Raising the steaks: Downtown steakhouse is primed for launch

Prime 109, the much-anticipated local-farm-centered steakhouse located in the former Bank of America building on the Downtown Mall, opens this month after nearly two years of planning and design. The restaurant is the brainchild of the Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria team of Ian Redshaw, Loren Mendosa, Andrew Cole, Shelly Robb, and Mitchell Beerens, and it will […]

We’ll toast to that: New cidery set to open in September

Bryant’s Cider will open a production and tasting room Labor Day weekend in Roseland. Set amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains in a rustic, all-original 19th-century barn with hand-carved logs and original architectural features, the tasting room will feature Bryant’s hand-crafted hard ciders, which are produced using fresh-pressed Nelson County apples from the cidery’s own farm. […]

Take the cannoli: A New York state of mind leads to Sicily Rose

Milli Joe owner Nick Leichtentritt has always had a special place in his heart for simple Italian cannoli, and he’s planning to bring his favorite dessert to Charlottesville at Sicily Rose, an Italian coffee and cannoli bar opening in September in the Studio IX space. “Sicily Rose is a project I’ve actually been working on […]

On to greener pastures?

Was it really only a year ago that Timbercreek Market in the old Coca-Cola building on Preston Avenue was revamped, split into a retail farm store on one end and Back 40, the farm-to-fork restaurant manned by chef Tucker Yoder, on the other? Both spots have closed, and there’s no word yet on what’s next […]

A French-inspired patisserie opens on the Downtown Mall

Serge Torres and Brian Helleberg are joining forces to bring a taste of Provence to the Downtown Mall. The Fleurie pastry chef (Torres) and owner (Helleberg) have opened Patisserie Torres on Third Street NE, directly across from Fleurie Restaurant, in the space once occupied by Cappellino’s Crazy Cakes. The patisserie is the culmination of Helleberg’s […]

Loco for Mono Loco: Latin American favorite closes after 20 years

Mono Loco regulars were recently issued a pink slip with the announcement of the closing, after 20 years, of the venerable downtown eatery. The restaurant, known for its friendly staff, fun atmosphere and Latin American cuisine, shuttered its doors after service on Saturday, July 28. “Our lease was up and it was time for us […]

Dinner fundraiser to recoup New Roots’ flood loss

A crowning achievement for the International Rescue Committee in Charlottesville has been the New Roots urban farm, the more than eight-acre stretch of land abutting Azalea Park that has served as a resource for many refugees who have resettled in the Charlottesville community in recent years. But the heavy rains that plagued Charlottesville in late May […]

New owner at Tavern & Grocery and more restaurant news

New owner at Tavern & Grocery Tavern & Grocery has changed hands, with its recent acquisition by Ashley Sieg, whose family has had a hand in the local food and hospitality scene over the years, including the now-shuttered Water Street and its predecessor, Tempo. Sieg, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, has been involved […]