The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Lampo

10/17/2025

Five Finds on Friday: Natalie Blazer

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Natalie Blazer, Assistant Dean and Chief Admissions Officer at UVa School of Law, and host of the podcast Admissible, on Apple and Spotify. You can follow it on Instagram. It’s Natalie’s anniversary next week, so she shares the spotlight with husband Michael Peloquin. Blazer’s picks:

1) Red Hot Blues and a Mezcal Special with Salt at the bar at Continental Divide. “This is a Friday night tradition that holds a sacred spot in our lives. Catching up with Matt and taking that first sip of margarita marks the end of a usually stressful week and the beginning of 48 hours of family togetherness. Fun fact: we both discovered the Divide around the same time: I was a first-year law student, back then we just called it Get In Here. Michael was a high school student in Arizona, visiting his older sister who was an undergrad at UVa. So it is very possible we crossed paths 20 years ago at the Divide, 13 years before actually meeting in D.C.”

2) Cabbage & Scallion Pancake and Roasted Broccoli at Oakhart Social. “Look, I’ve been reading the FFF long enough to know that practically everyone mentions Oakhart, so I almost didn’t want to include these dishes, but a list without them would not even remotely accurately capture our consumption habits. Another spot where sitting at the bar makes all the difference, as the food at Oakhart is matched only by the incredible hospitality. I don’t know how they get all their veggie dishes to be so dang good but they are positively craveable.”

3) Abruzzo Pizza, a Midnight Stinger (hers) and Spaghett (his) at Lampo. “I’m not a huge meat-eater, but the Abruzzo has me positively addicted. Everything at Lampo tends to be phenomenal, from the warm bread to the salads to the sandwiches. We always get a little of everything, but the Abruzzo is a staple. And we have to mention our love for waiting at Bar Baleno next door for Lampo bar seats to open up. Clearly, a recurring theme of our answers here is we love to sit at a bar and we love to be regulars. Beware if you sit next to us that we — Michael —  will instigate chitchat.”

4) Drip Coffee at Atlas Coffee. “How boring is this pick? But the centrality of coffee in our lives means we could not leave this one off the list. A true neighborhood spot, Atlas’s coffee is consistently perfect. Our dog Jerry loves it too because the barista never lets us leave without a treat for him.”

5) The Melrose at Greenwood Gourmet Grocery. “The vibes, as the kids would say, are immaculate at Greenwood Grocery, but I would not keep coming back were it not for the Melrose sandwich. Again, not being a huge meat-eater, this portobello mushroom sandwich with red onion, pimento cheese, and arugula on country bread hits the spot every single time. Michael has usually already eaten by the time we get to Greenwood, because he simply cannot start his weekend morning without a breakfast burrito from Polly’s Folly, but he’s always good to add on an Araucana or an Italian. Throw in some chips from their tasty selection, maybe one or two of the MarieBette treats they stock at the register, and our Saturday afternoon is made.”

08/22/2025

Five Finds on Friday: Holly Hammond

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Holly Hammond of Whisper Hill Farm, whose August tomatoes are worth waiting all year long. The tomatoes will be among the offerings at Tomato Tomato Fest, Tuesday August 26 at The Little Market at Lampo. Tomato farmers, artisans, and vendors will celebrate the Charlottesville area’s tomato harvest, while Lampo makes a special tomato-centric menu for the occasion. Details here. Dress in tomato gear, enter gardening and art competitions, and celebrate this year’s harvest. Hammond’s picks:

1) Basil Tofu at Cafe 88. “Jenny is always at the front counter, ready for my favorite order when I go to Cafe 88. When I asked her for her favorite tofu dish, she did not hesitate -Basil Tofu. Wowee! She sends this bento box out of the park, with crispy tofu fried to perfection, saucy eggplant, and green beans. Everything cooked to perfection. Being a veggie farmer, I am particular about these things, and Jenny nails it with this dish. To be honest, everything she sends out is excellent.”

2) Avocado Toast at Petite MarieBette. “There’s something special about going into PMB on a Sunday morning after a long week farming and a vibrant Saturday sale at IX Farmers Market. The vibe is chill, and the staff is always warm and friendly. Pair that with an iced London Fog and their Avocado Toast with an egg, and life is good. Avocado toast might not be something I would typically order, but theirs is done so deliciously. Perfectly mashed avocado on a slice of their multigrain sourdough topped with corn, cotija, and pickled onion. What’s not to love?”

3) Banh Mi at Vu Noodles. “Julie soars in the kitchen, and her banh mi is no exception. That toasty baguette with tofu, vegan mayo, cilantro, cucumbers, and jalapenos hits the mark every time. She is also just a bright human whose spirit shows up in her food. Truly, a Charlottesville treasure.”

4) Veggie Pizza at Mona Lisa Pasta. “After eight hours of setting up and selling to our wonderful customers at market, the perfect place to pick up lunch to bring back for the crew is Mona Lisa’s. If you haven’t ordered pizza from them, you are missing out. A little Italian gem in the heart of Cville, you can find all kinds of things to love at this shop and take home a delicious meal. The veggies on their pizza are cut and cooked perfectly, with not too much sauce or cheese on the pizza. The best after-market meal.”

5) Caesar Salad at Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie. “I can’t forget to mention another favorite place to go out on a weekday evening. It’s always hopping, and the staff at Dr. Ho’s gets it done. The best way to start your meal is with their Caesar salad. The dressing is cheesy, and the salad always comes very well dressed, with that classic crunchy romaine and flaky parmesan, and croutons. Don’t sleep on that Fat and Sassy either.”

 

06/06/2025

Five Finds on Friday: Ellie Picard

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from The Beautiful Idea co-owner Ellie Picard, who has co-founded Charlottesille’s first queer commuity center. Rivanna Area Queer Center opened last week, just in time for Pride Month, with a mission to provide “a safe refuge for all LGBTQIA+ people in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties, a loving home for our community, and a resource for our liberation.” Information about the new center, including how to donate, is available here. Picard’s picks:

1) Saltati Scarola at Lampo. “Probably the most delicious cooked greens in Charlottesville. Best enjoyed under the lights of Lampo’s covered patio on a warm spring night.

2) Dos Amigos at Asado. “Specifically, the Chori Pollo taco and traditional Buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing — an absolute favorite comfort food. When you’re down on your luck, out of a job, and really depressed, this will cheer you right up.”

3) Beef Rib Yellow Curry at Pineapples Thai Kitchen. “Literally the most flavorful curry at any Thai restaurant in Charlottesville. And it’s served with a delicious roti, which is absolute fire.”

4) Big Mac Dolsot Bokkeumbap at Umma’s (RIP). “My partner introduced me to this bonkers culinary mash-up the night they asked me to be their girlfriend. We shared it again the night we decided to move in together, the last week before Umma’s closed.”

5) Bolo from Luce. “Always the go-to carry-out dish when we need something the whole polycule can enjoy.”