Category: Food & Drink

Downtown Grille

201 W. Main St.
817-7080
downtowngrille.com

Runner-up:
Aberdeen Barn
2018 Holiday Dr.
296-4630
aberdeenbarn.com

Necessity is the mother of invention. For Henry Ford, inventor of the gas-powered vehicle, that necessity was finding a way to turn a profit on the wood scraps used in the production of his Model A. With some help from Thomas Edison, he came upon the idea of using them as briquettes for outdoor cooking. Now, the steaks at Downtown Grille (and Aberdeen, for that matter) are not cooked outside—but it’s just as well. Whatever they’re doing, they’re doing it right. Each one that comes out of the kitchen is cooked to perfection and accompanied by first-rate sides like baked potatoes or, at Aberdeen, clams, if you so choose.

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Ladies’ night out at the Downtown Grille

Tip Top

1420 Richmond Rd.
244-3424
tiptoprestaurant.com

Runner-up:
Eppie’s
412 E. Main St.
963-9900
eatateppies.com

Real talk. There are some places kids just really shouldn’t be: airplanes, museums, and, depending on how good of a job you’re doing as a parent, some restaurants. Luckily, Tip Top and Eppie’s provide solid options where little ones can get a wee bit out of hand—and that’s O.K.

Nick Crutchfield at Commonwealth Restaurant & Skybar

Runner-up:
Amanda Wood at Zocalo

Tom Arnold, Sandra Bullock, Bill Cosby, Chevy Chase, and Bruce Willis were all bartenders before they got famous. We can’t be sure of Nick or Amanda’s acting prowess, but one thing’s certain: When it comes to pouring a tall one in this town, they’re already stars.

What’s Nick passionate about in Charlottesville?

Revolutionary Soup

105 14th St. NW
979-9988
108 Second St. SW
296-7687
revolutionarysoup.com

Runner-up:
Eppie’s
412 E. Main St.
963-9900
eatateppies.com

A 2006 TV ad for Nutri-Grain bars features a very enthusiastic office worker who eats one of the snacks and then decides he feels so “grrrrrreeeaaaat!” that he quits his job, proposes to his coworker, and agrees to having 500 babies with her (“Babies everywhere!” she says). Vegetarian food—arguably a lot healthier than a Nutri-Grain bar—is a lot like that, in that it makes you feel, well, grrrrrreeeaaaat. There’s no better place in town for veggie fare than Rev Soup, where tiny Vs dot the menu to denote meat- (and often dairy-) free options like Tomato Basil Bisque, Roquefort Salad, and the Lisa Quesadilla. At Eppie’s, find a melty brie and apple sandwich or salads like The Daily to quench your veggie craving.

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Best noodle soup 2013: Revolutionary Soup

C&O

515 Water St. E
971-7044
candorestaurant.com

Runner-up:
Commonwealth Restaurant & Skybar
422 E. Main St.
202-7728
commonwealthskybar.com

When a champagne cork pops out of the bottle, it reaches a speed of around 40mph. Coincidentally, that’s also how fast readers decide they’d like a glass of vino with their entrée—and C&O makes it easy with an expertly curated list of options that includes bottles from near and far. Ditto Commonwealth, where the servers are all prepared to make sound recommendations.

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Five Finds on Friday: Matt Boisvert of C&O

Changing of the guard: C&O founder Dave Simpson has left the restaurant in the hands of Dean Maupin

A changing of the guard in C&O’s cellar

Always warm, always charming, always C&O

Bodo’s Bagels

505 Preston Ave.
293-5224
1609 University Ave.
293-6021
1418 Emmet St. N
977-9598
bodosbagels.com

Runner-up:
Bluegrass Grill & Bakery
313 Second St. SE #105
295-9700

The most important meal of your day, breakfast is not to be taken lightly. Readers know Bodo’s is the best way to break the fast, offering up a panoply of doughy disks from which to choose and top—and from three locations! Bluegrass Grill & Bakery, in the Glass Building, continues to appetize, with its reliable menu and friendly service. (And we’d be remiss not to mention the housemade biscuits. They’re deelish!)

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Best hangover menu 2013: Bodo’s Bagels

Best power lunch spot 2013: Bodo’s Bagels

Citizen Burger Bar

212 E. Main St.
979-9944
citizenburgerbar.com

Runner-up:
Boylan Heights
102 14th St. NW
984-5707
boylan-heights.com

In a season four episode of “How I Met Your Mother,” Marshall spends all day trying to locate the best burger he ever had, leading the gang to a hole-in-the-wall spot with a neon red burger sign and a green door. Citizen, which takes the win over Boylan for the first time this year, is a bit easier to find (hint: It’s on the Downtown Mall!), but we’d be willing to bet the burger is similar in satisfaction to Marshall’s pick.

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Best New Restaurant 2013: Citizen Burger Bar

Upstanding Citizen: The Downtown Mall burger bar takes the win with a good conscience

Best sports bar 2013: Boylan Heights

Michael Keaveny at tavola

826 Hinton Ave.
972-9463
tavolavino.com

Runner-up:
Angelo Vangelopoulos at Ivy Inn
2244 Old Ivy Rd.
977-1222
ivyinnrestaurant.com

Once upon a time, a chef’s hat had 100 pleats to signify that he know how to prepare eggs 100 ways. You won’t see a traditional chef’s hat on winner Michael Keaveny (in fact, he’s taken a more supervisory role at tavola as of late, handing the reins to executive chef Loren Mendosa) or runner-up Angelo Vangelopoulos, but readers know those things are just for show anyway. The proof is in the pudding. Or, the pappardelle, as the case may be.

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Best Italian 2013: tavola

The family man: Angelo Vangelopoulos (Food & Drink Annual 2013)

Five Finds on Friday: Angelo Vangelopoulos of Ivy Inn

The Ivy Inn sticks to wine made in the U.S. of A.

The Ivy Inn conjures up an unforgettable meal

Sticks Kebob Shop

917 Preston Ave.
295-5262
1820 Abbey Rd.
295-5212
stickskebobshop.com

Runner-up:
Ariana Grill Kabob House
909 W. Main St.
872-9906
arianakabob.com

The Turkish words shish kabob literally mean “skewer” and “roast meat.” You can’t get much simpler than that, but, there’s hardly anything simple about readers’ love of kebobs. In fact, it’s so complex that we added this entirely new category this year. Sticks Kebob Shop, with its customizable platter, sandwich, and salad menu, takes first place, while Ariana comes in second. The West Main Street restaurant specializes in authentic Afghan cuisine—plus, it delivers!

tavola

826 Hinton Ave.
972-9463
tavolavino.com

Runner-up:
Bella’s
707 W. Main St.
327-4833
bellas-restaurant.com

Here’s a cultural difference our waistlines are thankful for: The average person in Italy eats 51 pounds of pasta each year, whereas the average person in North America eats 15. Of course, these two spots make it very hard to keep that national average at bay. In Belmont, tavola’s intimate setting and tasteful menu beckon diners to indulge at every course. On West Main Street, Bella’s sends you home with enough leftovers to last for days.

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Best chef: Michael Keaveny at tavola

Five Finds on Friday: Loren Mendosa of Tavola

A look at Bella’s systematic opening process