Whew! What a ride! If you’ve been reading this column for the last 52 weeks, you know that your trusty Restaurantarama has been kept hopping by the many comings and goings in the fast ’n’ furious world that is Charlottesville dining. For a little burg that a lot of people up in Poughkeepsie have never even heard of, we’ve got a pretty fine collection of eateries down here. And it’s only getting finer. Here, for your nostalgic pleasure, is a look back at this banner year of 2006.
 A few of the joints that joined in 2006 (clockwise, from upper left): Eppie’s brought fast casual Downtown. Ten made us feel way underdressed while eating second-floor sushi. Jimmy Buffet songs got lodged in our ears at Cheeseburger in Paradise. Minor’s Diner staked a claim in Scottsville. |
First, the bad news. By our count, 23 local restaurants got deep-sixed in oh-six. Some of these qualified as major local landmarks, and their loss signifies to many people that the Charlottesville where they grew up is seriously losing ground to the Charlottesville where a bunch of other people have relocated. We speak of The Nook (currently awaiting its next incarnation—by the way, we got a peek in the open door the other day and spotted a very nice-looking wooden bar and booths) and the Blue Bird Café. The Hardware Store is still open as of this writing, but will not do any business in 2007; the Court Square Tavern is still closed after a fire damaged it on the Ides of March. And Tiffany’s Seafood had to shut down and find a new home; it just reopened this month.
Other closings around town: Tea Time Desires, Zan’s Place, City Limits, Donnie Mc’s LLC, Caribbean Malecon, A.J.’s, Sharky’s Bar & Grill, Buck’s Pizza, Bambina’s, Southern Culture, Asian Buffet, Elle’s Grill, Sam Maverick—The Restaurant, the Woodbrook location of Amigos, and Gordonsville’s 007 Café. Scottsville had an especially crazy year, losing Willow Coffee, Magnolia, the Brick Café, and High Meadows Inn.
And now the glad tidings. Fifty new restaurants are now on the roster (with just over 300 total, that’s some hefty turnover). Some are on the swanky end of the scale—Ten, the X Lounge, the Fountain Room at the Mark Addy Inn, Bohème, Il Cane Pazzo, and Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar come to mind. Some are more down-home: Big Al’s Restaurant and Saloon (formerly Donnie Mc’s), Mustang Grill (where once was City Limits), McGrady’s Irish Pub (which used to be Sharky’s; more next week), Pizza Bolli, Fabio’s N.Y. Pizza, Vocelli Pizza, Vinny’s Italian Grill & Pizzeria, Pacino’s Deli & Catering, Uncle Charlie’s, Acme Smokehouse & Barbecue Company, the Dew Drop Inn, Rivertown Rose, and Minor’s Diner. Coffee hounds got Java on the James and Hoo’s Brews and More. Burrito lovers got the norte outpost of Baja Bean. Just Curry, Lemongrass and ZydeCo Bourbon Street BBQ all joined the Corner lineup, Eppie’s and Himalayan Fusion opened Downtown, Otto’s just opened on Route 250W (also more next week), and Ciao Station came to Woodbrook. We now have Lee’s Grill, Grill 151, Millmont Grille and the Bonefish Grill. The Sweet Spot brought ice cream to the not-at-all-new White Spot, and fishmonger Seafood @ West Main started serving lunch. Two much-mourned deaths from previous years, the Blue Moon Diner and Tokyo Rose, rose like Lazarus in 2006.
Then there were a bunch of chains and franchises that added local links. Five Guys expanded to Downtown and Hollymead. Hollymead also gained a Subway, a Maggie Moo’s, a Panera, a Quizno’s, and a Sakura Japanese Steak and Seafood. Other openings included Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, The Melting Pot, Cheeseburger in Paradise, and Salad Creations.
A few places both opened and closed in 2006: River Rock Chop House, Satellite Noodle Bar, and the Thai Dutch Exchange. Vita Nova is the new name for what was Sylvia’s Pizza Downtown, and El Tepeyac now calls itself Aqui es Mexico.
And our prediction for most likely to open first in 2007? Java Java’s new location on the Downtown Mall.
Well, foodies, here’s to choice, and here’s to change. Happy 2007!
Got some restaurant scoop? Send tips to restaurantarama@c-ville.com or call 817-2749, Ext. 48.
Photographic credits: Jack Looney, Andrew Hersey and Eric Kelley