Around the Corner

Whether you’re a fan of the UVA hubbub or you normally avoid it at all costs, tiny Elliewood Avenue offers a cool, shady haven from the action on the Corner. A perfect place for people watching, Elliewood’s dining scene is more about homespun charm than Charlottesville’s many excellent—and more citified—downtown eateries.

A word from the president We asked Andy McClure, Corner Business Association president and owner of The Biltmore on Elliewood, for his thoughts on the Avenue: “Elliewood Avenue has turned into one of the quaintest and most diverse streets in Charlottesville. The offerings are as local as they are broad, and all of the newcomers have contributed to that. Every business on Elliewood helps each other when they do well. Our goal is to introduce as many people as possible to this quirky microcosm of local offerings.”

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself at the cottage-like Pigeon Hole for Sunday brunch on the patio, order the Sweetie Pie bread basket: homemade coffee cake and a “Giant Li’l” blueberry muffin. During the week, try the stone ground grits, “made the way God intended.”

For lunch, Take it Away sandwich shop carries an assortment of side salads and a build-your-own sandwich menu. Try the Virginia-style Smithfield ham with Asiago, watercress and roasted tomatoes on freshly baked pumpernickel or onion rye bread. For a multicultural spin on classic Southern barbeque, try Buttz BBQ’s smoked bratwurst with braised cabbage and a side of candied jalapenos.

The Backyard serves both lunch and dinner at its breezy outdoor dining space. For a weeknight dinner, order a spicy pork and peach sandwich with Sriracha, peach chutney, bacon, romaine and goat cheese on ciabatta with a bowl of parmesan–garlic or curly Backyard fries. If you’re feeling celebratory, go for the homemade black pepper fettucine alfredo topped with bacon-wrapped cod. The eclectic-feeling Sushi Love serves an assortment of Japanese classics, including the habit-forming Unagi bowl: freshwater eel, rice and the addictive, sticky brown sauce.