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.
With Citizen Burger Bar, The 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)
Martinez — Ryan Collins (formerly, Early Mountain Vineyard)
MarieBette is a throwback. While other restaurants try to make history, MarieBette Cafe and Bakery follows it. Owners Patrick Evans and Jason Becton look to the past, serving up faithful renditions of classic, mostly French, breakfast, lunch, and pastries.
And so, there is no pork belly in the Croque Monsieur, no wasabi in the Tuna Nicoise, and the baked eggs are, well, baked eggs. Throw in a breezy, cozy space and local art on the walls, and you’ve got a little slice of Paris on Rose Hill Drive. No wonder some transplants from France say it takes them back home.
What to Order
My son says he plans to take over The Charlottesville 29 one day, and practices by assessing the area’s best versions of his favorite foods. His first two categories are pancakes and chocolate chip cookies, and, after thorough research, he rates MarieBette first for both.
Also not to be overlooked is the pleasure of a simple breakfast. You know those warm breakfasts at boutique hotels that remind you how satisfying a plate of well-prepared eggs can be? MarieBette offers it seven days a week. Below is a list of other suggestions, Evans’ and Becton’s favorites, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a MarieBette dish as one of the best in town.
