The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Category: The 29

03/22/2016

Lampo

Lampo205 Monticello Road . Charlottesville, VA
929 Second St. NE . Charlottesville, VA
(434) 244-3226
http://www.lampopizza.com

Why Lampo?

While some chefs chase the next big thing, Lampo’s chefs devote themselves to a traditional food governed by rigid rules: Neapolitan pizza. With practice, study, and expert tutoring, the Lampo kitchen has mastered the pizza, which alone warrants a slot in The Charlottesville 29.

But, there’s much more. Embracing the Campanian approach to food, Lampo’s team uses outstanding ingredients and then gets out of the way, allowing the products to shine. The results can often leave customers wondering how something so simple can taste so good.

Lampo now has two locations: the original, which is dine-in only, and nearby Lampo 2Go, which is takeout only.

What to Order

It’s one of the most consistent menus in town. Point anywhere, and you’ll be happy. Below are our picks, choices by Lampo’s chefs, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where other area chefs and personalities have named a Lampo dish one of the best in town. The Vegetable Panuozzo warrants special mention. It’s the #1 sandwich in Charlottesville.

Our Picks

  • Antipasti: Pane; Polpettine al Forno
  • Insalata: Cavolo Nero; Cavoletti Di Bruxelles
  • Panuozzo: Vegetable; Porchetta; Muffalata
  • Pizza: Margherita D.O.C.; Marinara D.O.C.
  • Specials

Chefs’ Picks

  • Cavoletti Di Bruxelles
  • Vegetable Panuozzo
  • Marinara D.O.C. Pizza

Five Finds on Friday Picks

Photo by Tom McGovern

03/21/2016

Hamiltons’

hamiltons-at-first-main101 West Main Street . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 295-6649
http://hamiltonsrestaurant.com/

Why Hamiltons’?

A visit to Hamiltons’ can feel like a time warp to a “New American” restaurant of the 1980s or 1990s –  with a soundtrack of light jazz, brightly colored walls, and margaritas served in martini glasses. The menu includes standards like crabcakes and pot de crème, and the signature blue plate special is even served on a blue, glossy plate.

But, it’s not just superficial similarities that Hamiltons’ shares with restaurants of the New American renaissance. It’s also the sense of professionalism and attention to detail that the era brought. And so, the butter with your bread is always room temperature, as it should be. And, the bread, itself, is warm, salty, yeasty, and spot-on every time – the kind that seems to make you hungrier as it fills you up. Most importantly, the cooking is excellent. Owners Kate and Bill Hamilton know good food, and have always had a talented Chef de Cuisine, from Gail Hobbs-Page, to Jeanette Peabody, to Curtis Shaver, to the current chef Hannah Moster.

What to Order

Below is a list of our suggestions, the chef’s favorites, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a Hamiltons’ dish as one of the best in town.

Our Picks

  • Vegetarian Blue Plate Special
  • Crispy Fried Oysters
  • Shrimp and Grits 
  • Pan Roasted Jumbo Lump Crabcake

Chef’s Picks

  • Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad
  • Chopped Romaine and Radicchio Salad with Fried Oysters
  • Housemade Pappardelle with Tomato Braised Lamb Ragu
  • Grilled Double H Farm Pork Chop
  • Arctic Char with Edamame Mash, sautéed Sharondale Farms Mushrooms, Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, and Charred Lemon Vinaigrette

Five Finds on Friday Picks

03/18/2016

Sultan Kebab

Sultan333 2nd Street SE . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 981-0090
https://www.sultankebabcville.com/

Why Sultan Kebab?

A restaurant that some chefs call the best in town, Sultan Kebab draws on the Turkish heritages of co-owners Serhat Peker and Deniz Dikmen. Peker is from Adana, and Sultan Kebab’s Adana Kebab is stellar – grilled kebabs of ground beef, spiced with red pepper and paprika. Dikmen is from Izmir, and the Izmir Kofte Kebab is likewise excellent – grilled meatballs seasoned with onion, cumin, and garlic.

With years of experience at Clifton Inn before opening Sultan Kebab in 2012, Dikmen and Peker are committed perfectionists, and won’t put anything on the menu until they have gotten it right. The house-made pita bread warrants special mention. While “pita” has come to connote any flatbread in the United States, Sultan Kebab’s pita bread is the real thing from Turkey, discs of soft and flavorful bread. For sandwiches, the bread is sliced, and stuffed with your choice of kebabs, Turkish sausages, or vegetables. Regardless what the menu says, we ask for all of our sandwiches to be served on it. Sultan Kebab should always have a home on The Charlottesville 29.

What to Order

It’s difficult to go wrong at Sultan Kebab, where several items appear throughout the menu in different forms, from appetizers, to sandwiches, to platters. Below is a list of our suggestions, the owners’ favorites, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a Sultan Kebab dish as one of the best in town.

Our Picks

  • Sigara Borek
  • Lentil Soup
  • Lahmacun
  • Adana Kebab Sandwich, on pita
  • Izmir Kofte Platter
  • Ali Nazik
  • Manti

Owners’ Picks

  • Hummus Casserole (Dikmen)
  • Lentil Soup (Peker)
  • Adana and Lamb Combo Platter (Dikmen)
  • Chicken Platter (Peker)
  • Vegetarian Platter (Peker)
  • Baklava (Dikmen)
  • Rice Pudding (Dikmen)

Five Finds on Friday Picks

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Photo by Tom McGovern