The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Charlottesville’s Bounty: Why Restaurants Not On The Charlottesville 29 are the Best Evidence of Charlottesville’s Food Excellence

Each year, The Charlottesville 29 answers: if there were just 29 restaurants in Charlottesville, what would be the ideal 29? As impressive as the restaurants on the list are, I say the same thing every year: even better evidence of Charlottesville’s food excellence is the number of great restaurants not on the list. As in: “if ___ is not one of our area’s essential 29 restaurants, Charlottesville must have an amazing dining scene.” Fill in the blank with any of a number of very good restaurants.

Because openings outpace closings, narrowing a list to 29 becomes more difficult each year. Dozens of restaurants not on the The Charlottesville 29 would be worthy of any city’s list of top restaurants. How could a city the size of Charlottesville have so many great restaurants? We are blessed.

  • Aberdeen Barn
  • Afghan Kabob
  • Amigo
  • Arepas on Wheels
  • Aroma’s Cafe
  • Bang!
  • Blue Moon Diner
  • Botanical
  • Brazos Tacos
  • Broadcloth
  • Cafe Frank
  • Cafe 88
  • Chickadee
  • Chimm Thai
  • Chimm St.
  • Christian’s Pizza
  • Citizen Burger Bar
  • Continental Divide
  • Doma
  • El Ciruelo
  • Fabio’s NY Pizza
  • Feast!
  • Got Dumplings
  • Guajiros
  • GRN BRGR
  • Hamilton’s
  • Holly’s Diner
  • Inka Grill
  • Ivy Provisions
  • Kabuto
  • Kanak
  • Kardinal Hall
  • La Michoacana
  • Lime Leaf
  • MarieBette
  • Mariscos El Barco
  • Maru
  • Maya
  • Mel’s Cafe
  • Mi Casita
  • Mochiko
  • Mona Lisa Pasta
  • Monsoon Siam
  • Multiverse Kitchens
  • Nguyen’s Kitchen
  • Now & Zen
  • Oakhurst Inn Cafe
  • Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar
  • Otto
  • Pearl Island
  • Peter Chang
  • Petite MarieBette
  • Pico Wrap
  • Pineapples Thai
  • Poke Sushi Bowl
  • Popito’s
  • Quality Pie
  • Rapture
  • Red Lantern
  • Riverside Lunch
  • Royalty Eats
  • Selvedge Brewing
  • Silk Thai
  • Smoked
  • Soul Food Joint
  • South & Central
  • Southern Crescent
  • Super Amanacer
  • Sylvia’s Pizza
  • Szechuan Restaurant
  • Taiwan Garden
  • Take It Away
  • Taqueria El Comalito
  • Tavern & Grocery
  • Thai Cuisine & Noodle House
  • The Bebedero
  • The Clifton
  • The Fitzroy
  • The Local
  • The Market
  • The Ridley
  • The Whiskey Jar
  • Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery
  • Thyme & Co.
  • Tilman’s
  • Tonic
  • Vision BBQ
  • Vivace
  • Vu Noodles
  • Wayside

 

The 2024 Charlottesville 29: This Year’s List of Charlottesville’s Essential Restaurants

The 2024 Charlottesville 29 is here.

Each year, The Charlottesville 29 answers: if there were just 29 restaurants in Charlottesville, what would be the ideal 29? Background here and here. Annual cuts become ever more difficult, as openings outpace closings. As in prior years, this year’s Charlottesville 29 includes a description of why each restaurant was selected, as well as an ordering guide, with recommendations from each restaurant’s chef/owner and appearances in Five Finds on Friday.

With that: The 2024 Charlottesville 29.

Taste of China

612 Albemarle Square . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 975-6688

Before leaving Charlottesville, nomadic Szechuan chef Peter Chang left his mark on not one but two restaurants. One bears his name, and the other brought him to Charlottesville in the first place: Taste of China. Long after his departure from Taste of China in 2010, the restaurant continues to execute faithful renditions of traditional Szechuan dishes, sustaining its place as an industry favorite.

What to Order

If it’s Chinese-American fare you seek, you may be better off elsewhere. Taste of China’s main attractions are the traditional Szechuan dishes that make it so popular among area chefs. The best way to enjoy it is with a large group, and let the restaurant decide. With advance notice, the restaurant will prepare a Szechuan-style feast. For specific dishes, below are our picks, as well as appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a Taste of China dish as one of the best in town.

Our Picks

  • Fish with Cilantro Rolls
  • Dried Fried Eggplant Szechuan Style
  • Scallion and Chili in Hot Pot
  • Ma Po Bean Curd
  • Crispy Fish with Green Onion
  • Braised Fish Filled with Spicy Pepper
  • Hand Torn Cabbage
  • Specials

Five Finds on Friday Picks