The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Category: The 29

03/14/2016

Bizou

Bizou

119 W. Main Street . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 977-1818
http://www.bizoudowntown.com/home

Why Bizou?

In March 1991, in a small space on a then-desolate downtown mall, two young chefs, one from France and one from West Virginia, opened a restaurant that would shape Charlottesville dining for decades. The French chef was Vincent Derquenne, the West Virginian Tim Burgess, and their restaurant was called Metropolitain. In 1995, it moved to a larger space on Water Street before closing in 2002.

But its original location lives on in Bizou, which shares the look, spirit, and owners of the eatery the New York Times once called reason to move to Charlottesville. The ethos behind both — “what if it’s all about the food?” — has come to dominate Charlottesville dining. Meanwhile, Bizou has continued to deliver gussied-up comfort food in a diner-like setting from knowledgeable and polished servers. Lunch is a great value and has a huge daily following. Dinner is even better. And the restaurant has not missed a beat since Tim passed the baton to his son Travis in 2024. It’s indispensable on The Charlottesville 29.

What to Order

Daily dinner specials are the options most reminiscent of Metropolitain’s great dishes, but several regular menu staples are standouts as well. Below are our picks, those of Derquenne and Burgess, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a Bizou dish as one of the best in town.

Our Picks

  • Patisserie Assortment (brunch)
  • Brioche French Toast (brunch)
  • Brownie Canele (brunch)
  • Homemade Classic Meatloaf
  • Chicken Caesar Salad
  • Dinner Specials
  • Grilled Banana Bread (Charlottesville’s signature dessert?)

Owners’ Picks

  • Chocolate Croissant (brunch) (Burgess)
  • Fried Catfish (Burgess)
  • Smoked Salmon w/ Fried Green Tomatoes (Derquenne)
  • Steak Salad (Derquenne)
  • Grilled Banana Bread (Burgess)

Five Finds on Friday Picks

03/11/2016

Citizen Burger Bar

CB

212 E. Main Street . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 979-9944
http://citizenburgerbar.com/charlottesville/

Why Citizen?

For sports fans in a college sports town, a good place to watch the game is essential.  Not long ago, it was not easy to find.  Enter Citizen Burger Bar, which opened in 2012 in the heart of the downtown mall and became an instant smash. With a long narrow space and plenty of big-screen TVs behind the bar, Citizen offers a view of the game from almost every seat.  And, an ever-changing list of draught beers plus more than 100 in bottles means there are suds to suit everyone’s taste.  Even the wines are well-chosen, and the cocktails ($8) priced right.

But what sets Citizen apart from other sports-watching venues is that they actually care about the food.  It’s not just slop to soak up the beer. The beef is grass-fed and from Timbercreek Farm, just eight miles from the grill. The chicken is local. The burger rolls are custom-made down the street at Albemarle Baking Company.  The fries are hand-cut, the dressings house-made, and the “Swiss” cheese is Virginia’s own McClure, by Mountain View Farm. Throw in a cheerful, well-trained staff, and you’ve got a place worthy of a visit even when it’s not game day.

What to Order

Burgers are king at Citizen, rivaling any in town, but there’s more than just ground beef.  Below is a list of our suggestions, owner Andy McLure’s favorites, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a Citizen dish as one of the best in town.

Our Picks

  • Custom Burger with Timbercreek Beef, Red, with American Cheese, on a Potato Roll
  • House Salad w/ Grilled Local Chicken
  • The Mini with Timbercreek Beef, Red, with American Cheese, on a Potato Roll

Owner’s Picks

  • Citizen Burger (Timbercreek beef, McClure swiss, black onion, garlic aioli, iceberg, tomato, house brioche, fried pickle)
  • House Salad
  • The Mini with Timbercreek Beef, Red, with American Cheese, on a Potato Roll
  • Custom Grilled Cheese with cheddar, Swiss, bacon, tomato, and a side of blue cheese dressing to dip
  • Cheese Fries

Five Finds on Friday Picks

03/10/2016

Public Fish & Oyster

Public513 W. Main Street . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 995-5542
http://publicfo.com/

Why Public?

Maybe it’s our New England roots or the oysters in our blood, but The Charlottesville 29 would not be complete without an oyster house. Fortunately, Charlottesville has a darned good one. With its tight space, airy atmosphere, and displays of oyster cans, Public Fish & Oyster would feel like a classic coastal oyster house if not for its landlocked location on West Main. “Rustic, but modern. Beautiful, yet relaxed,” a former Virginia First Lady once described it.

The dazzling array of fresh oysters and clams changes daily, with roughly a dozen varieties from Virginia, the Northeast, and the Pacific coast. Don’t want them raw? How about fried, stewed, or broiled? And, there’s more than just oysters. There’s serious cooking, too. Plus, owner Daniel Kaufman spent years as a sommelier and also owns a bottle shop, so the wines, cocktails, and beers are worthy. He’s usually around to suggest a pairing.

What to Order

Regulars know that the happy hour menu (4-6 pm daily) offers a few treats not on the regular menu, like lobster rolls. Besides happy hour, the menu ranges from elaborate entrees to classics like Oysters Rockefeller and various kinds of Moules Frites, such as Mariniere, Mumbai, and Fra Diavolo, each served with Belgian fries and aioli. 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 Public dish as one of the best in town.

Our Picks

  • Raw Bar
  • Buttermilk Fried Oysters
  • Crispy Fried Fresh Calamari
  • Moules Frites
  • Seared Scallops
  • Lobster Roll (Connecticut Style)
  • Specials

Chef’s Picks

  • Lobster Roll
  • New England Clam Chowder
  • Lump Crab Cakes
  • Seared Scallops

Five Finds on Friday Picks

oysters