppings—Cap’n Crunch with fresh mangos, maybe? Hollymead Town Center, 975-3764; Barracks Road Shopping Center, 293-1130. $.

The Juice Laundry Pressed juices, nut milks, shots, smoothies, coffee, salads and raw foods. 722 Preston Ave. #105, 1411 University Ave. 234-3044. $.

The Juice Place Smoothies, juices and rice bowls for quick eating. 201 E. Main St., Downtown Mall.

270-8813. $.

Gourmet Groceries and Gas Stations Batesville Market Sandwiches to order, salads and baked goods plus cheeses, produce and packaged goods. 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. 8232001. $.

Bellair Market Gourmet sandwich spot on Ivy Road. 2401 Ivy Rd. 971-6608. $.

Blue Ridge Bottle Shop Craft beer store with both bottles and growlers available—plus sample before you buy! 2025 Library Ave, Crozet. 6022337. $.

Brownsville Market Breakfast starting at 5am, plus burgers, sides and famous fried chicken.

5995 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. 823-5251. $.

Everyday Café Gourmet gas station with homemade pizza and gelato. 2404 Fontaine Ave., 2063790; 250E on Pantops Mountain, 971-8771. $.

Feast! Nationally noted cheese, wine and specialty food shop. 416 W. Main St., in the Main Street Market. 244-7800. $$.

Foods of All Nations Sandwiches, deli and salads at this gourmet grocery. Try the West Coast.

2121 Ivy Rd. 296-6131. $.

Greenwood Gourmet Grocery Made-to-order sandwiches, plus fresh soup and a deli with mac-ncheese, bread pudding and other rotating dishes.

6701 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. (540) 456-6431. $.

Hunt Country Market A rotating menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 2048 Garth Rd. 296-1648. $.

Integral Yoga Natural Foods All-natural food, supplements and personal care products, plus a

deli and juice/smoothie bar. 923 Preston Ave. 293-4111. $.

JM Stock Provisions Whole-animal butcher shop with sandwiches to go. 709 W. Main St. 244-2480. $.

Keevil & Keevil Grocery and Kitchen Belmont grocery with breakfast and lunch sammies, plus takeaway dinners. 703 Hinton Ave. 989-7648. $.

Market Street Café Gourmet breakfast, rotisserie chicken and deli meats. 1111 E. Rio Rd. 9641185. $.

Market Street Market Deli in the Downtown grocery serves sandwiches and prepared foods.

400 E. Market St. 293-3478. $.

Market Street Wine An expertly curated selection. 305 Rivanna Plaza Dr., Suite 102, 964-9463; 311 E. Market St., 979-9463. $$.

Mill Creek Market The Southern sister of Bellair Market. Avon Street, across from the Southside Shopping Center. 817-1570. $.

Mulberry Station at Shadwell A full-service convenience store. 3008 Richmond Rd., Keswick.

245-0315. $.

Seafood @ West Main Fresh fish, shellfish and seafood, plus Japanese groceries. 416 W. Main St., in the Main Street Market. 296-8484. $.

Trader Joe’s This grocery chain boasts top quality at low cost, including “Two Buck Chuck” wine (which is actually $3.50). The Shops at Stonefield. 974-1466. $$.

Whole Foods Market Fresh, all-natural sandwiches ranging from classic favorites to vegan delights. Big salad and prepared-foods bar, too.

1797 Hydraulic Rd. 973-4900. $$.

Wyant’s Store Country-store fare like coffee and donuts, with daily specials and a great (cheap!) cheeseburger. 4696 Garth Rd., Crozet. 823-7299. $.

Inns and Hotel Restaurants Café 1201 Seven-day breakfast buffet. At Courtyard Marriott-UVA Medical Center. 1201 W. Main St. 977-1700. $$.

Camp Ten Four Rooftop bar and restaurant inside the Graduate hotel. 1309 W. Main St. 295-4333. $$.

Charlotte’s All-American menu in the Holiday Inn. 1200 Fifth St. SW. 977-5100. $$.

Emmet’s Holiday Inn restaurant serves American fare. 1901 Emmet St. 977-0803. $$.

Fossett’s American regional cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a tapas bar. Inside Keswick Hall, 701 Club Dr., off 250E. 979-3440. $$$.

Heirloom Rooftop bar and restaurant inside The Graduate Hotel. 1309 W. Main St. 295-4333. $$.

Inn at Court Square Upscale Southern in the oldest house Downtown. 410 E. Jefferson St. 295-2800. $$$.

Keswick Hall Monday through Friday lunch buffet in the Villa Crawford. Reservations required.

701 Club Dr. 979-3440. $$.

Lafayette Inn Restored 1840s inn that once served as a boarding house for proper young ladies. 146 Main St., Stanardsville. 985-6345. $$$.

Oakhurst Inn Coffee & Café Southern breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. 1616 Jefferson Park Ave. 872-0100. $.

The Mill Room Expect historic ambience with your breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. The Boar’s Head, 200 Ednam Dr. 972-2230. $$$.

Prospect Hill Plantation Inn & Restaurant Candlelit prix fixe four-course dinners in this 1732 plantation house. 2887 Poindexter Rd., Trevilians.

(540) 967-0844. $$$.

Renewal Elevated Southern cuisine and a selfserve tasting wall inside The Draftsman hotel. 1106 W. Main St. 984-8000. $$.

The Edge Casual fare with a family-priced menu for a meal overlooking the slopes. Wintergreen Resort, Rte. 664. 325-8080. $$.

The Fountain Room at the Mark Addy Inn Picture-perfect mountain B&B with a dining room open to all. 56 Rodes Farm Dr., Nellysford. 3611101. $$$.

The Inn at Meander Plantation Upscale American cuisine and candlelight dining. Breakfast open to inn guests only. 2333 N. James Madison Hwy., Locust Dale. (800) 385-4936. $$$.

The Inn at Willow Grove This inn boasts an exquisite menu at its in-house restaurant, Vintage.

14079 Plantation Way, Orange. (540) 317-1206. $$$.

The Pointe Tapas-style appetizers, filet mignon and Starr Hill beers on tap. In the Omni Hotel, Downtown Mall. 971-5500. $$$.

TJ’s Tavern and Dining Room Doubletree Hotel dining room with views of the Rivanna and American and Italian fare. 990 Hilton Heights Rd. 973-2121. $$.

Italian and Pizza Amici’s Italian Bistro Sicilian cuisine in a family-style setting. 370 Valley St., Scottsville. 2864000. $.

Anna’s Pizza No. 5 In the family for 35 years. 115 Maury Ave. 295-7500. $.

Anna’s Ristorante Italiano From the folks behind Anna’s Pizza No. 5. 1015 Heathercroft Cir., Crozet. 823-1327. $.

Mangione’s on Main Hearty fare served family style, upbeat atmosphere, killer desserts. 707 W. Main St. 327-4833. $$.

Belmont Pizza and Pub Fresh, stone-baked pizza on hand-tossed pies. Beer, too! 211 Carlton Rd. Suite 10. 977-1970. $.

Benny Deluca’s Giant slices from a simple fivepie menu. 913 W. Main St. 245-4007.

Brick Oven Gourmet pizzas, sandwiches from an authentic wood-fired grill. Rio Hill Shopping Center. 964-1119. $.

Brixx Wood Fired Pizza Franchise pizza spot serves, you guessed it, wood-fired pies. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 245-4050. $$.

Carmello’s Upscale service just like in Little Italy, gargantuan pepper mills and all. 29th Place.

977-5200. $$.

Chirio’s Pizza Authentic, homemade NY pizza, subs, salads, sandwiches, specials and ice cream.

Eat in, take-out, delivery. 2777 Rockfish Valley Hwy. 361-9188. $.

Christian’s Pizza The place to get fresh pies, by-the-slice or the whole darn thing. 118 W. Main St., Downtown Mall, 977-9688; 100 14th St. NW, 872-0436; 3440 Seminole Trail, 973-7280. $.

College Inn Straight-up late-night goodness.

Pizza, gyros, subs, and its delivery can’t be beat.

Breakfast items, too. 1511 University Ave. 9772710. $.

Crozet Pizza Unpretentious, family-owned pizza parlor with nationally recognized pies. 5794 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet, 823-2132; 20 Elliewood Ave., 202-1046. $.

Domino’s Six locally owned branches of the national chain. Pizza, of course, plus pasta, sandwiches and wings. 1137 Millmont St., 971-8383; 1147 Fifth St. SW, 970-7777; 2335 Seminole Trail, 973-1243; 508 Stewart St., 979-2525; Food Lion Shopping Center, Ruckersville, 990-2000; 325 Four Leaf Ln., Crozet, 823-7752. $.

Restaurant Guide Vinny’s New York Pizza and Pasta Serves up authentic pies, pastas and subs. Lasagna and veal are faves at this long-established joint. 8841 Seminole Trail. 985-4731. $.

Vita Nova Cheap and hearty pizza by the slice.

310 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 977-0162. $.

Vito’s Italian Restaurant Specializing in pizza and Italian dishes. Rte. 29, 8181 Thomas Nelson Hwy., Lovingston. 263-8688. $$.

Vivace Every kind of pasta imaginable, plus seafood, Italian wines, grappas and full bar in a casual, elegant setting. 2244 Ivy Rd. 979-0994. $$.

Vocelli Pizza Pizza, pasta, panini, salads and stromboli for carryout and delivery, plus antipasti. 1857 Seminole Trail in the Woodbrook Shopping Center. 977-4992. $.

Latin American Al Carbon Chicken Peruvian rotisserie chicken and more. 1871 Seminole Trail. 964-1052. $.

Armando’s Mexican Restaurant Authentic Mexican on the Corner. 105 14th St. NW. 2021980. $.

Asado Wing & Taco Company Chicken wings, tacos, and margs. 1327 W. Main St., 234-3486. $.

Aqui es Mexico Authentic Mexican and Salvadoran tacos, tortas, sopas, pupusas and more.

221 Carlton Rd., Ste. 12. 295-4748. $.

Barbie’s Burrito Barn California-style Mexican food to go. 201 Avon St. 328-8020. $.

Brazos Tacos Austin, Texas-style breakfast, lunch, early dinner and brunch tacos. 925 Second St. SE, 984-1163. $.

Burrito Baby Made-to-order burritos, baby. 111 S. Faulconer St., Gordonsville. (540) 832-6677. $.

BurritOh! Burritos, tacos, rice bowls, quesadillas and nachos made to order. 540 Radford Ln., Crozet. 812-2152. $.

Cactus Mexican Restaurant Authentic Mexican and Central American dishes. 221 Carlton Rd. Suite 11 & 12. 295-4748. $.

MY FAVORITE BITE

Pirate’s bounty “It will be two years in July since I had this meal, and it was great not only because of what I ate, but also because of the beautiful setting. I was traveling with seven friends, two from Palermo, Italy, and the rest from the Charlottesville area. I remember it was very hot, about two in the afternoon, but there was a nice breeze because we were on a ship. It was a real pirate ship, no kidding. It had been rescued from the floor of the sea and put back to sail.

A scruffy Italian guy—he actually looked like a pirate—led us on a tour, sailing off the coast of Agrigento, Sicily, in the Mediterranean Sea. The sky was as blue as blue could be, and so was the water. The sails were billowing in the breeze. We were on the deck, enjoying the scenery—mainly the Scala dei Turchi, the white, rounded cliffs that look like they have giant steps cut into them. Our guide started cooking. He had a one-burner stove and a really large skillet. As we were gliding past the cliffs, he heated up the pan and put in a rich, robust Sicilian olive oil, garlic, some salt and pepper, and fresh fish—I believe it was either sardines or anchovies. He made a paste out of the ingredients, then added some white wine and fresh pasta. He mixed it all together and grated a generous amount of cheese on top. It was very hard, sharp, and fresh-tasting—my guess is it was a sheep-milk cheese. He ladled a serving onto a plate for each of us, and handed us a glass of white wine. I’ll never forget it, the smell of the food and the salty air, the incredible scenery.

It was the most delicious thing ever.”—Jill Myers, as told to Joe Bargmann

EZE AMOS

Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie Pizza joint in the Crossroads mini-mall. 4916 Plank Rd., on 29S at North Garden. 245-0000. $/$$.

End Zone Pizza Pizza, big subs and fresh salads.

Forest Lakes Shopping Center. 973-8207. $.

Extreme Pizza Delivery, dine-in or take-n-bake, this chain pushes pizza to the limit. 5th Street Station, 234-3239. $$.

Fabio’s New York Pizza Pizza, subs, salads and calzones made by natives of Naples. Get your pie the Sicilian way. 1551 E. High St. 872-0070. $.

Feelin’ Saucy Pizzeria Buy one pizza, get one free. 104 14th St. NW. 234-3877. $.

Fellini’s #9 A local landmark featuring Italian favorites plus some inventive new takes. 200 W. Market St. 979-4279. $$.

Fry’s Spring Station Very characterful brick-oven pizza joint. 2115 Jefferson Park Ave. 202-2257. $$.

Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant Everything you could want out of classical Italian fare. 2842 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 361-9170. $$.

Lampo Authentic Neapolitan pizzeria in Belmont.

205 Monticello Rd. 282-0607. $.

Lelo’s Pizza By the slice or the whole pie. Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center, 293-6788. $.

Little Caesar’s Pizza Home of the $5 Large Hotn-Ready Pizza. 1301 Hydraulic Rd., 296-5646; Albemarle Square, 964-1011; Pantops Center, 2343328. $.

Marco’s Pizza “Ah!thentic Italian” (with a secret sauce). 465-6800. $.

Mellow Mushroom Trippy-themed franchise, with great pizza and even better beer selection.

1321 W. Main St., in the Red Roof Inn. 972-9366. $.

MidiCi Neapolitan pizza chain. The Shops at Stonefield. 284-8874. $.

Mona Lisa Pasta This market carries nearly every variety of pasta and sauce imaginable. To-go entrées serve two to three people. Preston Plaza. 2952494. $$.

Nate & Em’s Pizza All your pizzeria faves: calzones, stromboli, pasta, subs and—of course— pies. 5924 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville. 985-9000. $.

Palladio Restaurant Northern Italian cuisine and Barboursville wines. 17655 Winery Rd., Barboursville. (540) 832-7848. $$$.

Papa John’s Pizza fans come to Papa. 3441 Seminole Trail, 973-7272; University Shopping Center, 979-7272; 1305-A Long St., 296-7272. $.

Pizza Hut The Jabba of pizza chains. 1718 Seminole Trail, 973-1616; 540 Radford Ln., Suite 300, 823-7500. $.

Sal’s Caffe Italia Brick-oven pizza plus subs, pasta and outdoor seating in a lively Mall location.

221 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-8484. $$.

Sal’s Pizza Hand-tossed pizzas, fresh bread, delicious pasta dishes since 1987. Crozet Shopping Center, Crozet. 823-1611. $.

Tavola Open kitchen serves up lovely food (pancetta-wrapped shrimp, handmade pappardelle) and an artisanal wine list. 826 Hinton Ave. 9729463. $$.

The Rooftop Pizzas, salads, seafood, and steaks with panoramic Blue Ridge views. 2025 Library Ave, Crozet. 205-4881. $$.

Travinia Italian Kitchen Contemporary American Italian, plus an outdoor patio for people watching. The Shops at Stonefield. 244-3304. $$.

Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Built-to-order pies. The Shops at Stonefield, 234-3717. $$.

Vinny’s Italian Grill & Pizzeria This regional chain has pies plus a slew of caloric subs, pastas and stromboli. Hollymead Town Center. 9734055. $$.

Chipotle Simple menu of burritos and tacos made before your eyes. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 872-0212; 2040 Abbey Rd. Suite 101, 984-1512. $.

Cinema Taco Burritos, tacos and empanadas inside the Jefferson Theater. Delicious and cheap.

110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 245-4981. $.

Continental Divide “Get in Here!” says the sign. Do it. Great nachos and margaritas. 811 W. Main St. 984-0143. $$.

El Jaripeo Mexican favorites for the 29N crowd and also the UVA Corner crowd. 1750 Timberwood Blvd., 296-9300; 1202 W. Main St., 972-9190. $.

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Fresh, handmade, Baja-style Mexican food. 435 Merchant Walk Sq., Suite 600. 214-0500. $.

Guadalajara Mexican food by Mexican folks.

Margaritas so green they glow. Cheap prices! 805 E. Market St., 977-2676; 395 Greenbrier Dr., 9784313; 2206 Fontaine Ave., 979-2424; 108 Town Country Ln., 293-3538; 3450 Seminole Trail, 9772677. $.

Junction Innovative Southwestern cuisine with locally sourced ingredients in Belmont. 421 Monticello Rd. 465-6131. $$.

La Joya Authentic Mexican from tacos to churros.

1145 Fifth St. SW, 293-3185; 1015 Heathercroft Cir, Ste. #300 (Crozet), 205-4609. $.

La Michoacana Mexican deli serves budgetfriendly burritos, tacos and enchiladas. 1138 E. High St. 409-9941. $.

La Tortuga Feliz Authentic Mexican entrées and baked goods. 1195 Seminole Trail. 882-7461. $.

Los Jarochos Authentic Mexican in Midtown.

625 W. Main St. 328-8281. $.

Margarita’s the Flavor of Mexico Authentic Mexican, American and margaritas. 2815 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 218-7767. $.

Morsel Compass Popular food truck’s brick and mortar spot. 2025 Library Ave., Crozet. 989-1569. $$.

Plaza Azteca Tableside guacamole is just the beginning of the offerings at this Mexican chain. 101 Seminole Ct., Seminole Square Shopping Center.

964-1045. $.

Qdoba Mexican Grill Spicy burritos, quesadillas and Mexican salads made before your eyes.

1415 University Ave., 293-6299; 3918 Lenox Ave., 244-5641. $.

The Bebedero Upscale authentic Mexican, plus cocktails and made-to-order guac. 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 234-3763. $$.

Mediterranean Bashir’s Taverna Authentic Mediterranean cuisine by a Mediterranean chef. 507 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 923-0927. $$.

Basil Mediterranean Bistro Mediterranean fare from grape leaves to tapas, plus a late-night wine bar. 109 14th St. 977-5700. $.

Box’d Kitchen Custom salads and homemade sauces. 909 W. Main St. 202-2749. $.

Cava Fast-casual Mediterranean with lots of vegetarian options. 1200 Emmet St. N #110. 227-4800. $.

Copper Mine Bistro Mediterranean-inspired menu features tapas, pizzas and entrées like shrimp provençal and veal saltimbocca. Wintergreen Resort. 325-8090. $/$$.

Mezeh Mediterranean Grill Bowls, wraps and pita pockets, all prepared with the fresh ingredients of your choosing. The Shops at Stonefield.

202-1446. $.

Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar Dishes from Spain to Greece and wines of the world. Main Street Market. 975-6796. $$.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 57

Jill Myers

Spring Knife&Fork 55

NEW LISTING

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2096 Stonemont Farm

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One-level living close to UVA and downtown Charlottesville.

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5235 Brook View Road

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1621 Brandywine Drive

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Custom home across from parkland.

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1301 Dunlora Drive

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1686 Wickham Way

Charlottesville • $295,000 3 bedrooms • 2 full baths • 1 half bath

www.1686WickhamWay.com End unit in western Albemarle.

Restaurant Guide CONTINUED FROM PAGE 55

Parallel 38 Small plates, innovative “farm-totable” cocktails and an extensive wine list. 817 W. Main St. 923-3838. $$.

Miscellaneous Nationalities

Citizen Bowl Shop Specialty salads with gluten- free, vegetarian and paleo-friendly options.

223 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 234-3662. $.

Croby’s Urban Viddles Southern-inspired chicken and pork rotisserie fare. 32 Mill Creek Dr., Suite 102. 234-3089. $.

Durty Nelly’s Jazz, blues and rock in a rootsy pub and deli that caters. 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. 295- 1278. $.

Afghan Kabob Palace Mouthwatering authentic Afghan cuisine. 400 Emmet St. N. 245-0095. $$.

Farm Table Reliable breakfast and lunch spot near TJ’s house. 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. 9849800. $.

Aromas Café Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare. Sandwiches, salads and famous falafel; super-friendly service. 900 Natural Resources Dr. 244-2486. $.

Firehouse Subs Hot subs and sandwiches across from Fashion Square. 29th Place. 995-5921. $.

Bavarian Chef German cuisine in Alpine atmosphere. 29N in Madison. (540) 948-6505. $$.

HotCakes Fancy sandwiches, housemade entrées, and desserts. Delivery available. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 295-6037. $.

dent study breakers. 115 Elliewood Ave. 295-1899. $.

The Flat The place for crêpes: Choose sweet or savory for lunch or dinner. 111A E. Water St., behind the Jefferson Theater. 978-FLAT. $.

The Salad Maker Made-to-order salads, plus a daily soup special and sweet treats. 300 E. Market St. 284-5523. $.

Tilman’s Cheese, snacks and sandwiches in the café, plus a charming wine bar. 406 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. $.

Trackside Café Healthy fare and smoothies inside ACAC. ACAC, Albemarle Square Shopping Center. 978-3800. $.

Tubby’s Grilled sandwiches and subs galore.

1412 E. High St. 293-3825. $.

Iron Paffles & Coffee Pastry dough + waffle iron + savory or sweet insides. 214 W. Water St. 8063800. $.

Which Wich Superior Sandwiches Create your own sandwiches by marking up the pre-printed brown bags. Hollymead Town Center. 977-9424. $.

Ivy Provisions Hot or cold sammies with cheeky names like the “Don’t Call Me Shirley.” 2206 Ivy Rd. 202-1308. $.

Zazus Fresh Grille Lots of wraps, salads, soups and fresh smoothies, plus yummy breakfast wraps.

Delivery available. 2214 Ivy Rd. 293-3454. $.

Mochiko Good Hawaiian eats. The Yard at 5th Street Station. $.

Jack’s Shop Kitchen Farm-to-table brunch, lunch and supper spot with elevated classics. 14843 Spotswood Trail, Ruckersville. 939-9239. $$.

Obrigado New American fare and pasta nights are the specialties at this bistro-like storefront spot. 109 W. Main St., Louisa. (540) 967-9447. $$.

Jersey Mike’s Subs Subs from Jersey, prepared right in front of you. 2040 Abbey Rd. #104, 529-6278; 5th Street Station, 328-8694. $.

Zoës Kitchen Fast, casual meals with an emphasis on health-conscious, Mediterranean-inspired ingredients. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 9555334. $.

Little India Delicious Pakistani, Indian and Middle Eastern-inspired food for veggies and carnivores. 1329 W. Main St. 202-2067. $.

Mas Authentic Spanish tapas and wines in a funky, dimly lit atmosphere in the heart of Belmont. 904 Monticello Rd. 979-0990. $$.

Pearl Island Caribbean-inspired lunch spot in the Jefferson School City Center. 233 Fourth St. NW. 466-0092. $.

Sticks A quick, healthy alternative to fast food: kebobs (veggie options available), sides, salads, desserts. Preston Plaza, 295-5262; Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center, 295-5212. $.

Sultan Kebab Authentic Turkish food, all kind of kebabs, vegetarian dishes, salads, homemade Turkish baklava, Turkish tea and coffee. 333 Second Street SE. 981-0090. $.

The Shebeen Pub and Braai Conjures the South African veldt with brunch on Sundays. Great bar for futbol-watching. Vinegar Hill Shopping Center. 296-3185. $$.

Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar Downtown teahouse offers international vegetarian fare, delectable desserts and 80-plus exotic loose teas and hookah. 414 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 293-9947. $.

Soups, Salads, Sandwiches B.good Grain bowls and seasonal salads, plus smoothies and shakes. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 305-1115. $.

Baggby’s Gourmet Sandwiches Give your name; your sammich arrives in a bag with a cookie. Get it? 512 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 984-1862. $.

Blue Ridge Café Ruckersville joint serving American-continental. 8315 Seminole Trail. 985-3633. $$.

Blue Ridge Country Store Breakfast is scones and muffins; lunch is pre-made wraps and soups, plus a popular salad bar. 518 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-1573. $.

Bodo’s Bagels Still the king of bagels in our town.

1418 N. Emmet St., 977-9598; 505 Preston Ave., 293-5224; 1609 University Ave., 293-6021. $.

Carving Board Café Inventive salads, soups and sandwiches for the 29N lunch bunch. Albemarle Square Shopping Center. 974-9004. $.

Chopt Creative salad chain with ingredients from local purveyors. Barracks Road Shopping Center.

328-8092. $.

Jimmy John’s Low-cost sandwiches on 29N. “Freaky fast” delivery. 1650 E. Rio Rd., 975-2100. $.

Kitchen(ette) An assortment of sandwiches (vegetarian included!) plus sides and salads. 606 Rivanna Ave. 260-7687. $.

Littlejohn’s New York Delicatessen Buxom sandwiches. Delivery, too! 1427 University Ave., 977-0588. $.

Lovingston Café A pleasant surprise in the middle of Lovingston, with a diverse, modestly priced menu. 165 Front St., Lovingston. 263-8000. $.

Mac’s Country Store Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Daily specials, eat in or take out. 7023 Patrick Henry Hwy., Roseland. 277-5305. $.

Market at Grelen A casual café with seasonal ingredients and daily specials. 15091 Yager Rd., Somerset. (540) 672-7268. $.

Martha’s Garden Café Healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Martha Jefferson Hospital, 595 Martha Jefferson Dr. 654-6037. $.

Panera Bread Co. Ubiquitous chain with casual fare. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 2456192; Hollymead Town Center, 973-5264; Fifth Street Station, 973-5264. $.

Peloton Station Sandwiches, craft draft beers, tallboys and bikes. Chow down and tune up. 114 10th St. NW. 284-7786. $.

Quizno’s Subs Chain offering cheesesteaks, meatballs and specialty subs. Salads and soups, too.

Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center. 977-7827. $.

Revolutionary Soup Choose from a slew of enticing soups made daily. 108 Second St. SW, 296-SOUP; 104 14th St. NW, 979-9988. $.

Roots Natural Kitchen Fast-casual health food from UVA alumni. 1329 W. Main St. 529-6229. $.

Subway Tons of locations, so you can “eat fresh” anywhere. 1764 Rio Hill Ct., 978-7008; 32 Mill Creek Dr., 295-5555; Pantops Shopping Center, 984-0652; 1061 E. Rio Rd., 973-9898; 2212 Ivy Rd., 293-0666; 104 14th St. NW, 295-7827; 111 Maury Ave., 9775141; 1220 Seminole Trail, 973-4035; 1779 Fortune Park Rd., 974-9595; Vinegar Hill Shopping Center, 245-8000; 65 Callohill Dr., Lovingston, 263-6800. $.

Take It Away Sandwiches, salads, sides and desserts in a jazz-themed shop. Favorite spot of stu-

Steaks and Seafood Aberdeen Barn More beef than you can shake a T-bone at, since 1965. 2018 Holiday Dr. 2964630. $$$.

Bonefish Grill Sister to mega-popular Outback Steakhouse featuring seafood, grilled non-fish specialties and a full bar. Hollymead Town Center.

975-3474. $$.

Devils Grill Restaurant & Lounge Above Devils Knob Golf Course with 50-mile views. Dinner reservations required. Wintergreen Resort. 3258100. $$$.

Downtown Grille Upscale steak and seafood with white-linen service and a chummy bar scene. 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 817-7080. $$$.

Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ onions and giant steaks. 1101 Seminole Trail. 975-4329. $$.

Prime 109 Top-notch steakhouse with dry-aged beef and locally grown and produced food served in a 100-year-old neoclassical building. 300 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 422-5094. $$$.

Brasserie Saison Downtown Mall brewery with Franco-Belgian cuisine. 111 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 202-7027. $$.

Burton’s Grill Contemporary American menu with stylish ambience. The Shops at Stonefield.

977-1111. $$.

Commonwealth Restaurant & Skybar Swanky Downtown restaurant with inventive entrées and a rooftop bar. 422 E. Main St., Downtown Mall.

202-7728. $$$.

Court Square Tavern Hearty pub fare and 130plus varieties of bottled beer. 500 Court Square.

296-6111. $$.

Duner’s Artful entrées and fine desserts on a rotating menu. 250W in Ivy. 293-8352. $$$.

Fig Bistro & Bar Mediterranean and New Orleans-inspired dishes with house-made ingredients. 1331 W. Main St. 995-5047. $.

Hamiltons’ at First & Main Imaginative American cuisine, award-winning wine list and superb vegetarian. 101 W. Main St., Downtown Mall.

295-6649. $$$.

Ivy Inn Daily menu of modern American cuisine in an 18th century tollhouse. 2244 Old Ivy Rd. 9771222. $$$.

Little Star Spanish- and Mexican-inspired food expertly prepared in a wood-fired oven. Great craft cocktails, too. 420 W. Main St. 252-2502 $$.

Maya Upscale Southern cuisine. Pleasant patio seating outside, sleek mod inside. 633 W. Main St. 979-6292. $$.

Michael’s Bistro Mucho microbrews and an artful menu. Second floor of 1427 University Ave. 977-3697. $$.

Oakhart Social Seasonal Atlantic Coast food for sharing. 511 W. Main St. 995-5449. $$.

Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards The Farm Table & Wine Bar is as big a draw as its beautiful setting. 5022 Plank Rd., North Garden. 202-8063. $$.

Red Pump Kitchen Tuscan-inspired restaurant with chic, rustic décor. 401 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 202-6040. $$.

Restoration Indoor and outdoor dining at this spot at Old Trail Golf Course. 5494 Golf Dr., Crozet.

823-1841. $$.

Southern Crescent Cajun and Creole fare in Belmont. 814 Hinton Ave. 284-5101. $$.

Tastings Wine shop/restaurant with woodgrilled entrées and an impressive wine list. 502 E. Market St. 293-3663. $$.

Public Fish & Oyster Simply prepared, responsibly sourced seafood. Shucked oysters, raw bar and a full bar. 513 W. Main St., 995-5542. $/$$.

Tavern & Grocery Inspired tavern fare from chicken sandwiches to banh mi. 333 W. Main St. 293-7403. $.

Red Lobster Seafood with daily specials. 1648 E. Rio Rd. 973-0315. $$.

The Alley Light Intimate small-plate spot above Revolutionary Soup. 108 Second St. SW. 296-5003. $$.

Rhett’s River Grill and Raw Bar She-crab soup, half-shell delicacies and steaks. 2335 Seminole Trail, Suite 100. 974-7818. $$.

Rocksalt Seafood-centric chain with an outdoor bar and patio. The Shops at Stonefield. 326-5665. $$.

Shadwell’s Seafood, steaks, burgers, pasta and salads made out of fresh, local ingredients. 1791 Richmond Rd. 202-2568. $$.

Upscale Casual

The Fitzroy Restaurant and bar in a swanky setting. 120 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 2951223. $$.

The Local Belmont neighborhood spot with unusual twists on local, organic ingredients. 824 Hinton Ave. 984-9749. $$.

The Melting Pot It’s a fon-do! This meltedcheese franchise features warmers built into the tables and a huge wine selection. 501 E. Water St. 244-3463. $$$.

1799 The Clifton hotel’s signature restaurant. Sit at the chef’s counter and watch the action. 1296 Clifton Inn Dr. 971-1800. $$.

Wayland’s Crossing Tavern Steak, raw oysters, pub food, vegetarian plates and kid-friendly fare. 1015 Heathercroft Cir., Crozet. 205-4669. $$.

Bizou Upscale down-home cookin’ with fresh fish, pork and beef dishes. 119 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 977-1818. $$.

Zocalo Flavorful high-end, Latin-inspired cuisine with a full bar. 201 E. Main St., Downtown Mall.

977-4944. $$.

Spring Knife&Fork 57

Albemarle CiderWorks What started as an orchard for rare and heirloom apples grew into a popular area cidery. 2550 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. 297-2326.

Blue Mountain Brewery Popular brewery serves 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.

Brewing Tree Beer Company Artisanal Brew Trail spot from the founder of Starr Hill. 9278 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Afton. (540) 381-0990.

Bryant's Small Batch Cider Craft cider produced on a 150-year-old farm, plus food and entertainment with indoor and outdoor seating. 3224 E. Branch Loop, Roseland. (804) 420-9683.

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 Beer-focused kitchen offerings, plus five ales on tap. 324 Sixth St. SE. 295-2739. $.

Devils Backbone Brewing Company Nelson’s hip brewpub—award-winning craft beers, lunch and dinner. 200 Mosbys Run, Roseland. 361-1001.

Hardywood Pilot Brewery & Taproom Charlottesville’s version of the beloved Richmond brewhouse. 1000 W. Main St. 234-3386.

James River Brewing Co. There’s only beer here.

561 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-7837.

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 spirits and craft cocktails in a hip spot. 715 Henry Ave. 270-0317.

Wineries Afton Mountain Vineyards Expansive views, top-notch wines. The 2016 Tradition red blend won gold in the 2019 Governor’s Cup. 234 Vineyard Ln., Afton. (540) 456-8667.

Ankida Ridge Vineyards Ankida means “where heaven and earth join,” in this case, at 1800-ft. elevation in the Blue Ridge Mountains. 1304 Franklin Creek Rd., Amherst. 922-7678.

Barboursville Vineyards Barboursville is a true destination, for the wines, scenery, and an historic Jefferson-designed ruin. 17655 Winery Rd., Barboursville. (540) 832-3824.

Barren Ridge Vineyards A peaceful, sophisticated place to sip in a gorgeous rural setting. Open late Thursday thru Saturday for live music. 984 Barren Ridge Rd, Fishersville. (540) 248-3300 Blenheim Vineyards Established in 2000 by musician Dave Matthews, Blenheim’s timberframe tasting room opens onto a deck with great mountain views. 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.

North American Sake Brewery Wash down your dumplings and lamb ribs with a flight of sake.

522 Second St. SE. $$.

Brent Manor Vineyards Sample wines from the vineyard and a selection of nearby Virginia wines.

100 Brent Manor Ln., Faber. 826-0722.

Potter’s Craft Cider Handcrafted cider out of Free Union, with a city tasting room. 209 Monticello Rd. 964-0271.

Burnley Vineyards One of the oldest vineyards in the Monticello Viticultural Area. 4500 Winery Ln., Barboursville. (540) 832-2828.

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.

Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery Try the Quattro—a blend of riesling, gewurtztraminer, viognier and traminette—at this spare but relaxing spot. 9423 Batesville Rd., Afton. (540) 456-8400.

Random Row Brewing Co. No food (but there are food trucks!), but nearly 12 beers on tap. 608 Preston Ave. 284-8466.

Reason Beer A 30-barrel production facility, plus a tasting room with rotating craft brew on tap.

1180 Seminole Trail, Suite 290. 260-0145.

South Street Brewery Brews and food from the folks at Blue Mountain. 106 W. South St. 293-6550.

Starr Hill Brewery Largest independent craft brewer in Virginia with 16 rotating beers on tap.

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.

Wild Wolf Brewing Company An outdoor “biergarten,” robust menu and up to 12 brews on tap.

2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 361-0088.

Wood Ridge Farm Brewery “From the dirt to the glass” brewery 165 Old Ridge Rd., Lovingston. 422-6225.

Chestnut Oak Vineyard Single-varietal, singlevineyard wines from petit manseng to chardonnay.

Weekend tastings from noon-6pm. 5050 Stony Point Rd., Barboursville. 964-9104.

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. 500 DelFosse Winery Ln., Faber.

263-6100.

DuCard Vineyards A successful grape-growing business bloomed into what’s now this boutique winery. 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. (540) 923-4206.

Early Mountain Vineyards Beautifully appointed facility with its own estate wines and select other local bottles, and great food. 6109 Wolftown Hood Rd., Madison. (540) 948-9005.

Distilleries

Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard There’s something for everyone—including sangria—under the LEED-certified roof. 13372 Shannon Hill Rd., Louisa. (540) 894-5253.

Devils Backbone Distilling Co. Virginia straight bourbon whiskey with views of Ragged Mountain. 35 Mosbys Run, Roseland. (540) 602-6018.

First Colony Winery Adopt a row of grapevines and you’ll get to learn how to prune and participate in its harvest. 1650 Harris Creek Rd. 979-7105.

Ragged Branch Distillery Virginia straight bourbon whiskey with views of Ragged Mountain. 1075 Taylors Gap Rd. 244-2600.

Five Oaks Vineyard Hybrid vines producing chambourcin, sabrevois and more. 4574 Belle Vista Dr., Barboursville. 242-9445.

58 Knife&Fork Spring

COURTESY WISDOM OAK WINERY

Breweries and cideries

SPOTLIGHT

Wisdom Oak Winery Jason Lavallee would like to thank everyone for being so nice. It’s not what a guy expects when he parachutes into town and opens a winery with his wife, and they’re total newbies to the industry, and he starts knocking on doors and asking established winemakers a lot of questions.

“I was pretty open, like, ‘Hey I don’t know what I’m doing—can you give me some advice?’” Jason says.

The advice poured out by the barrelful. And then came the customer referrals from other wineries and tour companies. Today, less than two years after he and Laura opened their doors, they run a real business, with both the tasting room’s public space and production facilities more than doubling in size. Wisdom Oak’s ascent has been just as steep as the learning curve they faced.

Take this year, for instance. The couple had planned to close the North Garden winery and relax for the winter, but no dice. “People just kept showing up, so we decided to open the tasting room,” Jason says. “We’ve been busy since February 9.”

Wisdom Oak’s first wines, from the 2015 harvest, were not very good, Jason admits. So, he fortified them and made a port-style wine. He learned from his mistakes, and now makes about a half-dozen wines, including chardonnay, cabernet franc (red and rosé), vidal blanc, petit verdot, and petit manseng. The 2017 vintage of the latter won a Double Gold award in the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

He and Laura couldn’t have done it without help from the local wine community. “It’s been overwhelming, and humbling,” Jason says.

—Joe Bargmann 3613 Walnut Branch Ln., North Garden. 984-4272. wisdomoakwinery.com

Flying Fox Vineyard Contemporary interior design, outstanding wines, and very special artisanal vermouths. 10368 Critzer Shop Rd., Afton. 361-1692.

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.

Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery Non-grape wines made from berries, plus honey meads. 2800 Berry Hill Rd., Nellysford. 361-1266.

Horton Vineyards Its petit manseng took the top prize at the 2019 Virginia Governor’s Cup, and its port-style wine is also a winner. 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. 1353 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. 977-3042.

Keswick Vineyards Dog-friendly tasting spot located at the historic 400-acre Edgewood Estate.

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 Local favorite and frequent award-winner, King Family is also the site of polo matches Sundays from Memorial Day weekend to mid-October. 6550 Roseland Farm, Crozet. 823-7800.

Knight’s Gambit Vineyard A rustic, charming winery with a porch overlooking horse pastures and Fig, a friendly hound who’ll keep you company. 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. 1351 N. Amherst Hwy., Amherst. 381-6088.

Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery An awardwinning certified-organic vineyard and winery

tucked away in the hills. 3340 Sutherland Rd., North Garden. 984-0774.

Lovingston Winery A densely planted 8.5 acres yields wine of high-quality fruit. 885 Freshwater Cove Ln., Lovingston. 263-8467.

Meriwether Springs Vineyard & Brewery The post-and-beam event space is just the beginning anchors this lovely spot in the woods.

1040 Owensville Rd. 270-4299.

Michael Shaps Wineworks The winery bears the name of the most prolific winemaker in central Virginia. 1781 Harris Creek Way, 296-3438; 1585 Avon St. Ext. (Wineworks Extended), 529-6848.

Mountain Cove Vineyards Even better with age?

The first batch of wine here was made in 1976.

1362 Fortunes Cove Ln., Lovingston. 263-5392.

Mountfair Vineyards You’ll find small-batch, blended red wines at Mountfair, just 20 miles west of Charlottesville. 4875 Fox Mountain Rd., Crozet. 823-7605.

Moss Vineyards Fifty-two acres with views of the Blue Ridge. 1849 Simmons Gap Rd., Nortonsville. 990-0111.

Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards A favorite for weddings because of the stunning mountain views. And the wines are pretty darn good, too.

5022 Plank Rd., North Garden. 202-8063.

Pollak Vineyards Located between Charlottesville and Wintergreen, this 98-acre farm produces 27 acres of French vinifera. 330 Newtown Rd., Greenwood. (540) 456-8844.

Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery Main location at 154 Winery Ln., Leon. (540) 547-3707; tasting room at Carter Mountain. 1435 Carters Mountain Tr., 295-9463 Rappahannock Cellars Pristine country setting for this winery, owned by winemakers who moved (with their 12 kids) from California to settle locally. 14437 Hume Rd., Huntly. (540) 635-9398.

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. 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. 4744 Sugar Hollow Rd., Crozet. 823-7300.

Stone Mountain Vineyards A rustic winery offers panoramic views of the surrounding counties from 1,700-ft. elevation. 1376 Wyatt Mountain Rd., Dyke. 990-9463.

Thistle Gate Vineyard Handcrafted wines aged in French and American oak. 5199 W. River Rd., Scottsville. 286-7781.

Trump Winery Sprawling property with posh hotel and a renowned sparkling white. 3550 Blenheim Rd., 984-4855.

Valley Road Vineyards Vineyard and tasting room at the head of the Rockfish Valley. 9264 Critzers Shop Rd., Afton. (540) 456-6350.

Veritas Vineyard & Winery Award-winning wines at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

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, roam the property. 206 Harris Creek Rd., Louisa. (540) 967-4647.

White Hall Vineyards A hidden gem with award-winning wines. 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.

Luca Paschina, Winemaker

Top 100 American Wines 2018

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Family Owned And Operated Catering Available Lunch Specials Best Wood Fired Pizza Follow Us On Facebook & Twitter 1966 Rio Hill Center • Charlottesville • www.thebrickovenva.com • (434) 964-1119

The Last Bite

HAPPY RETURN When Sweethaus abruptly closed last December, the year ended on a sour note for fans of the bakery’s cheerful confections. But the new year turned out sweetly for Charlottesville, as former manager Billy Koenig and his team opened Vivi’s Cakes and Candy in the former Sweethaus space on Ivy Road, with the same recipes and Koenig as sole proprietor. Named for his 9-year-old daughter, Vivi’s brings back the whimsy and joy that made Sweethaus so beloved.

The new spot offers candy, cupcakes, and cakes— no surprise—but Koenig says he hopes to do more special-order business, making cakes for weddings and other sweet occasions. Vivi’s gives us one more reason to be grateful this spring.—Joe Bargmann

MORGAN SALYER

62 Knife&Fork Spring

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