The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Tavola

10/24/2025

Five Finds on Friday: Amanda Wood

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Amanda Wood, Bar Manager of Tavola, and an entrant in Malt Masters, where top bartenders are vying to create the best cocktail from Virginia Distillery Company’s whisky tribute to Charlottesville. There are 29 herbs, flowers, fruits, and roots in Vecchio Amaro del Capo, which is why it came to mind for Wood as a pairing for The Charlottesville 29 Single Barrel whisky. The pairing worked beautifully and made the base of a fall cocktail available at Tavola throughout the Malt Masters competition: Golden Hour, VDC 29, Vecchio Amaro del Capo, Orchard pear liqueur, butter pecan brown sugar syrup, lemon, Angostura bitters. Wood’s picks:

1) Ham, Egg, and Cheddar on Everything at Bodo’s. “Including my Bodo’s order on Five Finds makes me feel like a true Charlottesville native. No, it wasn’t my great-grandparents on both sides of my family settling down in Belmont and helping to shape the community. It is this breakfast sandwich, posted here, which has sealed my fate. This bagel is a delicious, filling classic and will set your day up for success.”

2)  Bulgogi Stew at Maru. “This dish is the epitome of comfort food. It is a rich beef stew with veggies, rice cakes, and glass noodles served boiling hot. The rice cakes are dense and chewy. and possibly my favorite part. Pair this, or any of their food, with a small jug of makgeolli, which is a sweet, milky, lightly sparkling rice wine. And don’t sleep on the little side dishes served with every entree.”

3) Pupusas at Nuestra Cocina. “Tucked away inside the Marathon on Gasoline Alley – IYKYK – three ladies are cooking up traditional Latin dishes to go. The Salvadoran pupusas are my fave. It’s a thick masa dough stuffed with beans, cheese, and pork, then fried on a griddle. Each one is handmade to order, served with curtido and a thin tomato salsa. Get there early, as they are busy for lunch and close at 2:00.”

4) Margaritas at Continental Divide. “My husband and I had our first date here almost twenty years ago. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, or it could be the vibe, or the amazing staff. I’m looking at you, Jenny!. But, this is my go-to spot for a pre-dinner marg. And yes, that is a thing. I get mine with Vida mezcal and salt.”

5) Shaved Salad at Oakhart Social. “I could not possibly leave this restaurant off my list. I worked here for almost five years, and it is still one of my all-time favorites. But the shaved salad. She is fresh, she is crunchy, she is bright, creamy, and flavorful. This salad is so good that there were riots in the streets when it temporarily came off the menu. Go to Oakhart. Try all of the things. Get the shaved salad. The End.”

07/25/2025

Five Finds on Friday: Caite Hamilton

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Caite Hamilton, Editor in Chief of C-VILLE. Few have contributed more to Charlottesville local news over the last two decades. Last week her tenure at C-VILLE became old enough to vote, with eighteen years spanning from part-time proofreader to Editor. Hamilton’s picks:

1) The Rhodie at Ivy Provisions. “I once ran back into my high school during an active bomb threat to rescue my packed lunch—a chicken salad sandwich prepared by my grandmother, who made the best I’ve ever tasted—so I’m pretty serious about chicken salad. Ivy Provisions’ version is a very close second, with the notable upgrade of a baguette.”

2) Pappardelle Ragu at Tavola. “Tavola has been the backdrop of so many special occasions for me—my 30th birthday, the night I got engaged. I even hosted my mom’s celebration of life in the cicchetti bar. And for just about every one of those occasions, I’ve ordered the pappardelle. It’s comfort food at its finest—the ribbons of pasta, the tender pork, the dusting of salty-nutty grana padano. Perfection.”

3) Cheeseburger with LTM and Fries at Riverside Lunch. “Not only was the Riverside burger the subject of one of my favorite cover stories so far this year – shameless plug — it’s also perennially the answer to all ‘Is there just a quick, cheap lunch we could get on the way home?’ conversations with my husband. Riverside is akin to a burger place we frequented as kids — RIP Jess’ Quick Lunch — but the burgers are better. You heard it here first.”

4) Mr. Rech at The Alley Light. “I can conjure the taste of this chocolate-drenched XL macaron as I type, I’ve ordered it so many times: the hot-cold mix of chocolate sauce over ice cream, the crunchy-creamy combo of delicate hazelnut macaron and semifreddo, the feel of the plate against your tongue as you drag it through those final dark ribbons — just me? It’s a dessert that’s probably best shared, but I’ve never had an easy time of that.”

5) Princess Cake at Albemarle Baking Co. “It’s fair to say I have a bit of a sweet tooth. See above: bathing in Mr. Rech. But even those who don’t share my embarrassingly high tolerance for sugar can enjoy ABC’s princess cake: vanilla sponge cake layered with Bavarian cream and blanketed with a sheet of marzipan, then topped with its signature pink rose. The day the bakery started producing this crowd-pleaser in cupcake form was a very happy one. Cause for celebration — with cake!, one might say.

12/20/2024

Five Finds on Friday: Annie Keller

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Annie Keller, the Orzo Director of Hospitality who has just released her debut album: Merry & Bright. Why a Christmas album for her debut? “Christmas is my favorite time of year,” said Keller, “encapsulating a spirit of giving and hope, eating sweets without guilt, watching movies with happy endings, and making memories with people we love.” With ten classic songs and a title derived from the 1954 film White Christmas, Merry & Bright eschews modern production to recall a simpler time of gathering around the piano singing, says Keller. Available on all streaming platforms, like Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and YouTube. Keller’s picks:

1) Orzo’s Hummus at Orzo Kitchen and Wine Bar. “I can no longer buy grocery store hummus because this hummus is leaps and bounds better than any in stores. Orzo’s hummus pairs a healthy kick of garlic and zest of lemon with a smooth, creamy consistency. It pairs beautifully with bread or veggies. Orzo’s rotating menu always has an abundance of delicious dishes, but thank goodness that the hummus is a permanent menu item.”

2) Roasted Cauliflower at Marigold. “This is one of the best plant-based dishes I have had in my life. The cauliflower is roasted and glazed in turmeric tahini and red zhug sauce, topped with crushed pistachios to give a nice crunch. I find myself going back again and again for this dish, and I even picked it to be my birthday dinner meal last year.”

3) Cranberry Gelato from Splendora’s Gelato. “Growing up in Charlottesville, the orange Splendora’s Gelato shop on the downtown mall was always a welcome sight, and I was devastated to see it close a few years back. But imagine my surprise when walking around the Stonefield shopping center, only to see a Splendora’s sign across from the Regal cinema. I had to wander inside, and I was elated to find out that this was indeed the same Splendora’s I grew up knowing. This gelato is the best in town by far, and they post weekly flavors on their social media, including traditional gelato and a wide variety of dairy-free options.”

4) Roots Bowl from Roots Natural Kitchen. “I’ve never had a bad Roots bowl, and I eat lunch there at least twice a week. The ingredients are always fresh and flavorful. I usually build my own bowl including kale, shaved Brussels sprouts, brown rice, garlic/lime tofu, avocado, cabbage, chickpeas, cilantro-lime vinaigrette, basil-balsamic vinaigrette, sriracha, and a squeeze of lime. I always use the Roots mobile app, making it super easy to place my order and pick up my lunch fifteen minutes later.”

5) Espresso at Tavola. “Usually people head to Tavola for housemade pasta, but it’s actually my favorite after-dinner spot for an espresso. They use the highest quality beans, and the espresso shot is always bitter, smooth, and piping hot. In my opinion, the Belmont neighborhood is also a quieter, more quaint spot for a night out. With lights strung outside and along the street and charming architecture, some of which dates back 100 years, find me unwinding after dinner with some friends – or with my English Cocker Spaniel, Wallace – and an espresso.”