Brewing up something new
Champion Hospitality Group, an arm of Champion Brewing, recently announced a new concept for the Downtown Mall’s Commonwealth Restaurant & Skybar space. CHG will lead the project as majority owners, while still working with the restaurant’s original owners on a Baja-Mediterranean concept. The menu comes from chef Phil Gerringer, and the group says the remodeled space, which will open this fall, will feature a tiki bar upstairs.
CHG also announced the opening of the Champion Beer Garden, located on the lawn across from Champion Grill at The Shops at Stonefield. Open seven days a week, the beer garden serves the brewery’s popular quaffs, plus Monticello wine and bar food.
A little Italy
Good news for couch-sittin’ pizza lovers. Since Neapolitan pizzeria Lampo opened its doors in Belmont back in 2014, takeout was one thing oft-requested by regulars, but never granted due to the kitchen’s small size. Now, a second takeout-only location of the restaurant is in the works at IX Park.
Tavola has also expanded options for customers. In addition to its curbside takeout and wine club delivery, Belmont’s Italian hot spot now accepts reservations for in-restaurant dining for a limited number of small parties, plus a new catering menu delivered to your front door. (Transform your yard into an Italian garden party with antipasti, burrata, housemade pastas, wine, and craft cocktails!) Check out tavola vino.com for more information.
Park it
It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention. Which might explain why one of the newest additions to the Charlottesville restaurant scene is in a parking lot at the corner of Market Street and Second Street NW. The team behind Bizou and Luce launched an outdoor food hall called The Lot in June as a way to take advantage of the outside space and bring several menus together for a contact-free dining experience. That means dinner can truly be whatever you fancy—think pull-apart rolls from Bizou alongside pasta from Luce and a peach salad from The Lot, all ordered from your phone. Sounds like a place for picky eaters and introverts to unite.
The Lot isn’t the only outdoor spot where you’ll find Bizou cuisine this summer. Winemaker Michael Shaps and Bizou’s Vincent Derquenne have partnered for a weekend pop-up series at Wineworks Extended, located at 1585 Avon St. Extended. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by emailing marketing@virginiawineworks.com.
Introducing Roseland
King Family Vineyards signature wine has a new look thanks to a label created by Watermark Design. Inspired by KFV’s late co-founder David King, the redesigned the wine, featuring the classic Virginia white blend of chardonnay, viognier, and petit manseng, honors King’s memory and highlights his love of polo. Roseland is available online and in the tasting room.
