The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Category: Five Finds on Friday

05/22/2026

Five Finds on Friday: Gerry Sweeney

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Gerry Sweeney, involved in two businesses that have been busy lately. For one, he is Brand Ambassador for Eastwood Farm and Winery, which has just revamped the Virginia Wine Collective, the incubator for nine small local winemakers, which is now open Wed-Fri, serving thin-crust pizzas, appetizers, wine flights, and draught beer. Meanwhile, with his wife Susan, he co-owns Cake Bloom which recently expanded and relocated to 120 10th St. NW. Sweeney’s picks:

1) Chicken Wings with Alabama Sauce or Dry Rub at Vision BBQ. “I’ve been following Mike Blevins — and his smoked chicken wings — for years, and they’re hands down the best in town. My go-to after-work pitstop these days is Vision for a plate of wings and Bitburger, and when my wife asks what’s for dinner, I order more smoked chicken and take it home for an easy taco dinner.”

2) El Capitan at Beer Run. “Morning, noon, or night, this place checks all the boxes. Unpretentious, quality food, good people, and, of course, the beer. On weekends, the breakfast tacos plus a National Bohemian win every time. Thank you, John Woodriff.”

3) Carnitas Tacos at La Michoacana. “Edgar Gaona’s carnitas tacos at La Michoacana are the real deal — raw white onion, the perfect bit of cilantro, and no slaw nonsense. A cold Pacifico in the free hand, and I could swear I was back at my favorite taqueria in Sonoma. Same story, too. Started in a truck, earned the brick and mortar. Every bite tastes like someone who’s been chasing this exact pork shoulder his whole life.”

4) Oysters at Public Fish & Oyster. “When my wife and I are missing our old haunts on Tomales Bay, we meet for a Tuesday happy hour date. A dozen or two oysters, a couple of Narragansett tallboys, frites, and some properly charred Brussels sprouts, and we’re the happiest East Coasters in the world.”

5) Double Cheeseburger at Riverside Lunch. “The lollipop place, as my daughter Lucy calls, is exactly what a hometown burger joint should be. Double cheeseburger, fries, onion rings, a sweating Miller High Life, and a staff that treats you — and your kid — like a regular from day one. Nothing here is reinventing the wheel, and that is precisely the point.”

04/24/2026

Five Finds on Friday: Sarah and Hannah Glatt

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from The Cville Sisters: Sarah and Hannah Glatt.

For some Charlottesville residents, gratitude for the area’s bounty sparks a passion to savor all it offers. The Cville Sisters have felt that for years: from high school to college, and now as they build their lives here. In their new Instagram feed, the bon vivants share their pursuit of Charlottesville’s good life. “We really love this community and want to see it thrive, and this feels like a fun way to contribute,” said Sarah. The Cville Sisters’ picks:

1) Daiquiri at Bar Baleno and Saltati Scarola at Lampo. “Whether it is a Thursday evening after Lampo’s 6 pm Run Club or while waiting for a table at Lampo, starting off with a Dealer’s Choice daiquiri from Matthew is the move. Then we’ll head over to Lampo to start our meal off with the Saltati Scarola, pairing it with our favorite pizzas, or sometimes a sandwich, to follow.”

2) Hibiscus Spritzer and Spiced Meatballs at Ethos Wine & Tea. “Get the Hibiscus Spritzer, but make it a wine spritzer. And, we always end up with an order of the spiced meatballs. Read a book, people watch, or catch up with friends while enjoying the atmosphere.”

3) Tequila Pork Ribs with Plantains and Cebollitas at Al Carbon. “Whenever it gets busy in our house, and we want something great to eat, we automatically think of Al Carbon and their Tequila Ribs. The whole rack can go a long way, and they taste even better paired with the plantains for something sweeter and the cebollitas.”

4) Chocolate Orange Blossom Cheesecake Ice Cream at SugarBear. “While the chocolate orange blossom cheesecake ice cream is the top contender, there are so many amazing seasonal ice cream flavors constantly rotating through. From the Bodo’s Everything Bagel seasoning collab or the current Blueberry Sunshine, you can’t make a wrong choice. So little time to sample them all.”

5) Iced Almond Date Latte at JBird Supply Coffee Roaster. “We love hitting the IX Farmers Market, and our first stop is always the JBird coffee tent for an iced almond date latte. We’ll sip our way around and pick up anything else we need, or want: plants, pastries, stickers, and more. Although we haven’t made it out to their new location by FIREFLY yet, we’re so excited to check it out for our coffee fix—and grab a sweet treat from Florosa.”

02/13/2026

Five Finds on Friday: Joel Cuellar

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Joel Cuellar, former Spirits Sommelier of Brandy Library, who now presides over Speakeasy + Whiskey Bar at The Doyle Hotel, where he is beloved for his service, cocktails, and knowledge of all things spirits. A world expert on whisky and permanent judge at New York International Spirits Competition, Cuellar has a palate that can discern a whisky’s origin, age, and barrel type. Saturday, February 28 is a rare chance learn from him at a Virginia Distillery Company Whisky Dinner. Guests will begin and end their evening with an apertif and digestif prepared for the occasion by Cuellar. In between are four courses paired with Virginia Distillery Company whisky, which Cuellar calls among the best spirits in the world. Menu below. Tickets here. Cuellar’s picks:

1) Burger at Smyrna. “I feel like every single dish I have tasted here is always the best it can be and while the burger doesn’t seem like the best choice out of the ethnicity of their cuisine, for me there’s no better execution in town. Perfect blend of flavor and texture. Also, best fries.”

2) Octopus at Zocalo. “At the bar, I always run polls on where is the best anything in town and I started to ask my customers where is the best octopus, so I can go to all these places to draw my own conclusions. Chef Will Miguel at Zocalo took the title. Its texture, flavor, presentation make for an exquisite dish I can always go back to.”

3) Sopes at El Comalito. “Out of the hands of Lucia, all the dishes here have the authenticity of someone who grew up with them, not a recently acquired knowledge. Try with any of their fresh salsas for a kick and you are totally savouring real Mexico.”

4) Old Tom Gin from our dear friend Ivar at Spirit Lab Distilling. “Old Tom differs from London Dry in the fact that it is aged in an oak barrel and has somewhat of a little sweetness to it. Rich texture followed by a multilayered mouthfeel, a bold collection of botanicals well integrated. It’s a pleasure to make a drink with it. Howeber, I personally like to sip this one, maybe with the addition of a few drops of water. Perfectly rounded and an amazing long finish.”

5) Notorious P.I.G. at Ivy Provisions. “If you have lived in the Tri state area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut) you may have seen an old Italian Salumeria, where you might have routinely picked up a sandwich. This is the memory, well executed: generous amount of cold cuts, cheese, shredded lettuce, oil and vinegar. And some hot peppers on top.”