The Charlottesville 29

Notorious P.I.G. comes East of town?

In the past, Charlottesville’s F&B Restaurant Management did not draw much attention to any connection between the restaurants they run. Over time, though, they have gradually embraced the synergy among their four restaurants, with cross-marketing and even some common menu items. This trend has worked well, especially given the talent behind F&B, which includes a Culinary Institute of America graduate who once cooked at The French Laundry and Per Se.

Next week comes another big step forward in that regard, when their new restaurant The Piedmont Bar & Kitchen opens on Pantops, in the former home to Shadwell’s, which they closed this week. The Piedmont will draw heavily from siblings Ivy Provisions and Fry’s Spring Station, with a menu to include Fry’s Spring’s pizzas and appetizers like the mezze plate, along with Ivy Provisions favorites like the Gobbfather, Notorious P.I.G., and Superfood Salad. Plus, other crowd-pleasers like loaded tots, wings, burgers, and milkshakes.

The idea is to be a place for everyone. “We want to be a fun, tasty, approachable spot to have any meal from a family dinner when no one wants to cook, to post work drinks for the great staff at Martha Jefferson, to catching a game on a Saturday afternoon with a group of friends,” said F&B’s Jim Drost. In addition to providing common menu items, Drost says, the synergy among F&B’s restaurants better enables the group to leverage local purchasing power and highlight favorite Virginia products.

The Piedmont Bar & Kitchen opens March 1. And, for those still holding on to Shadwell’s gift cards, The Piedmont will honor them.