The Charlottesville 29

If there were just 29 restaurants in Charlottesville, what would be the ideal 29?

Tag: Anna’s Pizza #5

05/31/2022

#7: Notorious P.I.G. – Ivy Provisions

Photo by Do Me A Flavor.

The Italian

For many sandwich lovers, it is the ultimate sandwich. When a chef launched a podcast to dive deep into what makes a great sandwich, she devoted an entire episode to The Italian, which she called “everyone’s favorite sandwich.” At its best, it harmonizes elements as well as any other: salt, sweetness, fat, umami, creaminess, richness, crunch, acid, and more. It’s a sandwich where one bite just makes you want several more.

In recognition of the sandwich’s notoriety, when sandwich masters Ivy Provisions opened in 2013, they chose The Italian as their starting point, giving theirs the name Notorious P.I.G. With a team as committed to sandwich excellence as Ivy Provisions, there was purpose behind every decision that went into creating the anchor of their menu. Sure, the elements are typical: Italian cold cuts like salami, prosciutto, and capicola, along with provolone, pickled peppers, onion, lettuce, and a house Italian dressing. But, it is Ivy Provisions’ careful sourcing, portioning, and assembly that makes this the most irresistible Italian sub in town. Grab it by two fists, chomp, and enjoy.

#7: Notorious P.I.G. – Ivy Provisions
(GFA)
The Charlottesville 29 of Sandwiches

Others of Note: My Italian at Belle, Fugheddaboudit at The Wich Lab, Italian Job at Kitchen(ette), The Pelosi at Rapture, Italian Stallion at Hunt Country Market, AJ Soprano at Chickadee, Da Vinci at Mona Lisa, Italian Sub at Tubby’s, Belmont at The Market at Bellair (GFA), Authentic Italian at Foods of All Nations. Vegetarian Alternatives: Vegeletta at Belle, Roasted Vegetable Sandwich at Mona Lisa, The Local at Feast! (GFA), Roasted Vegetable Sandwich at Market Street Market (GFA)

05/13/2022

#26: Meatball Submarine – Anna’s Pizza #5

Photo by Do Me A Flavor.

The Meatball Sub

While meat in ball form has existed around the world for centuries, there is a more modern type of meatball with American origin, created by immigrants from Italy in the late 19th century. Before coming to America, the meatballs they made were typically small and served alone or in soup, much like they are today. In the U.S., for whatever reason, they began making larger meatballs, and serving them with pasta and tomato sauce. Before long, Italian-American restaurants started stuffing this new type of meatball into rolls, creating what would become one of the most satisfying sandwiches on earth.

Here in Charlottesville, Anna’s Pizza #5 has been making meatballs for nearly fifty years. Since opening in 1976, the Italian-American ristorante near UVa has adhered to the same family recipe for their delicious meatballs, which they serve on pizza, with pasta, or, best of all, in a submarine sandwich. For the sandwich, the kitchen’s unusual step of slicing the meatballs helps to ensure consistency in each bite. Nestled in a submarine roll, the sliced meatballs and house marinara sauce are draped in mozzarella, which melts quickly in Anna’s pizza oven. The result is a meatball sub that satisfies unlike any other in town.

#26: Meatball Parmigiana Submarine – Anna’s Pizza #5
The Charlottesville 29 of Sandwiches

Others of Note: Meatball Parmigiana Sub at Fabio’s NY Pizza. Vegetarian Alternative: Eggplant Parmigiana Submarine at Anne’s Pizza #5, Veggie Parm Hoagie at Crozet Pizza at Buddhist Biker Bar

11/23/2018

Five Finds on Friday: Natalie Siler

nataliejune

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Natalie Siler, the woman behind Charlottesville’s favorite chocolate peanut butter balls. After a decade in the Pittsburgh restaurant industry, the Charlottesville native returned home in 2012 in search of a job with a more traditional schedule, when fate and Charlottesville generosity intervened. A “friend of a friend” asked if Siler would like to carry on the peanut butter ball recipe she had been making for Feast!. Siler accepted, and when she took her first batch to Feast!, she recalls, “the woman at the counter popped one in her mouth, and said: ‘Great! We will need 300 more.” Six years later, the peanut butter balls remain a sensation, as she now makes 600 per week to meet holiday demand. Available only at Feast!. Siler’s picks:

1) Black Bean Nachos at Continental Divide. “On paper, they might not sound like anything out of the ordinary, but when you add the squeeze bottle of Wait a Minute sauce and one of Matt’s margaritas, it is unpretentious and wonderful. If I have room, one of the daily specials from Seven Hills never lets me down. I like to sit at the curve of the bar and come early.”

2) Italian Sub at Anna’s Pizza #5.  “I grew up in Charlottesville and many of my favorite dishes and spaces exist only in memory now, but 34 years later, the Italian Sub at Anna’s Pizza #5 has stayed happily identical to how I remember it tasting after a swim meet on a Wednesday night. A satisfying crunch, the tangy house dressing and one of the best beer pitcher deals in town. Don’t change, Anna.”

3) Honey Ginger Martini at Bang!. “This drink makes me think of my sister. Her name is Ginger and she lives in Austin, which is where I was first introduced to Tito’s Vodka. (My dad claims to have played cornhole with Tito himself). And, this drink is perfect for a kick in the pants to get you going for a show downtown. House pickles and sweet potato gnocchi always follow.”

4) Cheese from Caromont Farm and Our Lady of the Angels. “I’m a sucker for a cheese plate. I’m not sure I can pick a favorite one, but Pippin Hill and The Local come to mind. I’m always excited to see Caromont Farm on the menu. After my snuggle session with the goats last year, I always like to think I played some tiny part in making it taste so good. But I’m always looking for that bright red wax wheel that covers the gouda from of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery. It’s made in the mountains near Crozet and if anyone is not sure what I might want as a gift, the two pound wheel will do just fine.”

5) Tuna Avocado Carpaccio at Now & Zen. “The first time I ordered this and the almost-table length salad was placed in front of me, I giggled like a small child. It hit all the marks for me. Protein. Spice. Greens. Texture. I always over order here, but I can never not get this salad.”

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