C-VILLE Weekly’s food and drink writing includes the weekly columns All You Can Eat and the Working Pour, in addition to the most comprehensive food and wine writing in Charlottesville.
Fall food trucks line up at Carter Mountain Orchard though mid-November. Check the website for details. Photo by Martyn Kuyle.
It’s crazy that I worked at Monticello for seven years but never visited Carter Mountain Orchard until recently. I’ve had the apple cider donuts (worth the hype), but haven’t gone apple picking or to an event there. As the weather cools and the call of pumpkin-spice everything drifts to us on the autumn breeze, it seemed like a good time to check out the orchard. My original plan was to dig in at a Fall Food Truck event, but instead I caught one of the season’s last Thursday Evening Sunset Series shows, which also feature offerings from food trucks, plus live music.
Upon arrival, I remembered why I’d never gone to a big gathering at Carter Mountain: my intense dislike of large crowds. Don’t get me wrong, the vast majority of folks in attendance were having a lovely time. I’m an ambivert, meaning I’ve got both extroverted and introverted traits. As I’ve entered my midlife renaissance (read: crisis), I’ve realized more and more that I refuel with alone time and that crowds are not for me. Despite my social anxiety, I enjoyed a delicious meal along with a view that will only get more dazzling in the coming weeks as the fall colors grace the mountains yet again.—Kristie Smeltzer
What
Sampling food truck fare at Carter Mountain Orchard.
Why
Because enjoying a delicious meal without having to do dishes is awesome.
How It Went
Great—it’s hard to go wrong with ooey-gooey melted cheese. The view: a bonus.
The drive into the orchard from the Route 53 entrance follows a winding road that requires an attentive driver. If you’re visiting for a boozy event, I recommend using a rideshare app or having a trusted designated driver in your party. The path in creates a sense of arrival, of leaving the world behind as nature surrounds you. When I arrived, cars were waiting in a long line to get to the parking area.
Once parked, I noticed the entrance buzzing with activity. If you like that Fridays After Five feel, you likely love the Thursday Evening Sunset Series. The last one is on September 26, but the series resumes in the spring.
Weekend visits to Carter Mountain during the busy apple-picking season require a ticket for entry, but on weekdays, folks can enjoy the fall food trucks and views between 11am and 3pm without a ticket (looking at you, introverts). The orchard’s country store and bakery offer picked fruit, plus a range of snacking goodies.
At the food truck area, I beelined straight for Raclette on the Run. I’d heard great things about the vendor and I was hangry. Raclette is a Swiss cheese usually served by heating it and scraping off the delicious melty bits to use in dishes. As I stood in line surrounded by jovial UVA students wearing sundresses and cowboy boots, I felt a little ashamed of my enthusiasm watching the cheese porn as the truck’s servers scraped hot raclette off a half-wheel of cheese. I thoroughly enjoyed The Classic, made with Vermont cheddar on hearty white bread with bacon. All the food truck’s sandwiches come with crunchy, salty, delicious tater tots. Yum!
Ebony Groove performs at the 2024 Soul of Cville Festival. Supplied photo.
The fourth annual Soul of Cville Festival is a celebration of Black excellence across disciplines. Dance? You know it. Fashion show? For sure. DJ sets? Yup. Live music? Hell yeah. Beyond the performances, dozens of vendors and community partners will be on site. There’s awesome apparel, creative arts and crafts, meaningful mentorship, and a wide range of other products and services available for your discovery. Hungry? Sample sweet treats, soul food staples, and delicious Caribbean cuisine among other offerings. The family-friendly fest also provides free art-making opportunities, plus community access to Ix’s Looking Glass Immersive Art Experience.
Saturday 8/17. Free, 3-8pm. Ix Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.org
It’s an all-day-into-night affair to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Veritas Vineyards and Winery. Starry Nights returns with live music, fun food, and plenty of wine. Tunes start with AbbeyRoad covering classics from The Beatles before Marie and Koda of Chamomile and Whiskey take the stage, then ’80s enthusiasts The Legwarmers close the show. Bring your own picnic, snag a snack from Ma’s Pizza Cones or Cousins Maine Lobster food trucks, or enjoy a stationed meal (if you opt for the Moon Experience ticket).
Come poke around at the Albemarle County Fair where animals, agriculture, crafts, and live music provide entertainment over three days. Get in a country mood with a performance by Tommy Wood, and line up for eats at one of the many food trucks or stands (because what’s a fair without funnel cake?)! Flaunt the best pick from your summer garden at a giant sunflower competition and make new friends among bunnies, goats, pigs, and more in the barn. Other events include demonstrations that highlight the history and culture of rural central Virginia.
Thursday 8/1- Saturday 8/3. Prices and times vary. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. albemarlecountyfair.com
Charlottesville winemakers Matthieu Finot, Damien Blanchon, Stephen Barnard, Jake Busching, and Tim Gorman celebrate at the Monticello Wine Week golf tournament. Supplied photo.
The Monticello American Viticultural Area won Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Region of the Year award at the end of 2023, and according to Brantley Ussery, it was not only for the area’s juice, but also for the squeeze.
“The things that Wine Enthusiast really liked about our region is the approach, our inclusivity,” says Ussery, director of marketing and public relations for the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We’re trying to dispel the myth that wine needs to be enjoyed in a certain way. There are no right or wrong ways.”
Making high-quality wine is a prerequisite for the prestigious magazine award, according to Wine Enthusiast’s published criteria. And the local AVA, which includes about 40 wineries in and around Charlottesville, impressed the publication’s judges with its range of award-winning bottles, including classic Bordeaux varieties, carbonic chenin blancs, and more obscure petite mansengs. The judges also praised the region’s “place in American wine history” and the collaborative nature of local winemakers. “We’re not as cutthroat as some other regions,” Ussery says. “They all share tips and tricks.”
To be clear, Ussery and his organization actively pursued the award, establishing a relationship with Wine Enthusiast over several years, including as a paying advertiser. But lest folks think Charlottesville had an inside track to the honors, consider the competition. Two of the five finalists, announced last December along with our area’s AVA, were Provence, France, and Lambrusco, Italy. The other two were up-and-coming South African and Australian regions.
The Monticello AVA, which encompasses Charlottesville and Albemarle County and is referred to simply as Charlottesville in Wine Enthusiast’s promotional materials, was the only North American finalist for the 2023 award. The magazine has bestowed top wine region honors since 2003, with winners in Abruzzo, Italy, Sonoma County, California, and Champagne, France.
According to Tracy Love of Blenheim Vineyards and the Monticello Wine Trail, Ussery and the CACVB deserve significant credit for elevating the Charlottesville wine region into the conversation with the other finalists. Now, the region is looking to capitalize on the award during its annual Monticello Wine Week, which runs from April 26 to May 3, and includes two rosé-focused events, one banquet each for red and white wines, a sparkling brunch, a golf tournament, and a celebration of the Wine Enthusiast award.
“It is pretty shocking that of all wine regions in the world, they chose us,” Love says. “But we believe we have the opportunity to be the most diverse wine region in the world. We don’t have a lot of laws or traditions or standards telling us what we have to do, and I think that’s really appealing to people … just being able to experiment and figure out what works.”
According to Love, Monticello wines made a splash at this year’s Virginia Governor’s Cup, where the best wines in the state compete for the podium. With Wine Enthusiast’s national recognition, it’s like the region has been “pushed off the diving board,” and Love reckons it’s an opportunity for local wineries to jump to the next level.
For one thing, they can continue to focus on adapting to climate change, another reason Wine Enthusiast named the local AVA the best in the world.
“It’s forced the wineries to adapt. Some are going to hybrids, and everyone is kind of reevaluating the vinifera,” Love says. “It’s an emerging wine region, and the wines get better year after year.”
For more information about Monticello Wine Week go to monticellowinetrail.com.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced on April 8 that he would not veto the entire state budget created by the legislature, instead putting forward a swath of broad-reaching amendments.
The governor’s “common ground budget” has some key differences from the version passed by the state legislature earlier this year: It cuts all tax increases from the bill, but also includes none of the tax decreases he championed in his December budget proposal.
“I believe strongly that Virginia could be reforming and reducing the tax burdens on Virginians today,” said Youngkin at a press conference announcing the 233 budget amendments. “We have to make a decision together. And I will propose today that that decision together is that we do not fight over tax decreases, but we also recognize it’s not time, nor will it ever be, for tax increases that will interrupt this economic model that is working so well.”
One notable change to the budget is an amendment that would remove language requiring Virginia to reenter the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Prior to Youngkin pulling Virginia from RGGI in 2023, the program brought in millions of dollars in funding for local governments, but also came with slight increases to resident’s electricity bills.
During his presentation on the budget rewrite, Youngkin described RGGI as a “tax,” a characterization he has previously made that is disputed by proponents of the initiative.
State legislators will return to the capitol to consider the budget changes alongside other amendments and vetoes on April 17. Among those returning is Charlottesville representative Creigh Deeds, who serves on the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. In response to a request for comment from C-VILLE, Deeds said, “[the Governor’s] amendments will receive due consideration.”
Skyclad Aerial
To market
Charlottesville City Market kicked off its 51st season on April 6, boasting over 80 vendors on opening day at its Water Street location.
The market—which runs from April to November—is open every Saturday from 9am to 1pm. Shoppers can check out a range of fresh produce, baked goods, crafts, and more from both returning and new vendors, including Khadijah’s Kitchen, Arepas on Wheels, Pit & Pastry, Petite Buzz Farm, Qut Lil Garden, and more.
This year marks the first full season of the city’s partnership with Virginia Fresh Match, which aims to double SNAP purchases at farmers markets by matching eligible purchases. Shoppers using SNAP dollars can visit the city management tent at the market for a match of up to $50 per visit.
Downtown Saturday morning shoppers can find even more vendors a few blocks away at the Market at Ix, which is open from 8am to noon during its spring season.
For more information about other area farmers’ markets, visit charlottesville.gov/619/Charlottesville-Farmers-Markets.
Mika Meyers memorial
Albemarle County Fire Rescue held a memorial service for firefighter Mika Meyers, who died off duty on March 29. Over 100 firefighters attended the April 6 service at the Monticello High School auditorium. An obituary posted on the Hill & Wood Funeral Service website says Meyers’ family “is steadfast, moving forward, about stripping the stigma, shame and misunderstanding of mental illness and suicide. This is a disease, not a flaw of character.” At press time, a GoFundMe had raised over $45,000 for Meyers’ family.
Sips for SARA
Four local breweries have partnered with the Sexual Assault Resource Agency to raise money for the organization during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Each brewery has created a limited edition drink flavored with Simcoe hops, with a portion of proceeds going to SARA. Decipher Brewing and SuperFly Brewing Company kicked off the month-long fundraiser last week with release parties on April 1 and 5, respectively. To support the “Simcoe for SARA” effort, head down to Högwaller Brewing on April 11 or Selvedge Brewing on April 20 to sip the unique brews.
Change in counsel
As of April 15, the City of Charlottesville will temporarily be represented by Richmond law firm Sands Anderson while City Attorney Jacob Stroman is on leave. The firm is set to serve as acting City Attorney of Charlottesville for 60 days. In a press release announcing the interim counsel, the city said “all active litigation is being managed to ensure the City does not fall behind,” including the lawsuit aiming to stop the new zoning ordinance.
Charlottesville residents called on city councilors to pass the ceasefire resolution ahead of the vote. Image by City of Charlottesville.
Peace talks
Charlottesville City Council passed a resolution on April 1 that calls for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The resolution was first introduced at the March 18 council meeting and failed, with three councilors voting no. Though he originally voted against the resolution, Councilor Brian Pinkston joined Councilors Michael Payne and Natalie Oschrin in support of the measure.
“I believe it’s important to change your mind and to revisit a decision if upon new information or further reflection you believe you made a mistake,” said Pinkston ahead of Monday’s vote. The councilor emphasized the importance of the resolution, given Charlottesville’s large refugee population and the national defense industry’s role in the local economy.
“I realize that there are also concerns about unintended consequences, especially in a place like Charlottesville,” said Pinkston. “I can only say that I’ve thought about that, and I still believe that this is the right and courageous thing to do.”
The packed City Council chamber erupted with applause after Pinkston’s remarks.
Echoing their colleague’s statement, Payne and Oschrin also emphasized the importance of the resolution.
“We lend our voice to many, so alone we might not be effective … we join all of your voices individually to become one of many, and that’s where we have power,” said Oschrin. Payne referred to his previous statements on the measure, but added, “I do think we have a very small voice, but still a voice to weigh in.”
In addition to a ceasefire, the resolution also calls for the immediate and safe release of all hostages and the entry and provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Council passed the measure 3-1, with Councilor Lloyd Snook abstaining and Mayor Juandiego Wade voting no.
Payment pains
University of Virginia President Jim Ryan will meet with graduate workers April 4 to discuss payment concerns.
The meeting comes after months of organizing by the UVA chapter of United Campus Workers of Virginia, and was prompted by the group’s presence at a March 1 Board of Visitors meeting. Organizers report continued problems with late stipend payments, despite previous promises from university officials.
In a December 4 statement to C-VILLE, UVA Deputy Spokesperson Bethanie Glover said “the university is unaware of any systemic delays associated with graduate student stipends and funding. When isolated issues have occurred, schools and departments have acted quickly to resolve them.” This sentiment was echoed in March by Provost Ian Baucom, who acknowledged the protester’s presence and told the BOV that issues had previously been addressed, and more recent payment issues were limited in scope.
BBQ break in
Ace Biscuit & Barbecue will be closed for the next few weeks as the restaurant recovers from an apparent break in. On March 30, Ace posted photos on its Facebook page of smashed windows, bashed-in register screens, broken bottles, sinks, and toilets, and back rooms in disarray, writing that the incident happened overnight. According to CBS19, the damages totaled $50,000. In an April 1 Facebook post, Ace said, “We’re deeply moved by the overwhelming support from our community. Though our doors may be shut, our spirits remain unbroken.”
No smoke
Gov. Glenn Youngkin shot down a bill that would have legalized marijuana retail sales in Virginia, after previously stating, “Anybody who thinks I’m going to sign that legislation must have been smoking something.” The bill would have paved the way for retail markets to open in May 2025. Youngkin’s veto comes after his administration’s big push to open a new sports arena in Alexandria fell through. As a result, Virginians now live with uneven marijuana laws—it is legal to both possess and grow weed at home, but only medical marijuana is legal to purchase.
Station to station
Charlottesville Fire Department’s Station One, located along the 250 Bypass, will be rebuilt and reopened in spring 2025, with construction slated to be complete by that March and move-in by May. “The original Station One building has served this city well, and now the time has come for a much needed upgrade,” says Michael Thomas, CFD fire chief. “Station One will be built from the ground up to accommodate the 21st-century needs of the fire service and our growing city.” Concept drawings for the new station are available at charlottesville.gov.
Keep an eye on Corey Hoffman’s socials (@neonculturebrewing) for details on the upcoming tasting room at Murphy & Rude Malting Co. Photo by Tristan Williams.
All roads flow back to beer for Corey Hoffman, founder and head brewer at Neon Culture Brewing, a small-but-mighty start-up with big plans and singular suds.
Hoffman’s history with beer as a drinker includes—like many of us—college-age encounters involving red Solo cups, ping-pong balls, and cold cans sipped at a bar. That all changed in 2017 when Hoffman’s brother asked a simple question that launched a career: Have you ever heard of homebrewing?
“At the time I was looking for something to pour myself into,” says Hoffman. “I was trying to get out of my mom’s house, as all millennials try to do after you’re there way longer than you’re supposed to be, so I bought this [homebrewing] kit on a whim.”
Hoffman’s first beer was pretty undrinkable, but the experience inspired him to start researching and learning more about what goes into brewing beer. As he delved deeper into the worlds of homebrewing and beermaking, it became abundantly clear to him just how white the brewing industry is.
“When I started homebrewing I quickly realized there weren’t a lot of people that looked like me that were doing what I was doing,” Hoffman says. “I wondered in my mind, why don’t Black people like this beer? Why don’t I see a lot of Black homebrewers? It’s not that they don’t like it, it’s just that either you’re not exposed to it, or maybe the price point is too high, but mostly that it’s very intimidating walking into spaces when you don’t know anything about them.”
“That was the catalyst for me starting my own thing,” Hoffman says. “I wanted to share what I was doing with people, but at the same time I wanted to change the perception of what craft beer is—who it’s for and what it’s about.”
So Hoffman launched Neon Culture, a grassroots, community-organized brewery that keeps inclusivity, community, and collaboration at the heart of its mission. It’s also the first Black-owned brewery in Charlottesville.
While many breweries today embrace a classic style, Neon Culture brings a different vibe into the local beerscape—one that embraces experimentation, unconventional ingredients, and welcomes seasoned hop-heads and beer newbies alike.
“I think of all my brews as mixtapes,” says Hoffman, who is inspired by ’80s and ’90s aesthetics, including bright colors, vintage technology, and music. “We always have one or two beers that are on the normal side, and then there’s at least one with that Neon Culture vibe that’s a little different.”
Hoffman’s previous brews include Appetite for Inclusion, a hazy IPA made with Richmond homebrewer Rusty Barrel, HAZELWHAT?!, an imperial stout with hazelnuts, cacao nibs, and vanilla beans, and Summer at the Dreamhouse, a wheat beer that blends nostalgia with current pop culture and notes of grilled pineapples, mangoes, and habanero.
All of Neon Culture’s beers are brewed at and released in collaboration with Decipher Brewing, as Hoffman slowly works toward opening his own brewery. The next step in his journey—a small taproom and tasting bar in Murphy & Rude Malting Co.’s expanding space—is coming sometime this year.
“I’m not in a rush,” says Hoffman, who is embracing every step of the process. “I’m trying to make a new culture around here.”
October is the tail end of the harvest for Patrick Collins, the cidermaker behind Patois Cider. But the apples on one of his favorite trees are just about ripe.
“That guy there, with all the yellow orbs,” Collins says. “That tree is so delicious. See how it’s still full of leaves? It tastes fantastic, but the fact that it hasn’t defoliated means that it has a super strong immune system.”
Collins has driven his pickup truck to the top of a mountain pass in the Blue Ridge. There are other apple trees scattered in the area, but their branches are bare. This one, Collins notes, impressed and enthusiastic, still has dark-green leaves.
It’s been a dry summer, and drought stress can make trees let go of their leaves early. Even more challenging are the many pests and diseases that plague apple trees. There’s fire blight, cedar apple rust, blossom end rot, apple scab. They are such a problem that the general consensus among orchardists is, you simply can’t grow organic apples in Virginia. But these trees, left to grow untended for 100 years, are doing just fine.
Patrick Collins (right) and Danielle LeCompte formed Patois Cider just two years after meeting. While wild apples are at the core of their cidery business today, Collins and LeCompte began foraging because they had little in startup money and materials. Photo by Stephen Barling.
None of the apples here have names. Despite the saying “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” apples grown from seed famously have different characteristics than their parent trees. All of these have grown from scattered seeds. Collins speculates that the trees are descended from a former plantation nearby.
“Almost everybody back then, no matter if it was like a substantial landholder or just a homesteader, one of the first things they would plant would be apple trees,” Collins says. Apples have tremendous variety when grown from seed. “That would allow you to have a variety of different types of crop from the apple trees. Then you’d have fruit that was suitable for drying, fruit that would keep through the winter in your root cellar, and, of course, apples that were suitable for cider, or brandy.”
Now, they’re feral. Which is exactly what Collins is looking for. They’re the opposite of the giant, sugary apples prized in grocery stores.
“These apples are intense,” Collins says. “They’re small, they’re gnarled, the skins are thick, the flesh is substantial, and when you bite into it, you can get popped in the mouth. It’s also about the aromatics. Retro-nasally there’s all these leachy, rose-petal, or sometimes it can be really mossy.”
The things that have been bred out of commercial apples are exactly what Collins wants for cider. Tannins, which are bitter and astringent compounds, give the cider structure and body. High acid content helps control fermentation and adds an enticing flavor.
Collins and his partner, Danielle LeCompte, met while working in the beverage industry, thanks to their passion for cider and wine. They bonded over humble meals and bottles of wine.
“Working in restaurants kind of opened my world to wine,” LeCompte recalls. “There’s something special about a table ordering a bottle of wine instead of everyone getting a separate thing. There was this immediate sense of unity, of a shared experience.”
Photo by Stephen Barling.
Two years after meeting, the couple decided to launch a cider business. Collins read books on cidermaking while LeCompte held down a job as a wine distributor. At the time, foraging apples was a necessity. The pair had little more than their passion to work with.
“We started off with a couple thousand dollars in shared savings,” Collins says. “Enough money, essentially, to buy a press, some used barrels, and pay rent.”
Wild apples are a resource that is already out there, if you are willing to get them.
“Going on walks, we noticed an abundance of apples, the apple trees that are wild, on mountainside hikes and mountainside vistas,” LeCompte says. “And Patrick was super keyed in to just being able to look at topographical maps, finding out where some of these orchards are.”
Luck played a part too.
“In 2019, when we did our first fruit foraging run, there was a bounty of fruit,” LeCompte recalls. “Then 2020 followed and there was a late frost, so there was no fruit. If we had started the project in 2020, that would have been extremely discouraging.”
Slowly, Collins and LeCompte learned where to hunt for Virginia’s lost orchards.
“Most of them are around 950 feet on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge, because that’s the frost line,” Collins says. “Everything above that, unless it’s on a really well-draining slope, will get frosted. If you see a road that goes to about that elevation and stops on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge, there’s hopefully some trees there.”
Seedlings are better adapted to the climate, Collins says, and can be found by going up in elevation in an area where there have been apple trees.
“There’s probably a pretty good chance you’ll see at least one or two,” Collins says.
The pair found themselves retracing Virginia’s faded apple history.
Collins and LeCompte prefer to forage from wild apple trees, partly because they adapt to the environment over time, and genetic variability affects taste. Photo by Stephen Barling.
“Apples and peaches were a huge cash crop,” Collins says. “If you look at where the railroad goes, it sort of follows along where these old orchards were because it was exported across the Atlantic and to the West Coast.”
Some of those heirloom varieties, such as Winesaps and Albemarle Pippins, have lasted in abandoned orchards, and Collins and LeCompte still salvage them for cider.
“Albemarle Pippins were the export apple in the 19th century for Virginia,” Collins says. “It’s a keeper and it tastes like a pineapple dessert, but it has the complexity of flavor that you can make cider from it.”
For Collins and LeCompte, necessity overlapped with preference and, more importantly, values. The couple knew they wanted to make organic cider from unsprayed fruit, something that more acutely comes from the earth, rather than what a commercial orchard could supply.
Wild apples are organic as a matter of course, but they’re also uniquely sustainable. Because the trees are still entwined with the environment, they continue to adapt to it.
“Long term, it provides genetic renewal and suitability to the climate,” Collins says. “Genetic variability is not just about disease resistance, it’s also flavor. The apple has some amazing genetic variability and there’s so much potential for complexity of the flavors.”
That reward complements Patois’ forager spirit and the flavor of its cider. There is a sense of discovery, of finding out what nature has decided to make, adapting to it, and using it to its full potential.
Collins is the first to admit that he can romanticize cidermaking, but he enjoys the idea that someone is tasting the mountains and the year and how those regional forces have come together to form these apples year after year.
He contrasts that enjoyment to the enjoyment of commercial wine and its position as an aristocratic symbol.
“What are we celebrating when we celebrate wine?” Collins says, reflecting on the emphasis that is placed on styles made from a particular region or a particular grape variety. “There’s a lot that’s beautiful right here. We’re really motivated to make wine from the commons and celebrate nature as it exists. It’s not being formed or shaped or forced.”
Patois Cider’s 21 Bricolage, made from crab, heirloom, and seedling apples. Photo by Stephen Barling.
Collins says he would like to have an orchard of his own someday. Tending the trees year after year strikes him as a special and affectionate relationship. But even then, he says, he wouldn’t give up foraging.
“We’ll keep foraging for as long as our bodies allow,” Collins says. “I think there’s something very unique and special to the chance element of foraging. The fact that these just popped up. There’s something very special about them.”
Today’s apples from Jarman’s Gap will go into a particularly interesting cider from Patois, the Bricolage. Bricolage comes from French and denotes something that is built from the parts that are available. Patois Bricolage is just that—a mixture of the apples in abandoned orchards and feral woods crafted into the year’s unique taste.
“Whatever we have on hand, we try to make something beautiful out of it,” Collins says.
Other pressings available are bottled from just one area, one abandoned orchard, or one variety of apple. Albemarle Pippin is a heritage variety that Collins enjoys bottling on its own as an homage to the industry.
Most of their products go wholesale to small, craft wineshops as far away as New York, Chicago, and New Orleans. Locally, they can be found at Greenwood Grocery, Market Street Wine, and Wine Warehouse. For those who want to meet the makers, bottles are also available directly from Patois via its website.
By Mary Esselman, Maeve Hayden, Tami Keaveny, and Susan Sorensen
Walking in to a busy diner is an exciting sensory experience. The clang of silverware and dishes banging around, orders called from front-of-house to back, and air laden with the savory perfume of the kitchen. Trays go by filled with warm toasty waffles, deliciously greasy bacon and eggs, chicken-fried steak, Reuben sandwiches, turkey melts, and thick slices of lemon meringue pie. The anticipation builds until you’re seated, a server splashes coffee into a thick china cup, and asks, “What can I get ya?” Charlottesville has plenty of formal restaurants, but lucky for us, the city also abounds with (too many to count!) diners that deliver a nostalgic dream of American mealtime, where the food feeds the soul and the folks feel familiar. Here’s a roundup of some of our favorites. Post your go-to on our Facebook page and tell us why you love it.
Like its longtime proprietor Mel Walker, this legendary Charlottesville landmark exudes an aura of relaxed excellence.
Stop by near lunchtime, and you’ll find a line out the door, giving you a chance to peruse the menu taped to the window. Will you opt for breakfast, served all day? Perhaps the George Omelette: ham, cheese, onions, green peppers, and diced tomatoes, topped with chili beans? Or is lunch calling you to the fried fish sub or that BBQ rib sandwich?
Your stomach and heart rumble in anticipation of stick-to-the-ribs ecstasy, and already you know what you’ve heard is true: Mel’s, with its humble, homespun name, offers food for the soul.
Community photos cover the walls inside, along with tributes to beloved friends (and to the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins). A sign above the cash register reads: “Family, where life begins, and love never ends.”
Life and love never tasted as good as the fried chicken you order once you reach the counter and ask for Mel’s most popular dish. Hot, moist, and crunchy, it’s made to order and worth the 15-minute wait. Creamy mac and cheese, followed by Mel’s famous sweet potato pie complete the out- of-body experience.—ME
Something wonderful is going on at The Villa Diner. And it’s not just the joy we felt when The Wahoo (buttermilk pancakes, eggs, and sausage) and Super Big Complete Breakfast (bacon, hash browns, biscuits, and cheese on the scrambled eggs, please) arrived at our table.
We’re talking about an epidemic of paying it forward at the popular Emmet Street eatery. Just ask Mike, a local unhoused man. Or the Albemarle High School track team. Or the random person who’s caught the attention of a couple of UVA football players who regularly buy a stranger breakfast.
“It happens all the time,” says Jennifer Beachley, who’s co-owned the Villa with her husband Ken since 2005. One long-time customer buys everything from a veggie omelet to a Philly cheesesteak or grilled turkey melt (three of the diner’s most popular items) for people she’s never met, several times a month. “She says it’s the best part of her week,” according to Beachley, who gave the woman a map of the restaurant so she could give the cashier specific table numbers when paying her bill.
As if a Reuben and fries for under 10 bucks isn’t enough, imagine your delight when, after polishing off a plate of steak and eggs, you get to the register and learn that the guy who might score the winning touchdown at Scott Stadium this weekend has picked up the tab for your meal.—SS
Blue Moon Diner has evolved many times since its inception in 1979: owners Laura Galgano and Rice Hall took the reins, a lengthy closure, thanks to years of construction, COVID-19, and now a new service model. But some things never change.
Last month, the midtown diner switched to a coffee shop-style service. No more reservations, just walk in and choose your stickered booth (during the weekend brunch madness you’ll still have to put your name on a waitlist), then order through QR codes or up at the counter using a self-serve kiosk—and don’t forget to drop your dirty plates in a bus bin when you’re done.
Though ordering looks a little different, it’s still the same heavenly Blue Moon food coming out of the kitchen—like the ever-popular Hogwaller Hash with a side of home fries, or crispy beignets topped with powdered sugar—and the restaurant is full of familiar faces running food and making drinks, including Galgano.
Blue Moon’s coffee selection continues to reign supreme, with bottomless Trager Brothers Blue Moon Blend for $3, and canned Snowing in Space nitro cold brew for $5.
And, of course, Wednesday evenings are still for Jim Waive. The local musician brings the classic country tunes, Blue Moon shakes the cocktails and not-tails, and diners enjoy eggs all night long.—MH
Hiding in plain sight just before the Locust Avenue exit off 250 West sits the best little diner you’ve never noticed: Doodle’s. Walk through the door, and you’re in an American time capsule of clean, comfy, country ease: brightly lit booths and tables, homey decorations, and a sweetheart of a server named Kim.
Since she was 14, Melanie “Doodle” Lohr wanted to run a restaurant, she says, and for the past 10 years, she, her mom, and her Aunt Barbara have brought that dream to life. Morning regulars devour the breakfast combos and omelets, while evening folks come for the specials: salmon cakes, catfish dinner, hamburger steak, and Wednesday-night spaghetti. Popular desserts include three-tier cakes like the Sunshine (orange with mandarin oranges, whipped cream, and diced pineapple), chocolate chess pie, and bread pudding.
Almost as big a draw as the food is Kim, beloved for making everyone feel at home. When a grandpa comes in with his young grandson, Kim asks how their sleepover went the night before, and takes their drink orders. The boy asks for a soda, and Kim says, “Well, is that okay with Grandpa?” Grandpa smiles, “I don’t care, he won’t be with me today,” and Kim jokes back, “Oh, so a Mountain Dew then, huh?”—ME
If you’re looking for the classic country diner experience—with a twist—gather your herd and head to Moose’s by the Creek.
Tucked inside an unassuming building off Monticello Road, the family-owned eatery serves breakfast all day, juicy burgers, and specialty sweets for a reasonable price. Loyal patrons stop by every week to tuck into their tried-and-true favorites, like the Maine Moose (eggs, home fries, and your choice of meat and carb for $8) or the CVille Way (French toast topped with whipped butter, eggs, home fries, and a protein for $12). The pancakes are delightfully fluffy, the Mimoosas are bottomless for only $20, and it’s one of the few restaurants in town that serves scrapple as a side.
You can’t talk about Moose’s without mentioning the elephant in the room, which in this case is a moose—and a bear, and a turkey, and a deer. Yep, you read that right. Moose’s multiple dining rooms are tastefully decorated with busts of taxidermied animals. If that’s not your thing, they do offer takeout.
In addition to housing racks of antlers (with one that patrons stand under for the ubiquitous Moose crown), the restaurant also has a hockey sports bar in one of its back rooms, complete with foosball, pool, signed memorabilia, and, come hockey season, a room full of Caps fans rooting for Ovi to score another goal.—MH
Somehow Tip Top manages to be both a Southern and a Northeastern diner.
Head in for breakfast, and you’ll find corn cakes (“a true Southern delight,” declares the menu) and a country ham special that includes two eggs, home fries, and grits. A cheerful waitress greets you with “Good morning, honey!” and a hot mug of coffee (better than Starbucks but not as good as JBird Supply). You might try the popular buckwheat pancakes (“Tastes like you’re in Texas”), or the two biscuits with sausage gravy and two eggs, about as Southern as you can get.
Show up for lunch or dinner, however, and you’ll feel the “Seinfeld” vibe of Jerry, George, and Elaine’s NYC diner, Monk’s Café. Owner Terry Vassolous, originally from Greece, has crafted a menu full of Greek and Italian specialties, from grape leaves, souvlaki, and moussaka to lasagna, manicotti, and fettuccini alfredo. The meatballs are sublime, and the pizzas stand out for their Greek-influenced toppings, like the peasant’s feta cheese, fresh tomatoes, black olives, scallions, bell peppers, and pepperoni. There’s even a “big salad” (one Greek, one chef).
Any time of day, Tip Top feels sparkling and friendly, a haven for weary families, workers, students, and Route 250 travelers.—ME
Around the corner from UVA Medical Center, the Korner Restaurant has been feeding Cherry Avenue and Lee Street folks for over 50 years. “A good place to eat, where two streets meet,” proclaims the menu, and that’s what you find at the Korner, from 5:30am to 4pm, hefty, low-cost portions of hearty homemade food, with a side dish of neighborly love.
Philip Templeton runs the place that’s been in his family since 1950, arriving at 3:30am to prepare from-scratch dishes like macaroni salad, cole slaw, potato salad, and BBQ. Once the breakfast rush starts, he’s at the counter with his regulars, who show up every day.
Two Tammys and a core Korner crew keep the place humming. Tammy One greets you like your favorite aunt, bringing you heaping portions of home fries and grits, and keeping the strong coffee coming. A Korner mainstay for decades, she lights up describing customer favorites: the juicy burgers (fresh ground beef, never frozen), stuffed subs, tangy wing dings, and homemade chicken salad. Tammy Two handles the griddle, the register, and any diner thing that needs doing.
Wahoowa-proud, the Korner loves the community it serves.—ME
Waiting in line for a table at The Nook during the weekend brunch rush is one of those quintessential Charlottesville experiences. One of C’ville’s OG diners, The Nook opened in 1951, and offers an elevated diner experience with local and seasonal offerings and specialty cocktails.
A Nook brunch is best experienced at one of the coveted outdoor patio seats—just be prepared to wait in line (pro tip: Send one person to the restaurant 20 minutes before you’d like to eat to put your party’s name on the list). Though the wait can sometimes be up to 30 minutes, it’s not unpleasant. The hosts juggle and flip tables with ease, waiters bustle back and forth carrying steaming plates that make your stomach growl, and if you’re lucky, a busker’s accordion rendition of “Toxic” by Britney Spears will drift down the mall.
As you peruse the menu and begin sipping on your mug of coffee, keep these three things in mind: the breakfast potatoes, which are perfectly seasoned and served with peppers and onions, are some of the yummiest in the city, brunch pairs best with a boozy cocktail, like the Spiced Apple Mimosa, and you have to try the eggs benny at least once.—MH
Holly’s is a nighttime diner, offering comfort food and friendly fun from 5pm to 2am, Tuesday through Saturday. The place is funky and cute, with an industrial-meets-farm chic, and a honky-tonk happy soul.
An older crowd comes early to claim swivel-stool seats at the long concrete bar, or to grab a spot at the hidden outdoor patio. There they throw back signature cocktails like the Belmont Sweet Tea (Southern tea with a kick), while enjoying Holly’s most popular dinner dishes—homemade meatloaf, chicken poblano pot pie, Brussels sprout hash, and fried green tomatoes.
After 9pm, a younger crowd fills the tables and booths near the small stage that sparkles with live music on Fridays and Saturdays, Thunder Music Karaoke on Tuesdays, Open Mic Night on Wednesdays, Game Night on Thursdays, and, on occasion, Goth Takeovers with DJs. Folks who work and party into the wee hours love Holly’s late-night handheld options, like the catfish po’boy, Reuben sandwich, and the Hangover Burger (gently dressed with bacon, fried egg, pepper, pepper jack cheese, special hot sauce, and lettuce).
Even the olds often hang around for dinner and “a show,” just to chat with beloved manager, Morgan, and to soak in the diner’s welcoming vibe.—ME
