Five Finds on Friday: Doug McLeod

On Fridays we feature five food finds selected by local chefs or personalities. This week’s picks come from Doug McLeod, chef of Duner’s. McLeod’s picks: 1) Chicken and Waffles at Ace Biscuit & Barbecue. “One of my guilty pleasures, best Southern food in town.” 2) Dried Fried Eggplant Szechuan Style at Taste of China. “I find myself craving them. And the service is […]

Ristorante Al Dente abandons fine dining, rolls out new pasta café menu

Pick your pasta, pick your sauce. It’s a simple concept, and one that Morocco native Karim Sellam hopes will bring more life to his Venetian-inspired restaurant in the Ix building. Introducing Al Dente Pasta Café, a classic Italian restaurant that’s open for lunch, dinner, coffee breaks, and everything in between. Ristorante Al Dente, which Sellam […]

Para Coffee buys Café Cubano, and other restaurant news

Two coffee shops become one Last week, the owners of Para Coffee, the homey coffee shop tucked away on Elliewood Avenue where UVA students and professors camp out for hours with lattes and textbooks, announced that they’ve purchased Café Cubano on the Downtown Mall. Para owners Eric Kelley, Brad Uhl, and Brandon Wooten, who founded […]

Five Finds on Friday: Stephanie Williams

On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities. This week’s picks come from Stephanie Williams of La Vache Microcreamery, maker of extraordinary handmade caramels. A modern day renaissance woman, the mother of two is a trained architect who also co-founded the outstanding wine buying club The Wine Guild, and occasionally combines her loves […]

Overheard on the restaurant scene: This week’s food and drink news

Restaurant Week is just around the corner  For the second time this year, Restaurant Week is almost upon us! More restaurants than ever are participating this time around, so go ahead and start making your reservations and loosening your belt. Beginning Saturday, July 19, and continuing throughout the week until Saturday, July 26, 35 Charlottesville restaurants, including old […]

Overheard on the restaurant scene: This week’s food and drink news

Bye, guys  Five Guys Burgers and Fries is down to two Charlottesville locations. The Downtown Mall spot, which was often bustling with lunch breakers and bar-goers, closed its doors for good earlier this week. The restaurant’s owner did not return calls for comment by press time. Lettuce celebrate  Next week, Local Food Hub will celebrate […]