Catered to you: Tavola-to-go takes on a new format

Tavola continues to try to make limoncello out of its COVID limons; the Belmont Italian oasis’ latest venture is catering services large and small. “We’re trying to do a little bit of everything and put together decent weeks,” chef/owner Michael Keaveny says. “It’s been difficult, but between catering, neighborhood drop-offs, and curbside pickup, we’re doing […]

Let’s go! Our favorite local takeout, from perfect sandwiches to steaming bowls of…pasta?

While the experience of being at a restaurant—the din of clanging dishes and diners’ chatter, the comfort of being tended to—is unparalleled in our estimation, there’s a certain something special about taking your favorite menu items home. We’ve rounded up a few of our top picks: lightning-fast pasta, perfectly layered sandwiches, and the ultimate takeout […]

Family meal: A local club cooks up community

You’ve heard of book clubs. But have you heard of cookbook clubs? Neither had Jacqueline Willis, until blogger Kate Arends mentioned her own on her site, and eventually recorded an episode of her podcast explaining how she and her friends made it work. Willis was intrigued. “Jacqueline wanted to create the club for a few […]

Bayou-inspired: The Batteau’s Clayton Butler takes a cue from his Louisiana upbringing

Clayton Butler admits that, since working as a dishwasher at Duner’s in the late ’90s, his culinary journey has been “trial by fire.” He’s traveled and trained throughout the United States, including at a Relais & Chateaux establishment in North Carolina, celebrity chef restaurants in Las Vegas, and destinations in Lake Tahoe.  The Batteau owner […]

What meets the eye: A home renovation and expansion fills an Albemarle couple’s growing needs with a modern touch—and some hidden surprises

The wife—a 40-something fitness trainer with a compact build—is standing beside the distressed-wood dining table that serves as the transitional element between the simple, serene kitchen and the airy living room, which has a vaulted ceiling accented by two triangular timber trusses and a pair of mod pendant chandeliers that look like giant bows, made […]