The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Potter’s Craft Cider

04/11/2025

Five Finds on Friday: Lauren Guerra

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Lauren Guerra, Events Coordinator at Potter’s Craft Cider, which this weekend hosts one of the events of the year, and you can attend. Saturday April 12 from 12pm – 10pm, the Harambee for Makindu pulls together food by The Catering Outfit, cider by Potter’s Craft Cider, activities, games, and music by The Near Passerines, Jay Pun and Friends, Betty Jo’s Boogie Band, The Pollocks, Dropping Julia, and Mighty Joshua. The celebration is all to benefit The Makindu Children’s Program, which provides critical resources to orphaned and vulnerable children in Kenya. Info here. Guerra’s picks:

1) Breakfast Tacos and Farmhouse Dry at Beer Run. “These tacos are what dreams are made of. I’m a sucker for a really good handmade corn tortilla. Plus, I love that they support Innisfree Village by sourcing their eggs from the farm there. My go-to is always The Gardener with a tall glass of Potter’s Farmhouse Dry. Pro tip: ask them to add a splash of OJ or their delicious Bloody Mary mix to your Farmhouse for an extra brunchy treat. And don’t forget the tomatillo salsa.”

2) Saltati Scarola at Lampo. “It’s honestly impossible to pick just one thing from Lampo. Everything they make is incredibly good, and this restaurant holds a special place in my heart for many reasons. Whenever we go, my wife and I always get the escarole. It’s sautéed in all that garlicky goodness and doubles as the perfect dipping oil for your pizza crust. Who doesn’t love a two-for-one dish? Better yet: grab some of their house-made bread, soak it up, and top it off with the Mozzarella di Bufala. You’ll thank me later. P.S. Need an after-dinner drink? Go next door to Bar Baleno and ask for a Sweet Oil. P.P.S Like to run? Lampo has a pretty awesome all-levels run club that meets on Thursdays at 6 pm. There are raffles for Lampo swag, drink specials, and good ol’ fashioned fun. See you there.”

3) 5-Slice Sampler at Cake Bloom. “Because why stop at one slice? These cakes are seriously good. Hands down, their Rainbow Carrot is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. It’s sometimes two slices on my sampler. The house-made salted caramel brings out all the warm spices in all the right ways. Best part? No nuts or raisins (thank you, Susan!). Definitely pair it with some prosecco—this cake is worth celebrating.”

4) Nachos at Continental Divide. “Continental is always worth the wait. The nachos and a special margarita (or two) hit the spot every time. They’re layered to perfection, so you get a fully loaded bite with every chip. Man, I wish I had some right now.”

5) House-Smoked Jerk Wings at Potter’s Craft Cider. “If you know me, you know how much I like chicken—and how much I really love chicken wings. These jerk wings are insanely good. You can definitely taste the love that goes into the whole four-day process to make them. They’ve got just enough heat to put a pep in your step and have you heading back to the bar for more. Highly recommend enjoying them out on the patio with a glass of Hopped Session.”

07/10/2020

Five Finds on Friday: Kate Lynn Nemett

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Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Kate Lynn Nemett of Potter’s Craft Cider, which has relaunched events like live music, food trucks, and more. With patio seating and plenty of space to spread out, Potter’s is ideal for pandemic-friendly relaxation. This evening, it’s Blue Ridge Pizza Co. plus live jazz by Adam Larrabee, Brian Caputo, and Randall Pharr. Follow along on Facebook for updates, or check the cidery’s events page. Potter’s is now also booking weddings and private events for the fall. Nemett’s picks: 

1) Kale Salad at Feast!. “I know kale salads were all the rage about five years ago, but I just can’t stop (won’t stop) eating them. The kale salad at Feast! is my idea of perfection: massaged kale, shaved parmesan, huge crusty croutons, and lemon tahini dressing. Adding a scoop of chicken salad makes it even more delightful.”

2) Dry-Fried Mushrooms at Peter Chang China Grill. “Eating at Peter Chang’s is always a complete revelation. It’s one of my favorite places to take out-of-towners because a) it blows your expectations for Chinese food out the window, and b) can you believe there’s mind-blowingly authentic Sichuan cooking in central Virginia? I have to order the dry-fried mushrooms every time I go. They’re so light and crispy – never greasy – but pack a huge flavor wallop from scallions, chili flakes, and numbing powder sprinkled on top.”

3) Dealer’s Choice at The Alley Light. “I’m an up-for-anything kind of drinker—when I’m in good hands. I’ve never had a cocktail at The Alley Light that hasn’t been delightful. Micah and his crew are at the top of their game. While I could pore over every drink description on the menu, I usually just go with the Dealer’s Choice and let the bartenders flex their mixology muscles. I’ll inevitably like it.”

4) Funghi Pizza at Lampo. “I imagine Lampo must top 90% of these lists. Everything that comes out of their kitchen is just so good. But this mushroom pizza is really impossible to pass up. The combination of wood-fired mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and sharp white cheeses is savory, creamy, and earthy all at once. It’s a really struggle to not eat the entire pie in one sitting, by myself.”

5) Chai Latte at Lone Light Coffee. “Some might think a chai latte is a chai latte—but not at Lone Light. Their in-house chai spice blend is aromatic, slightly spicy, and a million times fresher than the stuff that comes out of a box. Sitting down with a giant, steaming mug of this warming drink is one of my favorite indulgences, especially on a chilly or rainy morning. Or afternoon. Or really anytime. I’ve shared many a good conversation over this magical elixir.”

 

02/15/2019

Five Finds on Friday: Megan Kiernan

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Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Megan Kiernan, Product Development Chef of Feast! and founder of the roaming dinner series Forage. The next Forage event is Cocktails with the Kennedys, March 10 and 16 at Estouteville, the “Camelot of Albemarle County.” Details and tickets here. And, to receive updates about future events, register here. Kiernan’s picks:

1) Funghi Pizza at Lampo. “I’m a sucker for all things mushroom. As a forager, mushrooms are by far my most prized discovery out in the woods. Lampo’s pizza is the perfect combination of cheesy mushroom goodness on that irresistible Lampo crust.  I love many items on their menu, but the Funghi Pizza is the one item I order every single time I go.”

2) Salmon and Avocado Rolls at Tokyo Rose. “While there aren’t a lot of bells and whistles with these rolls, they are endlessly satisfying and delicious. The sushi chefs  do a wonderful job of balancing the rice quantity to the salmon and avocado, and the quality of the fish is always great. As a native of Charlottesville, I’ve been a longtime fan of Tokyo Rose, although I was never cool enough to go to the punk shows in the basement when I was growing up.”

3) King Trumpets, Blue Oysters and so many more mushrooms from Mush Luv. “I first met Charlie as a teacher in a mushroom foraging class at Living Earth School. He and Nina forage and grow mushrooms, and they seek out local species to clone, so the mushrooms that you buy from them are incredibly special. They’ve introduced me to many delicious mushroom species, and they’ve inspired me to dig deeper in my own mushroom foraging.”

4) Greek Goddess Dressing from Feast!. “When I started at Feast eight years ago, this was already an item they made in house. It’s one of the most versatile dressings I know.  I dilute it with water and rice wine vinegar and use it as a salad dressing, I toss farro or rice in it and serve under chicken or fish, and it’s a great dip for vegetables or tortilla chips. The ways to use it are infinite. Eight years in, and I still go back for seconds every time we sample it.”

5) Pelure de Pomme, Hewes Crab and Farmhouse Dry Potter’s Craft Cider from The Cider Garden at the Bridge. “Potter’s Craft Cider has been a long time favorite of mine.  Full disclosure, I did marry one of the owners, Tim Edmond, but I was a big fan of his products long before we were dating. Tim and Dan started their business right around the time I returned to Charlottesville, and I was an uber fan of their super dry, refreshing ciders straight out of the gates. That I know have a lifetime supply of cider at my fingertips is an enormous perk of the marriage!”

Mush

Mush Luv mushrooms