The Charlottesville 29

If there were just 29 restaurants in Charlottesville, what would be the ideal 29?

Category: The 29

Prime 109

Prime109Logo

300 E. Main Street . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 422-5094
https://www.prime109steakhouse.com/

Why Prime 109?

From the team behind Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria, Prime 109 is like two restaurants in one, each of which could warrant entry into The Charlottesville 29. One is an a la carte steakhouse showcasing a product rarely found: local beef, dry-aged as long as sixty days, and grilled to order. The other is a New American restaurant with an entire separate menu, prepared by one of the most talented kitchens in town, including two prior winners of C-VILLE’s Best Chef. 

The front of the house does justice to the kitchen. Before opening in 2018, Prime 109 gave the spectacular space a posh overhaul, preserving and enhancing features of the bank that occupied the historic downtown building for a century, like towering pillars, soaring ceilings, and ornate trim. In the rear of the restaurant, steaks are fired on a stunning open grill, where a marble chef’s counter provides the best view in the house. Completing the experience are expert-selected wine, New York City polish behind the bar, and one of the most professional staffs in town. 

What to Order

Some call the steak the best of their life. But, the rest of the menu warrants attention too. Below is a list of our suggestions, Prime 109 chefs’ picks, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a Prime 109 dish as one of the best in town. Also included are appearances on chefs’ Best Thing I Ate All Year.

Our Picks

  • Specials
  • Parker House Rolls
  • Hand Cut Beef Tartare
  • Prime 109 Burger
  • Prime 109 Steak
  • Thrice Cooked French Fries
  • Creamed Spinach
  • Whatever Cocktail Abraham Feels Like Making

Chefs’ Picks

  • Crab Louis
  • Hand Cut Beef Tartare
  • Cioppino
  • Prime 109 Burger
  • Kansas City Strip
  • Thrice Cooked French Fries
  • Creamed Spinach
  • Ice Cream Sundae

Five Finds on Friday / Best Thing I Ate All Year Picks

Prime109

The 2019 Charlottesville 29

Charlotesville29_Logo_2019-01

The 2019 Charlottesville 29 is here, answering: if there were just 29 restaurants in the Charlottesville area, what would be the ideal 29?

For each restaurant entered, a guide explains why it was selected, and includes ordering tips from the restaurant’s chef/owner and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where other chefs or personalities have named a dish from that restaurant as one of the best in town. Where and what to eat in Charlottesville: The 2019 Charlottesville 29.

Tavern & Grocery

Tavern-Grocery-17a6a
333 West Main Street. Charlottesville, VA . (434) 293-7403
http://tavernandgrocery.com/

Why Tavern & Grocery?

With Citizen Burger BarThe Virginian, and The Biltmore all to his name, serial restaurateur Andy McClure is well-proven at watering holes. Tavern & Grocery, opened in 2016, has shown that McClure can excel at more refined dining as well. It’s his best restaurant yet.

The talented young kitchen is led by David Morgan, former sous chef at acclaimed restaurants like Clifton Inn and Ian Boden’s Staunton Grocery, who is equally adept at elaborate dishes as he is at comforting, gussied-up versions of tavern classics. The drink program is overseen by McClure’s brother Patrick, a certified cicerone with experience at some of Washington D.C.’s top bars, who also runs the restaurant’s downstairs speakeasy, Lost Saint.

But, fancy résumés aside, McClure is still a bar-lover at heart. And, Tavern & Grocery is no frou-frou place. It’s a versatile, jeans-friendly tavern where you can choose your own adventure – from a leisurely evening of drinks and snacks with friends, to family night, to an elaborate meal for a date night or business dinner. It also offers one of the tastiest and most convivial brunches in town.

What to Order

From spot-hitting sandwiches to cheffy specials, it’s hard to go wrong. Below are our picks, the chef’s picks, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named an item from Tavern & Grocery as one of the best in Charlottesville.

Our Picks

  • Steak & Fromage 
  • Crispy Chicken Sandwich
  • Burger
  • Braised Baby Squid
  • Specials
  • Croque Madame (brunch)

Chef’s Picks

  • Steak & Fromage
  • Crispy Chicken Sandwich
  • Burger
  • Specials

Five Finds on Friday Picks

  • Steak & Fromage Steve Yang (Tavola Cicchetti Bar)
  • MartinezRyan Collins (formerly, Early Mountain Vineyard)
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