The Charlottesville 29

Each December we celebrate the Charlottesville food year by asking chefs and others in the industry: what was the best thing you ate all year?  Below are this year’s picks in our food community’s annual tribute to Charlottesville’s bounty. (Picks from prior years are here: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015.)

Dylan Allwood (Public Fish & Oyster)

Foie Gras with Smoked Duck and Local Duck Egg at Fleurie. “Classic, perfectly executed French fine dining.”

Jason Becton (MarieBette)

Baked Cabbage at Birdhouse. “I’ve had a renewed interest and appreciation for the humble vegetable. Maybe it’s the Eastern European side of my genetics. Liz and Tim do it good.”

Mitchell Beerens (Lampo)

Sour WAP at Random Row Brewing Co. “I love a sour beer. I feel pretty strongly that Random Row is making the best beers in Charlottesville right now. This one is so damned good. Fruity and bright with an acidity that keeps my mouth watering. I know this is supposed to be about something that I ate but I’ve had like four of these as my dinner before so it’s same same but different different if you ask me.”

Liz Broyles (Birdhouse)

Beet Salad at Smyrna.”Really fresh ingredients, great texture from the cacao nibs, inventive flavor combinations, kaymak, pomegranate vinaigrette, so yummy.”

Travis Burgess (Bizou, Bang!, Luce, Crush Pad)

Italian from Greenwood Grocery. “This one hit the spot. Perfect amount of pickled pepper and oil and vinegar. Fresh baguette. Nothing quite like a good Italian and this one was perfection on a nice sunny fall Sunday.”

Melissa Close-Hart (Mockingbird)

Pastelitos at Guajiros. “Originally, I was certain I’d be writing about my latest obsession: quesabirria tacos. They’re popping up everywhere, and my go-to spots are Bangkok Zone Thai Fusion and La Michoacana (only on Saturdays). But then, lunch at Guajiros Miami Eatery on Monday completely stole the show. I’ve loved Guajiros since they opened and have followed them to all their locations. Being a creature of habit, I always order the same failproof favorites: Plantanitos with Beans and El Cubano. Of course, I stuck to tradition this time too—they never disappoint—but dining with friends meant sharing some new dishes. Chef sent over an Anchovy-Parsley Salad with Whipped Goat Cheese that was nothing short of revelatory. But the real showstopper? A Guava & Cream Cheese Pastelito. Flaky, golden pastry, tart guava jam, and just-sweet-enough cream cheese baked to absolute perfection. Buttery, crisp, and balanced—it wasn’t just a dessert; it was a revelation. I’ll be dreaming about these pastelitos and buying them by the dozen from now on. Move over, quesabirria tacos—this is my new obsession.”

Ryan Collins (Birch & Bloom, The Good Sport)

Summer Squash Pizza at Oakhart Social. “I am late to the party with my pick. This seasonal zucchini pizza evidently is a fan favorite that returns annually. I had it for the first time this year. I crushed the whole thing myself. So good.”

Jose De Brito (Fleurie)

Meyer Lemon Granita, Turkish Cotton Candy, Grapefruit, Mint at Smyrna. “The best dish of this year came as a surprise from the kitchen of Smyrna. It was sent as a gift for our dessert course. It was a very simple dessert but extremely delicious made of a strawberry and Meyer lemon granita with Turkish cotton candy, which looks like barbe a papa (candy floss) but is not as light. It is a cross with halvah, a delicious sesame seed confection that I used to devour as a kid. I was so enthusiastic about this dessert that I came back home and googled Turkish cotton candy recipes. As it is kind of fussy to make, I will wait for the next time I go to Smyrna and order it.”

Rachel du Jong (Cou Cou Rachou)

Seasonal Soups at Smyrna. “I’m a creature of habit with the bedtime of a toddler/grandmother, so dining out is few and far between for me, but I would have to say the dishes that come to mind the most frequently from this year are both the starter soups at Smyrna I’ve had. Tarik’s gazpacho in the summer with cherries and the curried squash soup in the early fall that I had were both exceptional. I love the brightness and vivid colors, flavors, and textures that are common threads throughout his menu. I love that they are equal parts welcoming and nuanced and intriguing.”

Laura Fonner (Beer Run)

Wayside Farm Strawberries with Rhubarb Hammer Jam, Whipped Marsala, and Amaretti at Lampo. “My favorite bite this year came from Lampo. I don’t eat much sugar but I was having dinner at their bar and they sent one out to me so I had to try it. When it comes to desserts, I like simplicity and perfection of balance between salt and sweet, and they nailed it. It was amazing and I would eat it every day.”

Emily Harpster (SugarBear)

Chips and Guacamole from Tacos Gomez. “After some deliberation around fancier choices, I have to give credit where credit is due: chips and guac from the Tacos Gomez food truck. I think I ate this twice a week during the summer (second only to Hogwaller burgers, which I think I am not allowed to choose). It’s simple and perfectly executed, every time. The guac is fresh, creamy, and balanced, with just the right amount of heat and the perfect texture. The house-made chips are always satisfyingly warm, crunchy, and salty. The portions are generous and very shareable. You can hunker down, starving, eat this dish, and feel that all is right with the world again. We are devoted Tacos Gomez fans at the shop.”

Craig Hartman (The BBQ Exchange, Exchange Cafe)

Ribeye for 2 at Smyrna. “The best thing that I ate in 2024 was the bone-in ribeye of Roseda Beef from Food for Thought out of Troy Virginia. It literally reminded me of the Tuscan Chianina beef so famous for the Bistecca alla Fiorentina in Florence, Italy. The way that Smyrna handles their accompaniments and the heart behind their cooking shows in the work that they are doing. Bravo.”

Kathryn Matthews (Iron Paffles & Coffee)

Quesabirria de Borrego at La Michoacana Taqueria & Restaurant. “Owning a brunch spot, it’s difficult to escape the grind to enjoy many of the special offering’s Charlottesville has on the weekend. I have already explored (and loved) everything from La Michoacána’s menu, from authentic Al Pastor Sopes to a citrusy bowl of Pozole Soup. But nothing elevated my taste buds quite as much as when I finally got my hands on their Lamb Quesabirria, prepared with perfectly seasoned lamb and all the garnishes, cased in a crisp, cheesy tortilla and served with a generous helping of consomé to dip. It’s utterly decadent and delicious.”

Loren Mendosa (Lampo)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes at Oakhart Social. “Emily and I shared this for our anniversary. Todd sent out a few dishes, all spectacular, but the roasted sweet potatoes with lentils and whipped garlic were out of this world. Caramelized and perfect.”

Sober Pierre (Pearl Island)

Anaji at SugarBear. “It’s a little self serving but all things Anaji – ice cream, milkshakes, etc. It is a collaboration between PI X Sugar Bear.”

Maria Salazar-Gil (Arepas Steakhouse)

Shrimp Causa at Inka Grill. “It’s a perfect combination of fresh and crunchy, with a delicate flavor that allows you to appreciate the different layers that make it up, without them being overshadowed by each other. My husband and I often go to this restaurant and order it on our dates. It is without a doubt my favorite dish.”

Tarik Sengul (Smyrna)

Baguette from Cou Cou Rachou. “Bread is a starting point to a good meal for me. Cou Cou Rachou’s baguette peaks to all your senses. I like the thin, crisp, golden-brown crust, the crackling sound, and the aroma it gives off. The aroma itself is evidence of good fermentation. Also, they use flours from Deep Roots Milling which make a noticeable difference. It’s shibui.”

Susan Sweeney (Cake Bloom)

Spicy Ramen Bowl at Now and Zen. “After a bone-chilling night watching my daughter perform at Ting with the Front Porch recently, my family and I lucked out with a booth at Now and Zen. I’m typically a creature of habit when it comes to my favorite sushi spots, but given the state of my numb, Raynaud’s fingers, their beautiful Carpaccio salad and maki wouldn’t do. Instead, I ordered the Spicy Ramen and was quickly transported back to my San Francisco days when I used to slurp gigantic noodle bowls in Japantown every weekend. Just like the rich, soul-warming broths I remember, their Spicy Ramen Bowl featured tender pork meatballs laced in chili oil over a tangle of noodles with just the right amount of heat–and just the right size, so I could enjoy it for days.”

Angelo Vangelopoulos (Ivy Inn)

Roasted Broccoli at Oakhart Social. “Farrell and I dropped in at the bar at Oakhart and literally had three of our favorite things from the entire year in one unplanned visit. Roasted broccoli with fish sauce caramel and sesame: you know you’re eating something good for you, but packed with umami you wonder why your mom never served you vegetables that taste like this. Shaved salad: perfect mixture of textures and flavors that somehow seems to get better with every bite. Tuna crudo: sadly I’m not sure it’s always on the menu, but that evening’s version was served with a chimichurri that we argued over who got to lick the bowl.”

Tristan Wraight (Oakhart Social)

Pear Financier at Cou Cou Rachou. “I’d like to suggest literally everything at Cou Cou Rachou but I’ll narrow it down to the pear financier. Jahnavi always brings boxes of mostly eaten pastries home and I get to finish them. Everything is always delicious but recently she brought home a little bit of a brown buttery pear financier that I wish had made it home whole.”