Author: Sherry Brown

It’s wet. It’s cold. It’s downright frigid some days.

Luckily we have a wide range of freshly prepared stews, chowders and bisques that venture to brothy realms, far beyond the canned stuff. It’s difficult to go wrong with so many options to warm us up and soothe our soul. Here’s a short list to help you get started. Add your own suggestions by commenting on this article at c-ville.com/living.

Revolutionary Soup

This local mainstay (with locations on the Corner and downtown) sees even more business when the temperature drops. As a result, the team at the popular eatery works to keep the menu options (which also include sandwiches, wraps and salads) simultaneously fresh and familiar.

Owner Will Richey explains his approach to planning the soup offerings: “We generally keep a potato, tomato and seafood soup on the menu that changes seasonally, depending on what’s available,” he says. “We shift from light and fresh soups in the summer months to heartier soups in the fall and winter.”

Richey seems to be right on target. As the winter weather makes its belated debut, Rev Soup-goers currently favor the chunky beef stew chock-full of Timbercreek beef and tender root veggies. Also simmering right now: the lamb curry, packed with lentils and spinach and served over rice with a dollop of Greek yogurt and cilantro, as well as Rev’s signature spicy peanut tofu soup, which has been on the menu longer than any other item.

Bizou

Housed in a former diner, the modern Southern fare spot incorporates several rotating soup options on the lunch and dinner menus, largely based on what’s available and in season.

Front of house manager Ben Roth tells us there are a few cooks in the kitchen who make the soup. “There’s no rhyme or reason [to deciding which soups to include], just what they feel like creating,” he says. “If there’s lobster available, we have lobster bisque.”

A current seasonal favorite—a recipe from the restaurant’s Metropolitain days 30 years ago—is the butternut squash bisque. Pureed with carrots and ginger, this velvety combination remains a star at the table through the fall and winter months.

Hamiltons’ at First & Main

Slurp up a sophisticated spoonful of Virginia oyster stew at this fine-casual locale on the Downtown Mall. In addition to regional oysters, the comfort classic comes with slices of tender Double H Farm pork belly and crispy parsnips.

Nude Fude

This lunch-and-dinner spot prides itself on healthy, well-sourced ingredients and a seasonally inspired menu. Among the freshly made soups is a sausage and kale stew, which includes Rock Barn chorizo, smoked potatoes and chickpeas in a hearty pork broth.

Feast!

The upscale grocery store and café in the Main Street Market attracts quite a lunch crowd in large part due to its numerous soup offerings, which feature local ingredients and imaginative flavor combinations.

“The café sells a lot of soup weekly,” says chef Megan Kiernan. “We often end up making two or three soups daily for the rotation.”

During winter, the curried tomato, coconut and kale soup takes the spotlight. The soup is an ode to local ingredients and also includes Berbere, an Ethiopian seasoning blend from The Spice Diva. In addition, the seasonal board has a carrot, coconut and ginger soup and local chicken bone broth.

Lemongrass

Warm up Thai-style on the UVA corner with a steaming bowl of tom yum soup. Spicy and tart, this aromatic base gets its authentic flavors from lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger) and mushrooms with a choice of chicken, tofu or shrimp.

L’etoile Catering

If it’s Wednesday and you’re in the Crozet area, check out the weekly offering from the former fine-dining French restaurant. Since October, the catering-only outfit has been whipping up batches of soups such as kale and sorrel, carrot-ginger and shrimp asparagus bisque, then posting the info online, packing it into a cooler on the front porch and, in true community spirit, leaving an honor box for payment.

Ah, the holiday season. The town is adorned with lights, music fills the air, and 2016 looms on the horizon. Friends and family gather to share the joy of love, laughter, overindulgence and dysfunction. Anticipation builds for what the coming year will bring, and we start to mull over New Year’s resolutions. But, before we get back to the daily grind, let’s have brunch.

Bluegrass Grill & Bakery

Don’t be fooled by the unassuming appearance of this weekend hot spot nestled downtown next to the railroad tracks. The specials have garnered this homey, old school-style eatery local, state and national acclaim.

Signature dish: The Hungry Norman

Although owner Chrissy Benninger had trouble deciding on just one, for a delicate balance of savory and sweet she says you can’t go wrong with The Hungry Norman: two poached eggs atop a halved English muffin with blackberry jam, goat cheese and maple sausage links served with a side of hollandaise sauce and home fries.

Best hangover remedy: The Freight Train

To nurse the worst of hangovers, Benninger recommends this monster assemblage of breakfast staples that includes cheddar cheese, sausage, bacon, ham, gravy and two eggs on a bed of home fries. “I’ve only seen a handful of people finish it,” she says.

Closed New Year’s Day

Commonwealth Skybar

While it may be a dinner-and-dance scene by night, the elevated spot located on the Downtown Mall offers classic morning fare on Sundays. The spacious yet intimate modern interior offers a unique brunch dining experience.

Signature dish: Brioche French toast

Thick-sliced bread is covered with apricot maple syrup and sprinkled with powdered sugar for a sweet start to Sunday.

Best hangover remedy: Chicken and waffles

Indulgent and filling, crispy fried chicken sits atop fluffy waffles smothered in sausage gravy and accompanied by two eggs and fried potatoes.

Open New Year’s Day

Fossett’s at Keswick Hall

Enjoy luxurious morning eats without veering from the wine trail. The estate’s brunch offerings include a number of specially stylized choices and breakfast cocktails mixed to individual taste.

Signature dish: Stuffed French toast

After contemplating the establishment’s popular build-your-own breakfast option, Director of Food Bryan Bousquet nominated this indulgent take on a sweet breakfast classic. Bananas Foster fills the inside of buttery brioche bread served with a side of bacon.

Best hangover remedy: B&B Waffle

As a savory answer to stuffed French toast, a golden-brown waffle is stacked with braised pork belly, drizzled with maple syrup, then topped with a bit of cheese and jalapeno. And the Albemarle Orange is a unique brunch companion that has all the elements of a mimosa, plus Galliano—a sweet herbal liqueur with vanilla and star anise. “It’s a revival of the old style as used in a Harvey Wallbanger,” Bousquet says.

Open New Year’s Day

Oakhurst Inn Café

Attached opposite the inn sits a small but contemporary café and espresso bar, just off Jefferson Park Avenue. Sourcing many ingredients locally, the kitchen offers imaginative takes on Southern classics. (C-VILLE co-owner Bill Chapman owns the Oakhurst Inn Café.)

Signature dish: Eggs meurette

In this French twist on eggs Benedict, two poached eggs cooked in a burgundy wine sauce atop sliced crostini.

Best hangover remedy: The Farm

Combat that morning peakedness with local Double H Farm sausage, sunny side up egg, Irish cheddar, pickled jalapeño, watercress and Pommery mustard on a buttery bun. Front of House Manager Vera Talamaoa dishes that the Café Bloody Mary, which incorporates carrot-ginger juice in place of the traditional mix, is also a favorite.

Open New Year’s Day

Petit Pois

Touted for the authenticity of its modern French-centered cuisine, this bistro gives classic brunch fare le traitement de la France.

Signature dish: Focaccia with poached eggs

Server Chris Coffey named this variation of eggs Benedict as a favorite among brunch-goers. The dish contains primarily local ingredients: focaccia bread covered with tomatoes, maple bacon from Rockbarn, Swiss cheese from Mountain View, eggs from Polyface and hollandaise sauce to finish.

Best hangover remedy: Sausage béchamel and poached eggs

Coffey offers up the restaurant’s modern spin on biscuits and gravy for the morning after. Two eggs come poached and crowned with a velvety béchamel loaded with Rockbarn sausage, caramelized onions and hollandaise served with bread.

Open New Year’s Day

The Pigeon Hole

Venture to the UVA Corner and stop in at the old wooden house painted robin’s egg blue that sits smack dab in the middle of Elliewood Avenue. The Pigeon Hole serves up no-nonsense favorites with simplicity and rustic flair.

Signature dish: Huevos rancheros

Owner Roya Makki picked this crowd favorite that features two corn tortillas topped with two eggs any style, black refried beans, salsa fresca, melted cheese and sour cream.

Best hangover remedy: Home Again

This original dish starts with scattered hashbrowns topped with two eggs, cheese and red-eye gravy (made with ham and coffee) with a side of bacon.

Open New Year’s Day