The Charlottesville 29

If there were just 29 restaurants in Charlottesville, what would be the ideal 29?

Ten

ten-logo-final

12o E. Main Street . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 295-6691
http://ten-sushi.com/

Why Ten?

Let’s face it. No one wants discount sushi. You want the freshest, best-sourced ingredients available. And, that’s just what you will find at Ten, the Japanese restaurant serving Charlottesville’s most luxurious sushi for more than a decade. For most of that span, the kitchen has been under the steady leadership of Pei Chang, who trained with the restaurant’s original chef, a Nobu protege. Key to great sushi is the quality of the vinegared rice, the years Chang spent perfecting the recipe for his shows.

Walk up the stairs to the restaurant’s location above the downtown mall, and you may feel as if you’ve been transported. The sleek, minimalist, modern space recalls Manhattan or Tokyo more than Charlottesville. And, the serene, soothing setting makes it a preferred antidote for life’s stresses. Charlottesville’s favorite place to escape belongs on The Charlottesville 29.

What to Order

If we’re feeling indulgent, we request “omakase.” Put yourself in the chefs’ hands, and let them send out whatever they’d like. We also enjoy daily specials, particularly on weekends, which allow Chang’s creativity to shine. Below are other recommendations, Chang’s suggestions, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a Ten dish as one of the best in town.

Our Picks

  • Aburi Saba
  • Rock Shrimp Tempura
  • Avocado Tempura
  • Oh Toro
  • Sake Roll

Chef’s Picks

  • Nigiri
  • Specials

Five Finds on Friday Picks

Announcing the 2017 Charlottesville 29

915278

The 2017 Charlottesville 29 answers: if there were just 29 restaurants in Charlottesville, what would be the ideal 29? To be eligible, a restaurant must have a Charlottesville postal address and have been open since January 1, 2016. Retail establishments that offer restaurant service (e.g. beer/wine stores, wineries, etc.) are also eligible, but solely on the basis of their restaurant service, not retail items.

In this year’s 29, all but four restaurants from the 2016 The Charlottesville 29 appear again. Three restaurants closed in 2016: Brookville, Mican, and Parallel 38. And a fourth – Citizen Burger Bar — exits not because of a significant drop in quality but rather because the competition is so strong. As said before, the list of restaurants not on the 29 may be greater testimony to the caliber of our food scene than the 29 themselves.  As in: “If ___ isn’t among Charlottesville’s essential 29 restaurants, there must be a lot of great restaurants in town.” This is true of Citizen, which still warrants praise, and many others not on the list. We are blessed in Charlottesville. Both with the 29, and beyond.

And so, 2017’s Charlottesville 29 is now live, featuring 25 repeat entries from 2016. The remaining four slots will be filled this week, with one new entry each day.