201 East Main Street . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 977-4944
http://www.zocalo-restaurant.com
Why Zocalo?
In a word, consistency. For more than a decade, no area kitchen has produced excellent food more consistently than the one founded by chefs Andrew Silver and Ivan Rekosh. Silver moved on in 2017, but, under Rekosh, Zocalo’s loyal customers still know just what to expect on every visit: a stable menu of outstanding Latin-American influenced food, professional service, and well-paired wines that stand up to the fire and spice. Whether for a bowl of mussels and a beer at the bar, people watching from the prime patio location, or dressed up for a special occasion, Zocalo never disappoints. The first restaurant ever entered in The Charlottesville 29 still belongs.
What to Order
The cooking is so consistent at Zocalo that it is one of the few restaurants where nearly everything on the menu is reliably good. That said, below are our favorites, Rekosh’s picks, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a dish from Zocalo as one of the best in town.
Our Picks
- Chili Broth Steamed Mussels, grilled flour tortillas
- Spicy Tuna Tartar, red corn tostadas, cucumber relish, pasilla-negro vinegar, tequila crema
- Key Lime Free Range Chicken, black bean rice, avocado salad, chili arbol vinegar
- Black Bean and Corn Relleno, smoked tomato grits, smoked pico, cilantro-buttermilk honey
Chef’s Picks
- Chili Broth Steamed Mussels, grilled flour tortillas
- Spicy Tuna Tartar, red corn tostadas, cucumber relish, pasilla-negro vinegar, tequila crema
- Spinach Salad, masa fried oysters, chipotle remoulade, warm cider bacon vinaigrette
- Tamarind Braised Pork Shank, winter squash and root vegetable lentils, queso fresco, ancho pork jus
Five Finds on Friday Picks
- Spicy Tuna Tartar — Loren Mendosa (Lampo), Brian Ashworth (formerly, Ace Biscuit & Barbecue), Brian Jones (Petit Pois), Michael Lewis (formerly, Mono Loco), Jason Boorman (Kardinal Hall)
- Vella Jack Cheese Fritters — Brooke Fedora (formerly, Horse & Hound), Mitchell Beerens (Lampo), Kevin McElroy (Random Row Brewing Co.), Courtney Hildebrand (The Catering Outfit)
- Black Bean and Corn Relleno — Kath Younger (Kath Eats); Kevin McElroy (Random Row Brewing Co.)
- Grilled Salmon — Cesar Perez (The Bebedero); The Dennisons (readers)
- Chili Broth Steamed Mussels — Justin van der Linde (formerly, Smoked)
- Key Lime Free Range Chicken — Chris Long (UVa football legend)
- Chili Dusted Sea Scallops — Lindsey Dorrier (Bold Rock Hard Cider)
- Parliament — Andrew Cole (Lampo)
- Cucumber Martini – Phyllis Hunter (formerly, The Spice Diva)
- Loose Goose Martini – Fernando Dizon (Manila Street)
Photo by Jen Fariello