šŸ• OT: Charlottesville Food Scene

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22

Smyrna is one of my current favs. Everything is good, but I especially love how the simple bread + olive oil/hummus/other dips hits.

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23

Just checked out their menu. Havenā€™t seen a place in a while doing manti and have been looking for it. Will have to check it out when there next in addition to the Korean barbecue place.

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24

I donā€™t think itā€™s actually good and certainly wouldnā€™t recommend it, but does UNOā€™s count? I think thereā€™s one down past Williamsburg.

Edit: I also have a soft spot for the also objectively terrible Little Caesars Detroit style deep dish.

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25

Underrated maybe best pizza in cville imo is Dinoā€™s in dairy market

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26

Me fighting the urge to lambaste the replacement of Qdoba on the corner with a bank

Mad Arthur GIF by MOODMAN

(Also Chipotle chicken at Little Johns saved me a many nights)

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27

I randomly came across this pizza finder tool on the Washington Post site that may be helpful. Not sure if youā€™ve seen it.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/interactive/2023/best-pizza-map-style-near-you/

Apparently thereā€™s a place called Chicagoā€™s Pizza With A Twist in Richmond. I have no idea if itā€™s any good. It appears that the twist is the Indian flavors and influence? Pizza Twist - Richmond, VA

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After reading the reviews, Iā€™d probably get the Detroit style pan at Sergioā€™s in Midlothian instead (which Iā€™m pretty sure Iā€™ve eaten at since I grew up near that Brandermill area).

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28

Sergioā€™s was good - not great - back in the day. I havenā€™t been there in 20 years.

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29

Eating at the Korean BBQ place (not the one in Stonefield. The other one, itā€™s good)

Ordered a draft beer. The said ā€œDo you want a pint or a mug?ā€ I like mugs, so I got the mug.

Thatā€™s a pint glass of water next to it for scale.

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When the server dropped it off, I was like ā€œNiceā€.

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30

Glad to hear. Other reviews have been so so

31

Wanted to shout out one of my favs because I had a great recent meal there: Conmole in Belmont. Tapas-style refined Mexican (Oaxacan dishes mostly, I think), friendly service, some good Belmont-vibes if you sit on the patio. As the name suggests, there are usually three different dishes with mole on the menu, and the menu rotates enough that you can try some new stuff each time. I think itā€™s known enough that people arenā€™t totally sleeping on it anymore, but Iā€™d put it up there with any of the ā€œfancyā€ restaurants in town.

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32

The CAVA talk in the football thread got me thinking about ā€œfast-casualā€ places (I.e. order at the counter, often a bowl, wrap, sandwich); what are everyoneā€™s favs?

My Charlottesville-specific favorites are probably:

  1. Bodoā€™s (duh)
  2. Pico Wrap
  3. Ivy Provisions
  4. Luce (kinda counts?)
  5. Roots Natural Kitchen
  6. Poke Sushi Bowl
  7. Mochiko
  8. Sticks

Iā€™m sure Iā€™m leaving a ton of very good places off.

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33

They also have a Poke & Sticks in Richmond, and Iā€™m a fan of both.

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34

I really like Poke, and its owned by a STAB family. Iā€™ve somehow never eaten at Roots, but Iirc, it was Igorā€™s favorite place in town.

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35

Thyme and Co. opened when I was a fourth year and I loved it so much.

I also use to really enjoy rev soup but i think the corner location closed.

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36

Stumbled across this thread and thought Iā€™d share my two cents on favorite restaurants in town.

  1. Conmole
  2. Tavola
  3. Marigold
  4. Oakhart Social
  5. Cont D
  6. Smyrna

Havenā€™t been to Ivy Inn or Duners in many yearsā€“those were long time favorites in past. Conmole delivers every time - ceviche, empanadas, and carnitas, not to mention their margs.

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37

Brazos tacos deserves more love. So does Guajiros on West Main, excellent coffee and ā€œMiamiā€ style food

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38

@ReasFordHoo Ivy Inn is still good, in my opinion; I liked Dunerā€™s best when Laura Fonner was the chef, but I havenā€™t been since Ten Course Hospitality took it over, so I donā€™t know if that works.

@JoeBoxley Agreed on both. Guajiros is the place in town that makes me feel happiest after going there, for the food, atmosphere, and how friendly the family is there.

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39

Iā€™d go Tacos Gomez all day, every day over Brazos.

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40

Now and Zen is worthy of consideration for a fave. Lampo is also ā€˜go toā€™ for us.

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41

Favorites:

C&O

Fleurie

Lampo

Ivy Inn

And honorary to DOMA because I probably ate there 100 times as an undergrad

Oh and I also have to shout out monsoon Thai, and the Guadalajara on JPA

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