Several decades into Virginia’s booming post-Prohibition wine economy, we are starting to home in on some special vineyard sites throughout the state. In France, you’ll find heavily protected and coveted Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites; in other wine-centric countries you’ll find similar infrastructures protecting the best vineyards. What sites are emerging as Virginia’s equivalent […]
Breakfast, they say, is the most important meal of the day. But we’d wager that whoever said that had never had brunch. If they had, they’d know there are few things finer than waking up on Saturday morning only to meet friends at table in the cool spring air and hunker down for an hour […]
Virginia’s wine identity orbits around Viognier, Cabernet Franc and Bordeaux-style blends. Increasingly, however, winemakers are pushing the boundaries of possibility and bottling some unique wines. Part of the new fascination with experimentation, says winemaker Jake Busching, is driven by a desire to learn more about getting well-suited grapes planted on the right sites and learning […]
The only thing better than one dessert? A whole assortment of desserts. Grit recently added cakes, brûlées and tarts to the coffee shop’s menu of small plates. Currently only available at the Stonefield location (and only on weekends), the bite-sized selection will pair with the restaurant’s heavily curated beer, wine and cocktail program. “We’re focused on […]
Let’s take a moment to celebrate the unsung culinary heroes, shall we? The sweet potato casserole so often overshadowed by the turkey. The tricolore salad pushed aside to make room for the pulled pork. Side dishes are so much more than fillers. Plus, cobbling together a meal out of sides is often less expensive than […]
Craving something fresh and green on your lunch break? These six spots boast a robust mix of ingredients—including local leafy greens. Now you just have to kick your bad habit of eating lunch at your desk. The Earlysville The Salad Maker The newest addition to Charlottesville’s local salad scene, The Salad Maker’s Earlysville combines romaine, […]
Melissa Close-Hart rarely eats breakfast—who has the time? The Junction chef is often in her Belmont restaurant kitchen by 8am and sometimes doesn’t leave until 12:30 in the morning. Such is the price of running the kitchen at one of Charlottesville’s most anticipated restaurants. In the works since 2014, its doors officially opened in January, […]
What says spring cuisine more than a salad? Answer: nothing. “I looooove salads,” says chef Tyler Teass. And it shows. From simple greens to grilled endives, his Brasserie Saison menu is overflowing with them (“and I plan on keeping it that way,” he says). But it’s this one, with peas both snap and snow, that […]
Getcher nose out of the menu (for a second)! In our area, it’s not just a restaurant’s food that stands out. Thanks to a few local architects and designers, the atmosphere at these five new spots is adding some serious flavor, too. Vitae Spirits The most difficult task with this space, says Alloy Workshop’s Dan […]
When all else fails, choose carbs: That’s the motto of this issue of Knife & Fork, in which we introduce you (or remind you of) 20 perfect comfort foods. Here’s what you’ll find inside: Chef Ryan Collins’ autumn favorites (plus a recipe!) MarieBette’s homemade marshmallows. Tucker Yoder takes on Timbercreek. A pearl of wisdom on […]
I conjure a memory of my grandmother—bent over a stainless steel pot of salty potatoes, holding an electric mixer and a jug of milk—every time I cook mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and, like anyone who has a favorite comfort food, it warms me. This isn’t a new phenomenon. Because scent is tied to memory, just the […]
Pork, apples and mustard. It’s a quintessential autumn combination and one that Early Mountain Vineyards chef Ryan Collins says he’s most looking forward to cooking as the weather turns cold. “I love to take advantage of the bounty of Virginia’s wide array of apples, with tender pork, sticky pork sauce, smooth mustard and crunchy apples […]
You’re at a tailgate party outside Scott Stadium taking down dogs and burgers two at a time. You’re thinking, “I don’t want to pay a bunch of money inside for food. I’ll fill up now.” This year, you might want to think again. According to Matt Smythe, director of operations for Aramark’s UVA dining program, […]
Bill Yenovkian laughs as he attempts to describe the perfect Thanksgiving turkey “without sounding pornographic.” You want a “full, nice-shaped bird,” the longtime Foods of All Nations butcher begins. And then he stops, embarrassed, and tries again: “You want a rounded, plump breast…” Why don’t we start with the number of people you’re serving and […]
Cauliflower, the hearty veggie cousin of broccoli, kale and cabbage, is mimicking everything from pizza crust to rice to mashed potatoes. But it’s a star in its own right—no reinvention needed. From appetizers to main dishes, restaurants are featuring florets in a variety of ways. Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria Cavolfiore al forno, $6 Lampo in Belmont is […]
High-proof liquor is usually the main ingredient in a mixed drink, but the lesser-known category of beer cocktails bends the traditional definition. It’s a little-known fact that many of Charlottesville’s bartenders regularly mix up beer cocktails. These are often made for themselves or friends who are in the know, but rarely appear on a formal […]
The water where the Rappahannock River meets the Chesapeake Bay had grown murky. Plant life was struggling. The solution? According to restaurateur and oyster farmer Travis Croxton, it was a no-brainer. Revive the oyster beds. As the beneficial bivalves feed on plankton and other organic matter, they also remove particles and muck, producing clear seas […]
“I take good stuff and try not to screw it up.” That’s chef Tucker Yoder in 2013, the year C-VILLE Weekly named him as a rising star chef. It was a humble response for a man overseeing the Clifton Inn’s Relais & Chateaux kitchen, but it was as clear then as it is now: Rather […]
You may have explored the Virginia Wine Trail, but if you want a meal with your wine, you can sample area selections at a few choice restaurants around Charlottesville. Here are some must-visit places for great food and wine pairings. Wine and brine Start your food and wine crawl with some raw oysters at Public […]
The summer issue of Knife & Fork is out! From sweet tea’s Southernness to a local pastry chef’s favorite ice cream, this issue is packed full of tasty morsels from the Charlottesville dining scene. Here’s what you’ll find inside: The Whiskey Jar’s secret to the perfect tomato sandwich. These five tomato dishes? Our main squeeze. Fleurie’s […]
It’s hard to resist eating out for every meal in a town like Charlottesville, but ain’t nobody got money for that. So we cooked up a list of our favorite cheap eats—the expected ($3 dumplings at Marco & Luca, obviously) to the not-so-expected (read: grit bowl). They run the cuisine gamut, from Asian to Mexican […]
John Hoffman has been the executive chef at Fossett’s for just over a month, but he’s already bringing a Southern influence to the kitchen. He previously worked at Keswick’s sister hotel, The Sanctuary, on South Carolina’s Kiawah Island for four years before moving to Virginia. We asked him to share a recipe he’s looking forward to cooking for […]
Ice cream dreams Nothing spells out s-u-m-m-e-r quite like a melty, drippy scoop of ice cream. Here are nine local options we’re digging right now (and always). Top row: Half Baked: Ben & Jerry’s (Barracks Road Shopping Center, 244-7438) Coconut: Kirt’s Homemade Ice Cream (Albemarle Square Shopping Center, 202-0306) Peach almond: The Market at Grelen (15091 Yager Rd. […]