The Charlottesville 29

It may be stretching the truth to claim this article is an introduction of A² Pizza to Charlottesville. After all, Andy Argaud has been slinging pies from his Pantops home for  a year now. But, reservations for his pies can be so hard to come by that it was not until this week that we finally scored ours. So, it was an introduction to us.

A life-long food lover, Argaud got hooked on Detroit-style pizza in 2020, when he was living in L.A. and encountered a pop-up chef offering it. “It immediately became my favorite style,” said Argaud.

And so, he set out to make it himself. He began with an online pizza making class, and then pursued his passion with anything he could find: articles, YouTube videos, and other research. There was a lot to it, but the key, Arguad says, is achieving both a crispy crust while also a light and airy crumb. “My style incorporates techniques used in making foccacia bread to achieve this,” said Argaud.

Yeah, it’s delicious.

Argaud regularly posts dates and times on Instagram, and then customers can send him a message with their order, to pick up at a designated time. There’s a menu of toppings, or you could just ask for it Argaud’s way: pepperoni, pineapple and pickled jalapeños. “The combination of salty, sweet and a little spice is amazing,” said Argaud.

Not much counts as “big news” in the food world. But this may. Duner’s has landed one of the most successful Charlottesville chefs of our time.

In 2006, Christian Kelly co-founded the restaurant Maya, and presided over its kitchen until this year. Before that, as head chef of Clifton Inn, he helped Clifton become one of just 60 restaurants in America to qualify for Relais & Chateaux, an elite collection of luxury hotels and restaurants of the world. Having parted ways with Maya, Kelly is ready for a new chapter. Head chef of Duner’s.

What lured him? “It’s an institution,” said Kelly. “Legendary in Charlottesville.” Kelly calls it a huge honor to have the opportunity to put dishes on the restaurant’s menu. “I am grateful to be part of something as great at this place,” said Kelly. As chef, his plans are to fold himself into what is already happening at the restaurant, with a renewed focus on local sourcing, a priority for Kelly throughout his career. “Using what local farmers are pulling out of the ground and coming together with my kitchen team to create seasonal food is what I’m all about,” said Kelly.

Duner’s itself has been going through changes in recent years, most notably last year’s sale of the restaurant from its longtime owner to Will Richey and Jonathan Corey. Richey is the most prolific Charlottesville restaurateur of our era, and it’s rare to hear him sound so excited about a development. “It is tremendous news,” said Richey.

This news broke two weeks ago on the weekly food segment on WINA. Listen to the segment here. And tune in Fridays at 5:08 pm each week.

For Charlottesville food trucks, an invitation to Potter’s Craft Cider is like a restaurant’s invite to the James Beard House. The popular cidery draws such large crowds that food trucks have come to covet a gig there, allowing Potter’s owners to be selective. Add in the great taste of owners Dan Potter and Tim Edmond, and it has become known in the food community that an appearance at Potter’s is a stamp of excellence.

Now, Potter’s is upping its food game even more. Food super-couple Ian and Allie Redshaw are helping launch an onsite cafe. Formerly of Prime 109, Lampo, and L’Etoile, Ian once earned a James Beard semifinalist nod for Rising Star Chef of the Year. Allie meanwhile won acclaim for her cooking at places like Timbercreek Market and Pippin Hill, as well as her tenacity in bouncing back from a life-changing accident. Lately, the couple has been out of the restaurant limelight, with time occupied by a catering business and Allie’s pursuit of rockclimbing and amputee advocacy.

What appealed to them about this opportunity? Potter and Edmond. “They hold a really special place in our heart,” said Ian, who first discussed the cafe idea with Potter as they watched their daughters play together on a playground.

The menu is everything you’d expect from chefs as talented and creative as the Redshaws. For the mapo tofu chili dog, they make a Sichuan-meets-Cincinnati style chili from tofu and spoon it atop an Autumn Olive Farm hot dog nestled in an Albemarle Baking Company bun.

For the fried chicken sandwich, they  leave the chicken to the experts at Umma’s, and then assemble it on-site.  “It’s a good thing to eat with cider,” said Ian.

Gluten-free eaters will be particularly happy. Edmond and Potter eat gluten-free, as do many cider drinkers. And so, the entire menu is either naturally gluten-free, or provides a gluten-free alternative.

Potter’s stunning setting and delicious cider already offered a great venue to while away a day. The addition of the Redshaws makes it even more destination-worthy.