If you love the empanadas at Cumbre Bakery, try them all dressed up at the Downtown Mall’s newest fine dining restaurant, The Enemy. Opened in late April in York Place, this new creation from Cumbre founders Augusto Rodriguez Araoz and Juan Brandan sees their beloved bakery roots flexed into a full menu—while the original East Jefferson Street bakery lives on. IG:@theenemyrestaurant
Blue ribbons and brain freeze
Ice cream season is coming on, and Moo Thru is scooping up more than just cones. The Fauquier County cow-to-cone operation took home three awards at the North American Ice Cream Association’s annual Ice Cream Clinic last fall: blue ribbon for vanilla, red for strawberry, and white for chocolate. Judged on everything from flavor to melt (yes, melt!), the competition drew more than 2,000 entries from across the U.S. and Canada. dairymarketcville.com
A Virginia-style feast
The Omni Charlottesville Hotel is setting the stage for an intimate new dining experience. The Virginia Table is a private, by-appointment feast for eight to 12 guests, featuring a signature craft cocktail, a four-course seasonal dinner, and curated Virginia wine pairings with each course. Reservations require 48 hours’ notice, so gather your crew and come hungry. Inquire at chochvleads@omnihotels.com.
Passing the vines
Big news at Veritas Vineyard and Winery: The beloved estate is set to be acquired by Veritas Legacy Partners, a local ownership group led by Charlottesville entrepreneur Kurt Wassenaar and Eric Trebour. Veritas founders Patricia and Andrew Hodson are retiring, but winemaker Emily Hodson and CEO George Hodson will continue leading the charge. veritaswines.com
Check in, chow down
Charlottesville’s newest stay has arrived. Virginia Guesthouse Hotel, now open in the University of Virginia’s Ivy Corridor, blends hotel, conference space, and a trio of dining options open to locals. At Poplar, expect elevated comfort food, like an
egg croissant Benedict with green goddess hollandaise, lime-seared tuna Niçoise,
and a Dr. Pepper bourbon bread pudding worth lingering over. Head upstairs to The Perch, a breezy rooftop bar pouring $6 happy hour drinks (plus complimentary barbecue bacon popcorn). On the go? The Counter Café has your coffee covered. virginiaguesthouse.com
Openings
Plot twist: Peter Chang wasn’t gone for long. Signage at the former Barracks Road spot confirms a new Peter Chang concept is on the way, with city permits showing a $455,000 renovation afoot. The banner says “coming soon,” with summer 2026 as the target. Different name, same master behind the wok—stay tuned.
April showers bloomed a new restaurant at the Glass Building. Aster, an American fine-dining affair with Nordic, Japanese, and French touches, is the brainchild of chef Drew Dunston (formerly of Marigold) and beverage manager Caleb Russell. The menu highlights Virginia’s seasons and farms. Start with Angels’ Monastery Gouda from the Trappistine monastery near Crozet and follow with confit cabbage with Carter’s Mountain apple and peanut salsa macha. astercville.com
Dairy Market’s former Cumbre Bakery space is getting a new chapter with the arrival of Kafe Mont Bleu, open in late April. Founded by Madison-based roaster Gardy Jean Gilles, the café expands a wholesale coffee operation into a full Haitian-inspired café experience. Expect French-style pastries and sweet and savory crêpes alongside specialty drinks like hot and iced protein lattes.
A new player has landed on the Corner: Nash & Smashed has taken over the former 7DAYS Junior Deli & Bar space. With more than 20 locations across the U.S. (and even the U.K.), the halal-certified spot serves up antibiotic-free hot chicken, smashed burgers, hand-crafted milkshakes, and family-style buckets for sharing. Come hungry (and maybe keep a napkin handy). nashandsmashed.com
Closings
After one final round on April 26, LW’s Livery Stable officially rode off into the sunset. The downtown bar, once a 19th-century stable, then an A&P grocery store, and finally a go-to for wings and beers, faces demolition, with a banner out front declaring “the wrecking ball cometh.” The owners shared via Facebook that they won’t be relocating: “No moving,” they said. “We’re closing on a high note… It’s nice to be able to go out on top.”
Murphy & Rude Malting Co. will close May 31 after plans to relocate fell through. The local malt house, instrumental in linking Mid-Atlantic farmers with brewers and distillers, is winding down operations on Broadway Street and selling off remaining inventory. Homebrewers, take note: Some malts are going for under a buck a pound.
The owners of Cumbre Bakery serve a dressed-up version of their empanadas at The Enemy, an upscale eatery that recently opened in York Place on the Downtown Mall.
MORE TO CHEW ON
Saturday 5/23 & Sunday 5/24
Couples in Transit: An Evening with Shakespeare’s Lovers. The Wayne Theatre offers a redefined dinner theater experience where the audience and actors share the same space on a restored vintage train car that moves through the countryside. Featuring scenes from Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, and more. $167, 4pm. Virginia Scenic Railway, 415 Bridge St., Staunton. virginiascenicrailway.com
Friday 5/29
Veritas Supper Series: French Bistro Dinner. A family-style supper series spotlights seasonal and regional foods in a chef-driven dining experience. $100, 6:30pm. Veritas
Vineyards and Winery, 151 Veritas Ln., Afton. veritaswines.com
Saturday 5/30
Pints on Preston. A celebration and showcase of the Charlottesville Ale Trail’s craft beverage makers. $15–75, 1pm. Fifth Season Gardening/Rockfish Brewing, 900 Preston Ave. charlottesvillealetrail.org
Friday 6/5
Summer Sundown. Watch the sun descend behind the Blue Ridge Mountains with live acoustic music from local performers and food trucks on site. Free entry, 6pm. Chiswell Farm & Winery, 430 Greenwood Rd., Greenwood. chilesfamilyorchards.com
