The Charlottesville 29

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

Tag: Bowerbird Bakeshop

05/24/2022

#14: Breakfast Sandwich #1 on English Muffin – Belle

The Breakfast Sandwich

A day just feels different when it begins with a great breakfast sandwich. Fortunately, Charlottesville has no shortage of them, especially at Belle, the Belmont bakery and café run by the Shanesy brothers: chef John and baker Scott.

There are six numbered breakfast sandwiches at Belle, all delicious, but the most satisfying is the first: Breakfast Sandwich #1. Folded egg topped with a sausage patty and a slice of melting American cheese. As listed on the menu, the sandwich comes on house brioche, which is delicious. It’s baked by Scott Shanesy, after all. But, the sandwich reaches even greater heights on the bakery’s English muffin, which Belle calls “the house specialty.” Yes, it’s special. Like a sausage egg McMuffin on steroids, there’s no more delicious way to power up the day.

#14: Breakfast Sandwich #1 on English Muffin – Belle
The Charlottesville 29 of Sandwiches

Others of Note: Troutlandish at Chickadee, Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich at Bizou, Southern Breakfast Sausage Biscuit at Ace Biscuit & Barbecue, Sausage, Egg, & Cheese on English Muffin at Grit, Morning Melt with Kimchi on a Za’atar Croissant at Bowerbird Bakeshop, Hangover Cure at Multiverse Kitchens, Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit at Timberlakes Soda Fountain, Egg & Gruyere, with sausage on a baguette at MarieBette.

04/15/2022

Five Finds on Friday: Emily Harpster

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come Emily Harpster, who has just launched Sugarbear –  made-from-scratch ice creams celebrating great local ingredients of Charlottesville. Buttermilk with Strawberry Jam, for example, swirls in jam from Jam According to Daniel, while Honey Sea Salt Latte draws on Lone Light Coffee and Hungry Hill Farm honey, and Vanilla Blueberry Stracciatella features shards of Gearharts Blueberry chocolate bars. Flavors change often, so check out what’s in the the freezer at MarieBette or order online for pick-up at MarieBette.

A graduate of UVa, as well as ice cream college at Penn State, Harpster’s Charlottesville culinary roots run deep, all the way back to the original Tokyo Rose, where she worked as an undergrad. After more than a decade on the west coast, she and her husband returned to Charlottesville “because we love it here,” says Harpster. “In many ways, my ice cream is a love letter to Charlottesville.” Harpster’s picks:

1) Everything Prezzant from MarieBette. “I spend a lot of time at Marie Bette, so I feel like I am a connoisseur of the MarieBette baked goods library. Honestly, the everything pretzel croissant (prezzant) cannot be beat. It cannot. It is a perfect creation. Also a perfect creation in the cupcake department: cupcakes by Tammy. Have you seen what she can do with frosting? She is basically a magician.”

2) Coconut Shrimp from PineappIes Thai Kitchen. “I’m sort of obsessed with everything Pineapples Thai does. We always have to put in a double order for their coconut shrimp.  They are light, perfectly crispy, and perfectly sweet.”

3) Golden Milk and Cocoa Macarons from Bowerbird Bakeshop. “Good macarons are not easy to pull off, and we have world class seasonal ones from Bowerbird? They are like pretty, colored, delicious jewels. They are one of my favorite presents to give.”

4) Blackberry and Apricot Jam from Jam According to Daniel. “I’ve had a lot of jam in my life, and I have never had jam as good as the jam that Jam According to Daniel makes. Ever. You can put it on anything.”

5) Double Smash Burger from Oakhart Social. “I love a good cheeseburger. Shout out to Oakhart, whose smash burgers got us through some of our hardest pandemic days. Unfortunately, our kids no longer consider other burgers acceptable.”

 

03/04/2022

Five Finds on Friday: Ryan Becklund

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come Ryan Becklund, who left a job managing a vegan restaurant in the D.C. area to launch her own vegan restaurant in Charlottesville. Botanical opens tomorrow, March 5, in the former home to Java Java on the downtown mall. Becklund’s picks:

1) Any Vegan Croissant from Bowerbird Bakeshop. “I can’t believe that vegan croissants exist in Charlottesville and on top of that, these ones are perfect. Flaky, buttery, and delicious. You would never know they are vegan.”

2) Vegan Tater Tachos from Firefly. “Firefly has an awesome vegan menu overall, but these are my favorite on the list. Who doesn’t love a good tacho, especially with some rich cashew cheese?

3) Chili from The Juice Laundry. “This chili is a showstopper. It is vegan, but it could stand the test against any traditionally made chili. Definitely get it with the jalapeño cashew cream.”

4) Sweet Potato Tempura Roll from Now & Zen. “There are tons of veggie sushi rolls on the menu and all are great, but this is my go-to roll. I could eat it everyday.”

5) Marinara D.O.C. from Lampo. “A pizza without cheese is the only way I eat pizza. Without the cheese, the sauce and bread are the stars and that is exactly the case on this comforting, satisfying pie.”

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