The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Category: Five Finds on Friday

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.”

11/28/2025

Five Finds on Friday: Jason Inofuentes

It’s a Thanksgiving tradition for Five Finds on Friday to come from a reader drawn at random. This year’s winner is Jason Inofuentes, Albemarle County’s Program Manager for Broadband Accessibility and Affordability. Inofuentes’ picks:

1) Santa Fe Enchilada and a House with Salt at Continental Divide. “This is the best kind of comfort food. The chicken is slow-cooked to perfection, the sauce is rich, and you cap the whole thing off with a pumpkin muffin. I sometimes wonder what other goodness Continental Divide serves, but I’ll likely never know.”

2) Meyer Lemon Granita at Smyrna. “I can’t recall anything else I ate the first time we went to Smyrna, I know it was good, but thinking back on it, this dessert is all I can remember. Delicately sweet, and balanced by mint and lemon, it is a perfect way to end a great meal.”

3) Jefferson at Bellair Market. “When I first visited Charlottesville, my friends insisted we get the best sandwiches in town. I was skeptical when we pulled up to a gas station, but 25 years later, this remains one of the best sandwiches I’ve had. And it’s perfect for Thanksgiving.”

4) Huarache at Guadalajara Pantops. “A thick corn tortilla, a thin layer of refried beans, thinly sliced tender steak, cotija cheese, onions, cilantro, and a special set of hot sauces. It isn’t fancy, but it’s perfect.”

5) Princess Cake at Albemarle Baking Company. “When people meet me, they probably aren’t expecting me to ask about their dessert preferences in the first five minutes. But that is the depth of my evangelism for this cake. I want everyone to get to experience the perfect slice of cake, and this is it.”