By Sarah Golibart Gorman It’s the last call for the inaugural Virginia Cocktail Games, hosted by the Virginia Spirits Board. In this boozy, stateside version of the summer Olympics, 25 bartenders from five regions across the commonwealth compete to create the best cocktail. The two-round competition begins July 26 with a round of online voting […]
By Sarah Golibart Gorman It’s the last call for the inaugural Virginia Cocktail Games, hosted by the Virginia Spirits Board. In this boozy, stateside version of the summer Olympics, 25 bartenders from five regions across the commonwealth compete to create the best cocktail. The two-round competition begins July 26 with a round of online voting […]
“What is it,” Luke Barr wonders, “about the hotel bar?” I’m wondering, too, and that’s why I’ve asked Barr, a pro, to vamp about the romance and allure of hotel bars. He’s a former editor at Travel + Leisure magazine and the author of 2018’s Ritz and Escoffier: The Hotelier, The Chef, and the Rise […]
By Ella Powell arts@c-ville.com Emily Harpster launched SugarBear, an artisanal ice cream brand that prizes local ingredients and collaboration, in 2022, hoping to honor “food, small business, and community.” She takes a lot of pride in making each pint from scratch, but where does she find inspiration? For Harpster, it’s simple: Most of her flavors […]
“Tater totchos and a few truffles to go!” That’ll likely become your regular order at FIREFLY, where new owner Jennifer Mowad has relocated her popular artisan chocolate business, Cocoa & Spice. The new space adjacent to the restaurant will host a grand re-opening party the first weekend of Pride Month—June 1 and 2—with chocolate tastings, […]
The Monticello American Viticultural Area won Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Region of the Year award at the end of 2023, and according to Brantley Ussery, it was not only for the area’s juice, but also for the squeeze. “The things that Wine Enthusiast really liked about our region is the approach, our inclusivity,” says Ussery, director […]
Small and unassuming, the original Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy, has served classic cocktails to celebrities and locals since 1931. The Alley Light restaurant owners, Chris Dunbar and Robin McDaniel, say it inspired Charlottesville restaurateur Wilson Richey when developing their intimate spot on Second Street SW. “Will went to Europe a lot, and … Harry’s […]
Taking orders Dairy Market’s newest vendor, 434th Street, is making a flavorful splash in the food hall’s menu. The Caribbean stall is the passion project of local chef-owner Jonathan Wright Jr., who serves up classic island dishes with a Virginia twist. Wright’s journey to Dairy Market began in 2020 with a humble $30 smoker. His […]
Alicia Walsh-Noel met Wilson Richey under difficult circumstances. She was part of the team opening Brasserie Saison in 2017, and it was a cutthroat crew. “Upper management was a toxic boys’ club,” Walsh-Noel says. “The restaurant industry can be a very cruel place, and Wilson was someone that really stood up for just the smallest […]
All roads flow back to beer for Corey Hoffman, founder and head brewer at Neon Culture Brewing, a small-but-mighty start-up with big plans and singular suds. Hoffman’s history with beer as a drinker includes—like many of us—college-age encounters involving red Solo cups, ping-pong balls, and cold cans sipped at a bar. That all changed in […]
By Carrie Meslar In a location on Emmet Street that has seen many iterations over the years, Chang Thai restaurant may be the newest occupant, but the team inside, and the food they’re preparing, is a time-tested combination of experience and loyalty. A family-run business that puts an emphasis on authentic cuisine, Chang Thai’s menu […]