The Shack’s chef named a James Beard semifinalist

The James Beard Foundation just released its list of 2017 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists, and Staunton chef Ian Boden landed one of the coveted spots. He’s in the running for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic; winners will be announced May 1. Boden, who cooks new American cuisine inspired by rural Virginia at The Shack—named one of […]

Hardywood’s brewers offer taste of creativity

Richmond-based Hardywood Park Craft Brewery has opened a satellite tasting room and brewery on West Main Street, becoming the fifth brewery within Charlottesville city limits. At its grand opening last Saturday, 15 beers were on tap. The unseasonably warm afternoon brought out such a large crowd that five taps were off the list by 2pm. […]

Valentine’s Day options abound

Whether you’re looking to toast to true love with a glass of wine, gaze into your lover’s eyes over a four-course meal or treat yourself to the best damn box of chocolates you’ll ever eat, there’s something yummy for you here in town, dear Valentine. Get your fill Start the sweet eating at the Galentine’s […]

Pepper-eating contestants bring the heat

A row of men plus one woman faced the bar amid a crowd of cheering, beer-hoisting onlookers. In front of each person was a glass of milk and a ceramic plate holding a single red Carolina reaper pepper. The bartender, Curtis Thornton, hushed the crowd and made an announcement. “The rules of this competition are as […]

Littlejohn’s opens a Pro Re Nata outpost

Fans of Littlejohn’s New York Delicatessen can now enjoy a Chris Long sub, Bum Steer and Five Easy Pieces at Pro Re Nata Farm Brewery on Rockfish Gap Turnpike in Crozet. The restaurant operates out of a Pro Re Nata-owned food truck on the brewery property, providing food to patrons and offering both pick-up and […]

Cho’s Nachos has got it covered

J.R. Hadley has eaten a lot of nachos. When traveling around the country to Pittsburgh Steelers games, Hadley and his friends often ordered nachos to go along with their cold beers at various bars and restaurants. They would rank the nachos according to chip integrity, dispersion of ingredients (nobody likes a naked chip), quality of […]

Local restaurant closings leave us feeling empty

The end of 2016 has us eating our feelings. We’ve scrambled to get one more box of Spudnuts, wolfed down our last Brookville baked egg and toast points and devoured a final bowl of Mican noodles. Here’s a look back at the restaurants we said good-bye to this year, plus a rundown of new ones […]

Bakeries share their holiday treats

’Tis the season to gather around a table piled high with foods galore. And, thankfully, Charlottesville artisans are preparing plenty of specialty items for the holidays. Here is a sampling of seasonal treats you can find around town. Albemarle Baking Company Panettone, the much more popular Italian cousin of fruitcake, is available at Albemarle Baking […]

Steak of America: Bank building has restaurant in its future

When Bank of America closes its branch doors downtown in February, it leaves a grand 1916 building in its wake that will house a steakhouse, according to building owner Hunter Craig. And while he declined to identify the grilled meat purveyor, he did say it would be locally owned, not a national chain. Also inhabiting […]

Virginia Tech’s impact on what, where and when to grow

You’ll often find a university at the epicenter of many of the world’s great wine regions. Learning institutions help drive and fund research and increase wine quality. Since 1905, the University of California, Davis has conducted vine and wine research just outside of Sacramento. Its findings have had an immeasurable impact on winemaking in Napa […]