The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville
03/21/2025

Five Finds on Friday: Megan Hereford and Jocelyn Kuzelka

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Megan Hereford and Jocelyn Kuzelka of Daring Wine & Cider Co, whose Crab Apple Blend won Cider of the Year at last week’s Governor’s Cup. The duo will be at Café Frank this Sunday for a Virginia Women in Wine Dinner – a four-course feast paired with wines from them and Veritas Winery. A few seats still remain. And, they will be pouring samples April 5 at Charlottesville City Market and April 12 at The Workshop. Hereford’s and Kuzelka’s picks:

1) Caesar Salad and Pomme Frites at Café Frank. (Megan) “This is my favorite girl dinner when I get home from being on the road slinging wine and cider or traveling for my day job. Paired with a dirty martini, it fulfills all of my bar food needs in a boujee way. The salad has just the right amount of dressing, a fantastic three-year-aged parmesan and white anchovies. I hold the croutons but I am sure they are amazing as well. The frites are always perfectly cooked and come with a delicious charred onion aioli. It is the perfect meal to enjoy with a drink at the bar.”

2) Gluten-Free Muffins at Cou Cou Rachou. (Megan) “No matter the season these muffins never disappoint. I don’t know how they do it, but these have to be the best gluten-free baked goods I have tried in 15 years of eating gluten-free. They are always fluffy and light and I always look forward to new flavors. The current variation is citrus sesame and is an inspired flavor combo.”

3) Chili Milli Gobhi at Kanak Indian Kitchen. (Megan) “This is a go-to add-on to my carryout order here. These zesty cauliflower florets are crispy and have this amazing spicy, sweet and sour flavor from chili garlic sauce. They are the perfect appetizer for any meal here.”

4) Coat Czech at Selvedge Brewing. (Jocelyn) “When you grow up in the U.S. with Czech relatives telling you, ‘Jocie, you are Czech! You drink beer for breakfast!’, you better believe the search for a Czech-style pale lager sometimes feels like a perpetual quest that normally leads to disappointing emptiness. That is until a fellow cidermaker and beer lover took me to Selvedge Brewing. Their Coat Czech is absolutely superb. The earthy floral aroma and delicious Saaz bitterness that cleanses the palate after every sip just feels like going home. A proper pour from their Lukr faucet, watching the bartender keep the faucet submerged under the cap of foam which results in a fresher tasting pint, and believe me you will understand what all the fuss is about. The perfect pint for any reason.”

5) Kolače at Praha Bohemian Bakery. (Jocelyn) “No trip to Charlottesville is complete unless I find myself at Praha Bohemian Bakery in Crozet. I love the vibe of this cozy café that feels like a sidewalk café in Prague. The farmer cheese kolače are my favorite, the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Honestly, everything I have had here is high-quality and delicious.”

03/19/2025

Charlottesville 2025 Best New Restuarant Finalists

It’s almost time for release of The 2025 Charlottesville 29, this year’s answer to the question: if there were just 29 restaurants in Charlottesville, what would be the ideal 29? To be eligible, a restaurant must have been open since at least January 1, 2024.

But, restaurants that opened in 2024 also warrant recognition, and they are in the running for Best New Restaurant. 2024 brought many new restaurants to Charlottesville, and among the openings, the year’s best will be announced Friday, March 21. The finalists:

03/14/2025

Five Finds on Friday: Jackie Bontjes

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from The Wine Guild’s and Oakencroft Farm & Winery’s Jackie Bontjes, who just earned her WSET II With Distinction. In celebration, below Bontjes has selected five of her favorite Charlottesville foods. Meanwhile Bontjes has begun writing wine recommendations for The Wine Guild members, like this one. Join here to receive yours. Bontjes’s picks:

1) El Cubano at Guajiros. “Growing up in South Florida I was so lucky to be in an area that had incredible Cuban food. When I moved to Virginia it became the thing that I missed the most. Guajiros’ El Cubano is a classic, even bringing their bread in from Florida to give it that true taste and texture.”

2) Spicy Eggplant at Tangerines Kitchen. “The perfect blend of flavor and heat, the fried tofu in the dish is so incredibly well done that you don’t even need the meat. I ordered it on a whim one night, breaking away from my usual Red Curry or Drunken Noodles order, and kept coming back to it.”

3) Fried Catfish at Harold’s Chicken. “Fried catfish is another nostalgia meal for me. My dad grew up eating it with fresh catfish caught on the Illinois River near his hometown of Havana, Illinois, and so it was always special when he’d make it for us. Their fish is always perfectly done and brings me right back to childhood dinners and cooking with my dad.”

4) Rotisserie Chicken con Esquites y Platanos at Al Carbon. “Their rotisserie chicken stays at the top of my list for an easy dinner. It is always perfectly flavored and never overcooked. Pair it with the esquites — with mayo, trust me — and their fried plantains for the perfect meal. I always get the chipotle crema for a little extra kick.”

5) Tres Leches Cake at Baker No Bakery. “Trying to pick just one thing that Chris does well is kind of impossible. She’s an absolute wizard with flavor and watching her growth has been an absolute joy. She’s the reason I found the Wine Guild and helped set me on the journey I’m on, and I couldn’t be more grateful to her and her absolutely incredible pastries. Her tres leches cake that she puts together with seasonal produce and decorations is the perfect dessert to share for an occasion.”