The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville
02/28/2019

2019 Charlottesville Best Food Truck/Stand Finalists

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With The 2019 Charlottesville 29 coming next week, and 2019 Best New Restaurant announced earlier this week, next up is food trucks. At breweries, vineyards, cideries, and elsewhere around town, Charlottesville’s food trucks continue to serve some of the best food in the area. Also eligible for the award this year are regularly appearing food stands, even those without a truck.

Tomorrow, March 1, The Charlottesville 29 2019 Best Food Truck or Stand will be awarded. Among a great group, the finalists are:

02/27/2019

Chef Ian Redshaw Nabs James Beard Nod

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Photo by Signe Clayton.

When it comes to food awards per capita, few cities can top Charlottesville. The James Beard Foundation, the Good Food Awards, The Food Network, and The Cheesemonger Invitational are just some to bestow awards upon Charlottesville area food in recent years. The Little Food City That Could keeps chugging along.

Now, for the first time ever, a Charlottesville chef is a James Beard semifinalist for national Rising Star Chef of the Year: Ian Redshaw of Prime 109. According to the award’s criteria, it recognizes “a chef age 30 or younger who displays exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.” Just 23 chefs in the country are semifinalists, with most coming from large markets like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston. And, to put the award in perspective, past winners include chefs like Bobby Flay, David Chang, Michael Mina, and Grant Achatz.

While Redshaw’s star power is finally being recognized outside Charlottesville, it has been well known here for years. To the country, rising. To Charlottesville, risen. Soon after the Culinary Institute of America graduate came to Charlottesville at age 22, he was already a star: l’étoile de L’étoile. Next, after a brief stint at Tavola, he helped to launch Lampo, where he created both the 2015 and the 2016 Dishes of the Year, and then was named 2018 Best Chef in C-VILLE Weekly. Now as Executive Chef of Charlottesville’s 2019 Best New Restaurant, Redhsaw’s talent continues to turn heads, including even the Governor’s, who last year called Redshaw’s steak the best of his life.

Congratulations, Ian. Congratulations, Charlottesville.

02/26/2019

2019 Best New Restaurant: Prime 109

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When Bank of America announced in 2016 that it was leaving its downtown mall location, a line of potential tenants formed, each with different concepts for the grand, 100-year old building. Of all possible uses for the historic bank, though, it’s hard to imagine a better one than what landlord Hunter Craig ultimately chose: Prime 109.

The winning tenants were the team behind the Belmont pizzeria Lampo, who have brought to steak the same attention to detail they devote to Neapolitan pizza. The Lampo guide on The Charlottesville 29 says that its pizza alone would merit entry into The Charlottesville 29. Prime 109’s steak warrants similar praise. Even without the bells and whistles of a lavish steakhouse, a restaurant that served nothing but Prime 109’s steak could earn Best New Restaurant of the Year. The product is that good. Executive Chef Ian Redshaw sources entire cattle from Sherwood Farm and Highland Orchard Farm, has them processed by  Seven Hills, ages the meat for sixty days or more, and breaks it down into steaks, which he grills to order on an open-flame grill custom-built by Blanc Creatives. Few if any steakhouses in the country can boast a menu full of local, heritage, sixty-day aged steaks. Some have called it the best steak of their life.

But, there is much more than steak. Redshaw’s kitchen includes chefs like Loren Mendosa, Mitchell Beerens, Bill Scatena, and David Morgan — as talented as they are creative in executing an entire menu separate from the steaks. Industry veteran and co-owner Shelly Robb leads what is already one of the most professional staffs in town. Bar manager Abraham Hawkins brings New York City polish to the cocktail program. Andrew Cole and Allie Redshaw have the wines in good shape. And, thanks to JAID + Figure and architect Stephanie Williams, the space is spectacular.

The result? For Charlottesville, it is ground-breaking. 2018 brought many good new restaurants to Charlottesville. But Prime 109 brought a dining experience unlike any we have seen here before. Charlottesville’s 2019 Best New Restaurant of the Year is Prime 109.

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