The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Mona Lisa Pasta

09/26/2025

Five Finds on Friday: Darcey Lacy

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Darcey Lacy of Watermark Design. A fixture of the Charlottesville community, Lacy has done work for clients like Hark Vineyards, Ankida Ridge, King Family Vineyards, Thistlerock Mead, and Jake Busching. A generous supporter of Charlottesville, she has also donated her services to projects like The Charlottesville 29 Restaurant Auctions, Five Pillars Ale, and Living the Dream, and even created the logo for The Charlottesville 29 of Sandwiches. As much as she loves local beverages, she said she couldn’t pick just one. “I would be remiss not to mention Virginia wine, mead, and spirits, but since I cannot pick, I would just say support our local, nationally recognized industry with a beautiful bottle of deliciousness.” Follow her work here. Lacy’s picks:

1) Popover with Honey Butter at Cake Bloom. “Growing up in the Northeast, I was raised on popovers, so when I found out that Cake Bloom has the largest popovers ever — seriously huge and so hard to do —  I was over the moon. And not just regular butter to melt inside, but honey butter, so it adds just a touch of sweetness. And if you want a bit more sustenance, they have sandwiches on popovers as well. Pair with the Lavender lemonade.”

2) Tuna Carpaccio at The Alley Light. “The Alley Light is a place I love to experiment with food and cocktails, as you can not go wrong. But, before experimentation must come the tuna carpaccio. I don’t know if it’s the shallots or the sheep’s milk cheese, but it has a slight tartness that just melts in your mouth when layered on the crostini.”

3) The Roma at Foods of All Nations or The Giaconda at Mona Lisa Pasta. “The Market once had a shirt that said ‘life is a good sandwich.’ I regret not having bought it, as I believe this to be true. The Montpelier at the Market is the co-winner here, but I love a ball of fresh mozzarella, and at Foods or Mona Lisa, you can get a huge amount of mozz, fresh tomato, fresh basil, and some olive oil on ciabatta or focaccia. I prefer it not grilled so you can enjoy the mozzarella cold and fresh.”

4) Joel’s Choice at Speakeasy + Whiskey Bar. “The cocktail that kickstarted my Mezcal obsession. Joel created a masterpiece with this one: Mezcal, green Chartreuse, Campari and egg whites.”

5) Crab Potstickers at Bang!.  “A long favorite place from when I first moved to Charlottesville over twenty years ago. I love to sit outside with friends, a crisp glass of sauvignon blanc and cover your table with little plates of yum. The crab potstickers are a go-to but there is a long list of faves at Bang.”

 

 

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.”