Supper’s ready

There’s something special about family-owned establishments. The storied buildings contain years of history, the owners are always hard at work alongside employees, and regulars come back year after year for recipes that are passed down and tweaked through the generations.  In Crozet, Greenwood Gourmet Grocery has been a roadside staple since 1999. Owners Nina Promisel […]

Glass half full

As the holidays wind down, many of us start to question our copious alcohol consumption. For some, the best way to counter a wet holiday season is with dry January—a month-long hiatus from drinking alcohol. If the thought of giving your body and mind a break from alcohol appeals to you, but you’re worried about […]

Humph’s day

Chris Humphrey has paid his dues in local kitchens. So when he and restaurateur Stefan Friedman officially open their new seafood spot Bonny & Read, he’ll have earned the right to call the shots. Humphrey has experience writing menus going back at least a decade to his time as executive chef at Rapture. But there […]

Dinner and a show

If it weren’t for the Blue Ridge Mountains, restaurateur Ryan Becklund might not have brought her downtown vegan eatery Botanical Fare to Charlottesville. A seasoned food service worker with eight years under her belt, Becklund was working at a vegan restaurant with locations in Washington, D.C., and Virginia Beach when the pandemic began.  “[The restaurant] […]

Between the buns

Aris Cuadra’s been racing around the local restaurant scene for more than a decade, from The Clifton to Tavola, Pasture, and Cafe Bocce. But these days, he’s content just to loaf. That’s right, the Puerto Rican native went all in on sandwiches when he opened the Wich Lab in the CODE Building a few months […]

The one and only king

The self-anointed CVille Sandwich King would rather not tell you his name. But he’s happy to tell you—not to mention listeners to his “Sandwich Minute” on WTJU and 1,000-plus Instagram followers—where to get a good sammie.—Shea Gibbs Knife & Fork: How did you ascend to the local sandwich throne? CVille Sandwich King: I’ve lived here […]

Get in mah belly, CroZeli

When Mason Hereford opened Turkey and the Wolf to widespread critical acclaim in the city of New Orleans, it was like a butter knife to Charlottesville’s back. It was like Dave Matthews saying he got his start in Nashville. Hereford, a Charlottesville native and University of Virginia graduate, has won scores of awards for his […]

Cold cones, warm hearts

We know, we know: Ice cream? For summer? Groundbreaking. But there’s literally no better time to write about one of our favorite treats than the hottest season of the year, cliché or not. It’s practically a requirement: Before the summer’s over, you must try one of these hot (cold?) spots. And for those of you […]

Not your garden varietals

As temperatures rise and the days get longer, wine lovers look for different options in their glass. Whether chosen to accompany a day by the water, an afternoon on the deck, or an evening gathered around the grill, most of us move away from big-bodied, high-tannin, and high-alcohol red wines and instead reach for lighter, […]

Hidden gems

It’s easy to miss a hole in the wall, and, well, that’s kind of the point. So we put our nose to the ground—wall?—and did the snooping for you, and discovered three smaller spaces that promise big fun, including cozy quarters to host an epic watch party, a new fine dining experience, and a quiet […]